If your cat has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, an emergency animal hospital or an animal poison control service right away, even if your cat seems fine. Do not try to make your cat vomit at home.
Why
Alcohol is absorbed quickly and acts on the brain, the body temperature and the blood chemistry. The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that alcohol poisoning can cause inebriation, low blood sugar, low body temperature and acid buildup in the blood, and severe cases can lead to coma, seizures or death. PetMD's veterinary article on toxic foods notes that because cats are small, they do not have to drink much alcohol to show signs.
Alcohol reaches cats in more ways than a glass left on the table. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists alcoholic drinks, some rubbing alcohols, medicine elixirs, some hand sanitizers and fermenting bread dough as sources of ethanol. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also lists alcohol among the people foods pets should never have.
Signs to watch for
- Vomiting, diarrhea or drooling
- Wobbliness, disorientation or lack of coordination
- Lethargy or unusual quietness
- Tremors
- Difficulty breathing or slow breathing
- A cold body or a slow heart rate
- Signs usually begin within 30 to 60 minutes of drinking
What to do if your cat eats it
- Work out what your cat drank or ate and roughly how much: the drink, the dish, the dough or the product. Keep the bottle or packaging.
- Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital straight away, even if your cat seems normal.
- Do not try to make your cat vomit at home.
- Keep your cat warm, quiet and away from stairs or high places while you get advice.
- Afterwards, clear away glasses, bottles and cans at the end of a meal or party.
Hidden alcohol in home cooking
Alcohol is a common ingredient in many home kitchens, not only in drinks. Rice wine is used generously in dishes such as sesame oil chicken, ginger duck soup and drunken chicken, and beer, wine and spirits go into stews, sauces and desserts. How much alcohol remains depends on how the dish was cooked, so it is safest to assume that some is still there.
Dishes cooked with alcohol are usually seasoned in other ways too. Rice wine chicken soups are often made with garlic, ginger, sesame oil and salt, and the Merck Veterinary Manual identifies garlic and the rest of the onion family as a cause of red blood cell damage in cats. Keep the pot covered and do not share the broth or the meat.
Raw dough and hand sanitizers
Raw yeast dough is a hidden source of alcohol. PetMD's article on toxic foods explains that live yeast in raw dough can produce gas and alcohol in the stomach, and the ASPCA warns that the dough can expand and cause painful bloating. Baked bread in a small amount is a different thing and is not a poisoning risk.
Hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol are other sources the Merck Veterinary Manual lists. A cat is unlikely to drink them on purpose, but spills on the floor or on fur can be licked up during grooming. Wipe up spills promptly and store bottles closed.
What happens at the vet?
Alcohol poisoning has no specific antidote, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, so treatment focuses on supporting the cat until the alcohol has cleared. The Merck Veterinary Manual adds that most cases respond well to appropriate supportive care, which is why getting help early matters.
- Warming, because alcohol can lower body temperature
- IV fluids and correction of blood sugar and blood chemistry
- Support for breathing if it slows
- Medicine to control tremors or seizures
- Close monitoring until the cat is steady again
Common questions
Is alcohol good for cats?
No. Alcohol is absorbed quickly and acts on the brain, the body temperature and the blood chemistry.
Is alcohol bad for cats?
Yes. Signs of poisoning to watch for: vomiting, diarrhea or drooling; wobbliness, disorientation or lack of coordination; lethargy or unusual quietness.
Are cats allowed to have alcohol?
No, keep it away from your cat. If your cat eats some anyway: work out what your cat drank or ate and roughly how much: the drink, the dish, the dough or the product. Keep the bottle or packaging.
My cat licked a little beer. What should I do?
Call your vet and tell them roughly how much your cat drank and what it was. Cats are small and alcohol is absorbed quickly, so even a small amount can cause signs within 30 to 60 minutes, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Keep your cat warm and watch it closely while you get advice.
Is food cooked with rice wine safe for cats?
No. Dishes cooked with rice wine may still contain some alcohol, and they are usually seasoned with garlic, ginger, sesame oil or salt. Set aside a plain, unseasoned piece of meat before adding wine or seasoning if you want to share.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Toxicoses From Alcohols in Animals.
- PetMD. What Can’t Cats Eat? 8 Toxic Foods for Cats (Jennifer Coates, DVM; reviewed by Jo Cornett, DVM)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals.
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets.
- Cornell Feline Health Center. Feeding Your Cat.