Can cats eat garlic?
This cat blog will answer the major question, “Can cats eat garlic?” we will also discuss the threats of consuming garlic for your cat, how much garlic is poisonous enough to cause organ failure, and what you can do if your cat ate garlic.
Can cats eat garlic?
No, cats cannot eat garlic. Garlic is not healthy for your cat to consume because it can cause low blood pressure, anemia, gastroenteritis, and other problems for your cat. A small amount of garlic is enough to cause organ failure in your cat. Please avoid any form of garlic such as garlic cloves and in powder form.
What are the threats of consuming garlic for your cat?
Following are the threats of consuming garlic for your cat:
Anemia
Garlic has thiosulfates and disulfides which can lead to red blood cell lysis in your cat. The red blood cells are the carriers of oxygen in the body. The red blood cell lysis will significantly decrease the oxygen in the blood. This will lead to tissue necrosis and the death of your cat if not treated in time.
Following are the clinical signs of hemolytic anemia in your cat:
- Pale mucous membranes
- Lethargy
- Increased heart rate
- Increased breathing rate
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Cold extremities
Gastroenteritis
The next problem is gastroenteritis in your cat. Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and the intestine in the body. It is due to indigestion and the irritation produced by the compounds in the stomach of your cat.
Following are the clinical signs of gastroenteritis in your cat:
- Blood in feces
- Loss of appetite
- Restlessness
- Weakness
- Vomiting
It is very important to treat this kind of inflammation because the loss of blood will soon lead to hypovolemic shock and the death of your beloved furry friend.
Low blood pressure
The next problem is the low blood pressure in your cat. The low blood pressure is due to the vasodilatory effect of the garlic compounds. Vasodilation can lower blood pressure and in this way, the blood will not reach the extremities. This can lead to a collapse in your cat.
The drop in blood pressure will signal the heart to pump forcefully. This will lead to hypertrophy of the heart which is another problem for your cat. In the worst case, it can lead to a heart attack in your cat due to the overloading of the heart.
Nervous signs
If garlic is consumed continuously, it will lead to nervous signs due to toxicity in the body. The nervous signs will indicate that your cat is in a bad shape.
Following are the major nervous signs in your cat:
- Confusion
- Imbalance
- Seizures
- Convulsions
The nervous signs affect your cat’s health very badly so you need to make sure your cat doesn’t hold on to garlic in any case and in any form.
How much garlic is enough to cause organ failure in your cat?
A single clove or ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder is enough for your cat. It will cause organ failure in your cat which will lead to the death of your cat. The death of the cat is due to circulatory failure accompanied by respiratory failure in your cat.
What would you do if your cat ate garlic?
The first thing you can do is not panic in this situation. If you have seen your cat consuming garlic you should know how much garlic is consumed by your cat and in what form because the garlic powder is easily digested as compared to garlic cloves.
The next thing is to call your vet and tell him about the incident. If your vet advises you to bring your cat to the vet, please do not hesitate in visiting the vet hospital.
After arriving at the vet, your vet will take a brief history and will examine your cat. After that, your vet will discuss with you the possible ways of treating your cat. You should carefully listen to your vet and then allow him to treat your cat. The sooner you get to the hospital the better chance of your cat’s survival.
Your vet will induce vomiting with the help of activated charcoal. You shouldn’t use it at home without the advice of your vet.
Your vet might go for fluid therapy because fluid therapy can dilute the toxins in the blood to reduce its effect on the body of your cat. Your vet will also use antibiotics to reduce secondary bacterial infection.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answered the main question, “Can cats eat garlic?” we also discussed the threats of consuming garlic for your cat, how much garlic is poisonous enough to cause organ failure, and what you can do if your cat ate garlic.
References
https://www.litter-robot.com/blog/can-cats-eat-garlic-or-onions/
https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/garlic-poisoning-1
https://www.untamedcatfood.com/blogs/nutrition/can-cats-eat-garlic
