Herbicide Effect on Felines

If you have an indoor cat, there should be no concerns about it getting ill from herbicides you use to treat your lawn. However, if you let your cat out regularly and it happens to eat any plants treated with a herbicide, your feline could get sick.

  1. Chlorophenoxy Symptoms

    • If a feline eats grass treated with a herbicide that contains chlorophenoxy, the animal will show symptoms of illness within 12 hours. The symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea and no desire to eat. As long as the cat is kept away from the chlorophenoxy-treated grass, it should be able to fight through the symptoms within 72 hours.

    Dipyridyl/Paraquat Symptoms

    • If the plants your cat eats were treated with a herbicide that contains dipyridyl, or Paraquat, death could occur if the animal is not treated. The initial symptoms of paraquat poisoning can include abdominal pain, vomiting and depression. After several weeks, the cat will have trouble breathing as fluid begins to build up in the lungs. Meanwhile, the animal's respiratory rate will increase.

    Paraquat treatment

    • A cat that has eaten plants treated with Paraquat should be treated by a veterinarian immediately. A vet will administer mineral absorbants to the cat that soak up the Paraquat.

    Molluscacide Symptoms

    • Molluscacides are used to kill snails and slugs in gardens. They contain metaldehyde, which is a chemical that is fatal to cats. Symptoms will appear within hours after ingestion and can include tachycardia, salivation, tremors, and seizures, hyperthermia, diarrhea and depression, according to Cornell University's Department of Animal Science.

    Molluscacide Treatment

    • Induce the cat to vomit as soon as possible to remove as much of the metaldehyde as possible, and then take the animal immediately to a veterinarian for further treatment.