Household hazards for pets
104 items checked — cleaners, poisons, automotive and garden chemicals. Quick verdicts, warning signs, and exactly when to call the vet.
🐶 Alcohol (Beer, Wine, Spirits)☠️ ToxicNo. Alcohol poisons dogs at far smaller amounts than people, and severe cases can cause coma and🐱 Alcohol (Beer, Wine, Spirits)☠️ ToxicNo. Cats are even more sensitive to alcohol than dogs, and just a tablespoon of spirits can caus🐶 Ant Baits & Traps (Borax / Avermectin)🚫 Not SafeNo. Ant baits are only mildly toxic, but chewing them can cause stomach upset, and swallowing pl🐱 Ant Baits & Traps (Borax / Avermectin)🚫 Not SafeNo. Ant baits are low in toxicity for cats, but plastic trap parts and sticky gel residue make t🐶 Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol)☠️ ToxicNo. Antifreeze is one of the deadliest household chemicals for dogs — a few tablespoons can caus🐱 Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol)☠️ ToxicNo. Antifreeze kills cats at tiny doses — just a few licks from a puddle can cause fatal kidney 🐶 BBQ Grill Cleaner (Caustic Foam)☠️ ToxicNo. Grill cleaner is caustic lye that burns skin, mouth, and throat, and residue left on grates 🐱 BBQ Grill Cleaner (Caustic Foam)☠️ ToxicNo. Caustic grill cleaner burns on contact, and cats are exposed by walking on treated surfaces 🐶 Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)🚫 Not SafeRisky, not instantly deadly. Diluted bleach fumes and dry surfaces are usually tolerable, but dr🐱 Bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite)🚫 Not SafeRisky. Dried surfaces and aired fumes are usually fine, but liquid bleach burns a cat’s mouth an🐶 Button Batteries (Lithium Cells)☠️ ToxicNo. Swallowed button batteries can burn through a dog’s esophagus within hours — this is one of 🐱 Button Batteries (Lithium Cells)☠️ ToxicNo. Button batteries can cause devastating mouth and throat burns in cats, usually from chewing 🐶 Carpet Cleaner & Deodorizer Powder🚫 Not SafeNo. Carpet cleaners and deodorizer powders irritate dogs’ stomachs, paws, and airways — they are🐱 Carpet Cleaner & Deodorizer Powder🚫 Not SafeNo. Cats ingest carpet cleaner and powder by walking across treated carpet and grooming, so they🐶 Depilatory (Hair Removal) Cream🚫 Not SafeNo. Depilatory cream dissolves hair with chemicals that also burn a dog’s mouth and tongue, so a🐱 Depilatory (Hair Removal) Cream🚫 Not SafeNo. Hair removal cream burns a cat’s mouth and paws on contact, and cats groom any residue off f🐶 Dishwasher Detergent Pods🚫 Not SafeNo. Dishwasher pods contain strongly alkaline detergent that can burn a dog’s mouth, tongue and 🐱 Dishwasher Detergent Pods🚫 Not SafeNo. Dishwasher detergent is caustic to cats — licking gel or powder from a pod or dispenser can 🐶 Disinfectant Wipes⚠️ Only With Vet OKMostly yes once surfaces are dry — dried residue is low risk, but chewing a wet wipe or freshly 🐱 Disinfectant Wipes🚫 Not SafeNo. Cats ingest wipe chemicals by grooming their paws after walking on wiped surfaces — residue 🐶 Drain Cleaner (Sulfuric Acid / Lye)☠️ ToxicNo. Drain cleaner contains sulfuric acid or lye that causes instant, devastating burns to a dog’🐱 Drain Cleaner (Sulfuric Acid / Lye)☠️ ToxicNo. Drain cleaner is caustic enough to cause life-threatening burns in cats from licking residue🐶 E-Cigarette Liquid (Vape Juice)☠️ ToxicNo. Vape liquid is concentrated nicotine and one of the most dangerous products a dog can swallo🐱 E-Cigarette Liquid (Vape Juice)☠️ ToxicNo. Vape liquid contains concentrated nicotine that can kill a cat, and cats are exposed by lick🐶 Expanding Polyurethane Glue (Gorilla Glue)☠️ ToxicA true emergency. Expanding polyurethane glue reacts with stomach fluid and swells into a solid 🐱 Expanding Polyurethane Glue (Gorilla Glue)☠️ ToxicA true emergency. Polyurethane glue swells into a solid mass inside a cat’s small stomach, and s🐶 Gasoline☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Swallowed gasoline threatens the lungs through aspiration and burns the mouth,🐱 Gasoline☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Gasoline burns a cat’s mouth and can cause fatal aspiration pneumonia, so even🐶 Glow Sticks🚫 Not SafeNo. Glow stick