Permethrin

[Mewmew Butler]

Hello everyone we recently had a crisis.My husband is a carpenter and he remodeled a building that used to be a pet store and he found a handful of Bio Spot flea and tick control for dogs which we very stupidly put on our two cats,Mewmew and Rhett Buler.We noticed almost imediately that they were affected.They had muscle tics and were panting.After the fact we researched on the internet and found out how dangerous and stupid this was.Luckily they are both fine now but we learned a scary lesson.Never put dog products on cats.Fleas are fleas but cats and dogs are different.

[kate & kobi]

Thank you for sharing your story; this is an important message for cat owners to hear!

Just to make sure, you did take your cats to the vet, right? I know you said they're better now, but of course it's best to have a vet look at them even if they seem to be better.

[Traci]

Just to err on the side of caution, I strongly advise you to get both kitties checked by your vet immediately. Explain the amount of the Biospot you applied to each cat, their symptoms, and how long it took to produce the symptoms as well as when they seemed to 'recover'. I'm concerned about residue on their fur which could still be a potential problem, especially with grooming. If you didn't wash it off after applying, there is still residue of the product remaining. It is best to wash it off immediately upon noticing the mistake/reaction, to help reduce the amount that actually absorbs through the skin.

Permethrin toxicity can be fatal in cats. More can be learned on my emergency Page 7 - Introduction to Home Hazards, Plants, and Other Toxicities, including permethrin toxicosis, and a page about flea/tick products.

Glad to hear they are both ok, but please, don't delay in getting them checked by your vet ASAP, you didn't say exactly when this happened, but signs of toxicity could still occur several days later. If they are older kitties by chance, might want to test their kidney function.

Advantage and Frontline are the safest flea/tick medications available for your cats. Your vet can advise you on these products, based on kitties' weights, risk of flea/tick infestation, etc. (please don't buy them outside of your vet, you can't trust the product nor garantee it's safety by any internet company, and chances are, the manufacturer will not garantee the product if it is not 'prescribed' by your vet, should a reaction occur)

[Mona]

After reading your story, I hope you washed the product off your cats immediately. Never use any over the counter products and never put dog products on a cat even if prescription.

You were very lucky, but your cats should have been examined by a vet to make sure they have not been permantently affected by this drug.

Only use Advantage or Frontline for the proper weight of the pet for flea control.

Mona, Honeybun and Chloe

[Mewmew Butler]

Hello everyone thank you for your concern.This happened a week ago Thursday.We rinsed them off with water and then went back and did it again with Ivory.We took them to the vet and she said that since they weren't having grand mal(sp?)seizures she wasn't going to start an iv and that if anything was going to happen it would be in 72 hours.Well they perked up Saturday and started eating,drinking,pooping and peeing.And we kept their litter box clean to check their waste.We took them back Friday and their kidneys checked out fine.She said we were lucky that the product was old and had lost a lot of it's potency.I had no idea that dog products could be so harmful to cats.I can't believe we almost killed our two youngest children,Mewmew and Rhett Butler,just to save some money.Now that the crisis is over I am going to try to find some natural flea products(if there are any)because it will be a long time before I will or even can put any toxins on them.I want other cat owners not to make the same mistake I did.

[Mewmew Butler]

Hey just wanted to say you guys were right on the money.After the panting and the tics the thing the vet was worried about was their kidneys.

[kate & kobi]

I'm so glad you took them both to your vet! And of course that they're feeling better.

There are a couple of wonderful flea-repellant products meant specifically for cats - Advantage and Revolution. These are very safe for kitties, and extremely effective. Please ask your vet about them (prescription only). Don't use any over-the-counter flea control remedies, even if they say they're "natural" - that could mean anything. Advantage (or Revolution) is the way to go!

[Traci]

Now that the crisis is over I am going to try to find some natural flea product.

Sorry, but unless you want another crisis, I strongly advise AGAINST "natural" flea or tick products. Do you know that some ingredients in natural products are some of the most toxic substances when you're talking about pet products? You have no idea what is actually in them (these aren't regulated by the FDA--and I would surmise the same in the UK-- so you dont know what the manufacturer puts in, let alone what the merchandiser is claiming, if you've seen enough across the net, this should be enough to make you question, then leave it to your vet's advice only)

Also, just as importantly, natural products are worthless and ineffective, plus a strain on your pocketbook for a product that isn't going to serve a purpose. Again, Advantage and Frontline are the safest products for flea and tick control.

[Tina B and crew]

I'm gonna weigh in here and second Traci's warning about natural stuff...now I'm all for doing things the natural way, but some of the natural stuff can be just as toxic to cats. My cats for the most part see a holistic vet but even she recommends Advantage for flea control. It's tested and safe and there are rarely problems with it. Glad everything turned out OK with your kitties...