Cat Mushroom Poisoning

Fairy rings, those big white mushrooms that seem to appear overnight in wet weather, are fascinating. They are also poisonous mushrooms. Cats and kittens do not know that until it is too late. However, those are just one of many varieties of mushrooms that are poisonous to your cat.

The signs of poisonous mushroom ingestion will vary according to the type of mushroom that was eaten. The mushrooms are categorized into seven categories by testing for the toxins that they produce. There are four main categories of mushrooms that can cause mushroom poisoning. You will not know what type of mushroom, or if it was mushrooms that your cat ate until lab tests are performed. Your veterinarian is the only person who can perform these tests.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms can occur in a very short time after your cat eats the mushrooms. At the most, symptoms will occur within several hours.

1. Sudden Cat Vomiting and/or Cat Diarrhea

2. The skin can start turning yellow (jaundice)

3. Obvious abdominal pain and/or Cat Swollen Abdomen

4. Your cat will show signs of Cat Lethargy

5. Seizures and coma can also occur

6. A noticeable increase in salivation, i.e. Cat Drooling

The process of diagnosing

Your veterinarian is the only one who can properly diagnose mushroom poisoning in your cat. Therefore, when the symptoms present themselves you need to get your cat to the vet very quickly.

Once there, blood tests will be performed on your cat first. They will check for an increase in liver and/or kidney enzymes. These can appear within a day after ingestion. Low potassium and blood sugar will also be evident. These tests may not appear to be specific for mushroom poisoning, but combined with the other symptoms, a diagnosis can be made.
By inducing vomiting in your cat, the type of mushroom that they ate can be determined. This will be done if the symptoms and blood tests match the criteria of mushroom poisoning

Preferred Treatment

Treatment will vary depending on what type of mushroom your cat ate. There are several treatment modalities that can be used.

1. Mushroom toxins can be absorbed by the administration of activated charcoal

2. Your vet will induce vomiting

3. Intravenous fluids will be administered if the vomiting and diarrhea do not stop quickly enough

4. If your cat is having seizures, they will be treated by the vet with medications that are specific for seizures

5. If your cat is showing signs of having Cat Liver Disease or Cat Kidney Disease, a lifetime of medication may have to be administered

How to Prevent Mushroom Poisoning in your Cat

There is probably no way you can totally prevent your cat from eating mushrooms. The natural inquisitive nature of cats and kittens can be quite hard to control. Your best options are to check your yard from mushrooms and then remove them. This is especially true if your cat spends any amount of time outside.

The fence in your yard will not keep out toxic mushrooms.

Do not allow your cat to wander unattended through your neighborhood. Keep them close to home means that you can keep a close eye on your cat.

In the event that your cat starts to show signs of distress or appears to be seriously ill, it is extremely important to contact your family veterinarian as quickly as possible. Treatment must begin immediately or the consequences are potentially devastating.