Potential Dangers
There are more dangers than those on this list but this is a good start.
Food and Plants
- Avocado flesh & pip
- Broccoli in large amounts
- Garlic
- Lilies (cats especially)
- Macadamia nuts
- Marijuana
- Green potatoes
- Raisins & grapes
- Rhubarb leaves
- Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
Around the House
- Acetaminophen (Paracetamol-Panadol)-especially cats
- Alcohol
- Aromatherapy oils
- Aspirin
- Barbeque bones- watch after a BBQ especially in the rubbish bin
- Barbeque Skewers- don’t leave these lying around, especially with food attached
- Bleach-watch the bottom of the shower recess as cats like to drink from here
- Bones- cooked bones but any bone can be a potential danger
- Boric Acid (Ant Rid, insecticides)
- Cigarette, tobacco, cigars (pets love to eat these)
- Chocolate (dark and milk are the most dangerous)
- Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
- Corn Cobs (can easily become stuck in the intestines)
- Condoms- from the rubbish bin especially
- Deodorants and deodorizers
- Detergent
- Disinfectants
- Dye
- Electrical cords- cats love these
- Fireplaces – uncovered, puppies and kittens are curious of these
- Furniture Polish
- Furniture- kittens can easily become jammed in a reclining chair
- Innersoles from shoes- dogs love to chew these up and they can easily cause a blockage
- Laxatives
- Meat tray liners
- Medication- any overdose of pet medication and even ingestion of human medication can cause problems
- Milk- human milk containing lactose can cause diarrhoea
- Mineral Spirits
- Mouldy foods
- Mothballs
- Nail Polish& Remover
- Needle and thread –cats love to swallow these
- Panadol/Paracetomol- especially cats
- Pear pips, the pips of plums, peaches & apricots, apple core pips- potentially poisonous as they can cause cyanide poisoning and can cause blockages/obstruction
- Phone cords
- Plastic cling wrap- cats love this
- Rat and Ant poison (including Ratsak)
- Ribbon
- Rubber bands –cats love these
- Shoe polish
- Socks- dogs love to eat these and they can cause a blockage
- Strings attached to food, toys- cats can swallow this
- Stockings
- Suntan Lotion (contains Zinc)
- Tampons- especially used tampons from the rubbish
- Toys –of any sort, these can easily be broken up and swallowed
- Yeast dough
- Zinc (in human sunscreens)
Outside
- Campfires- dogs often run through these
- Compost-contains moulds and is toxic if ingested
- Fishing hooks- dogs and cats will often swallow these due to their odour
- Paint – lead in old paint is poisonous
- Pear pips, the pips of plums, peaches & apricots, apple core pips- potentially poisonous as they can cause cyanide poisoning and can cause blockages/obstruction
- Ponds-especially uncovered, puppies and kittens are at risk of drowning
- Rat and Ant poison (including Ratsak)
- Snail/slug bait- even those deemed “pet safe”- these only contain a bitter tasting deterrent and are still poisonous
- Swimming pools-especially uncovered or those without steps, dogs and cats are at risk of drowning
- Tan bark- if swallowed can cause an obstruction
- Toilets- especially uncovered, kittens can easily drown
- Weed killer
- Wood-chewed up and swallowed can cause an obstruction
Garden or Tool Shed, Garage
- Antifreeze- dogs love the taste
- Brake Fluid
- Fishing hooks- dogs and cats will often swallow these due to their odour
- Fungicides
- Herbicides
- Insecticides
- Lead – especially in old paint or paint flakes
- Metal Polish
- Paint – lead in old paint is poisonous
- Paint Remover
- Petrol
- Rat and Ant poison (including Ratsak)
- Snail/slug bait- even those deemed “pet safe”- these only contain a bitter tasting deterrent and are still poisonous
- Weed killer
