When a cat is sick or abnormally smelly, a pet owner might look for the cause in everything from food and water issues to pesticides, plants, cleaning products, or air fresheners.
These last few possibilities are an often-overlooked source of harmful toxicity, but they can be dangerous to pet’s health in both the short and long term.
While air fresheners might seem like a good way to make your house smell nice, particularly around a cat’s litter box, air freshener toxic chemicals can cause serious health problems for your cat.
The chemicals irritate the mucus membranes and breathing passages of your kitty, and they can cause even more serious long-term problems if they contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are carbon-based compounds that remain in the air of your home even after a spray evaporates.
Some of the long-term effects of exposure to VOCs include liver or kidney damage, cancer, and nervous system problems. Short-term effects include vomiting, breathing issues, dizziness, and eye/mouth/nose irritation.
However, if you have a leaking air freshener and your cat licks the area where it spilled, then you may witness a much more violent reaction. Here’s what you can expect.
The low-grade symptoms may include coughing, sneezing, tearing up, nasal discharge production. These occur when the cat has minimal contact with the toxic substance. The cat immediately becomes distressed, which is visible in its behavior. If you notice this, you should try smelling your cat.