liquid is not usually fatal but tastes terrible and causes drooling, gagging, and🐱 Glow Sticks🚫 Not SafeNo. Cats bite glow jewelry open, get a mouth full of bitter liquid, and panic — it is frightenin🐶 Glyphosate Weed Killer (Roundup)🚫 Not SafeRisky while wet. Fresh spray irritates a dog’s mouth and stomach, but a treated lawn that has fu🐱 Glyphosate Weed Killer (Roundup)🚫 Not SafeRisky while wet. Glyphosate spray on fur gets groomed off into a cat’s stomach, though fully dri🐶 Hair Dye & Bleach Kits🚫 Not SafeNo. Hair dye and bleach kits contain peroxide and ammonia that burn a dog’s mouth and upset the 🐱 Hair Dye & Bleach Kits🚫 Not SafeNo. Dye and bleach kits burn a cat’s mouth on contact, and cats track drips on their fur and gro🐶 Hand Sanitizer🚫 Not SafeUsually survivable, still serious. A small lick mostly causes drooling and stomach upset, while 🐱 Hand Sanitizer🚫 Not SafeA lick is usually mild, but a bottle is an emergency. Alcohol-based sanitizer easily upsets a ca🐶 Hydrogen Peroxide🚫 Not SafeRisky at home. Veterinarians sometimes use 3% peroxide to make a dog vomit, but owners should ne🐱 Hydrogen Peroxide🚫 Not SafeDangerous for cats. Peroxide inflames a cat’s mouth and stomach, and unlike for dogs it is never🐶 Ink Pens & Printer Cartridges🚫 Not SafeNo. Pen and printer ink is mostly a mess rather than a poisoning, but the plastic pieces and swa🐱 Ink Pens & Printer Cartridges🚫 Not SafeNo. Ink itself is low in toxicity for cats, but swallowed pen parts and licked toner powder caus🐶 Latex & Oil-Based Paint🚫 Not SafeNo. Wet paint sickens dogs who lap it, and oil-based paint in particular must never be vomited b🐱 Latex & Oil-Based Paint🚫 Not SafeNo. Wet paint sicken cats mainly through grooming, and oil-based paint solvents must never be br🐶 Laundry Detergent Pods🚫 Not SafeNo. Laundry pods are concentrated detergent — biting one squirts it down the throat and can caus🐱 Laundry Detergent Pods🚫 Not SafeNo. Laundry pods irritate a cat’s mouth and stomach, and the concentrated detergent can cause dr🐶 Lawn Fertilizer🚫 Not SafeRisky. Fresh fertilizer or a mouthful of granules causes real stomach upset, though a fully wate🐱 Lawn Fertilizer⚠️ Only With Vet OKUsually fine once dry. A fully watered-in, dried lawn poses little risk to a cat, but wet grass 🐶 Lighter Fluid☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Lighter fluid is a hydrocarbon, and swallowing even a small amount can cause c🐱 Lighter Fluid☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Lighter fluid swallowed or inhaled by a cat can cause fatal chemical pneumonia🐶 Liquid Potpourri & Simmering Oils🚫 Not SafeNo. Dogs who drink simmering potpourri or concentrated fragrance oils get chemical mouth burns a🐱 Liquid Potpourri & Simmering Oils🚫 Not SafeNo. Liquid potpourri and simmering oils are especially dangerous for cats, who walk through drip🐶 Lysol & Disinfectant Sprays🚫 Not SafeNo. Disinfectant sprays like Lysol irritate a dog’s mouth, skin and airways — licked droplets or🐱 Lysol & Disinfectant Sprays🚫 Not SafeNo. Lysol and similar disinfectants are risky for cats, who ingest residue by grooming fur and p🐶 Marijuana Edibles & THC Products☠️ ToxicNo. THC products poison dogs, and edibles are doubly dangerous because they often contain chocol🐱 Marijuana Edibles & THC Products☠️ ToxicNo. THC is toxic to cats, and edibles add risks from chocolate, raisins, or dairy — cats are usu🐶 Mothballs (Naphthalene / Paradichlorobenzene)☠️ ToxicNo. Mothballs are poisonous to dogs, and naphthalene types can destroy red blood cells and damag🐱 Mothballs (Naphthalene / Paradichlorobenzene)☠️ ToxicNo. Mothballs are dangerous to cats, who are especially sensitive to naphthalene — even small am🐶 Motor Oil & Used Oil🚫 Not SafeNo. Motor oil sickens dogs who lap it or lick it off their fur, and used oil carries combustion 🐱 Motor Oil & Used Oil🚫 Not SafeNo. Motor oil harms cats mainly through grooming oily fur, and vomiting after swallowing it risk🐶 Mouthwash (Alcohol / Xylitol)☠️ ToxicNo. Many mouthwashes contain xylitol or high alcohol, and either can poison a dog who laps a spi🐱 Mouthwash (Alcohol / Xylitol)☠️ ToxicNo. Alcohol-based mouthwash can seriously poison a cat, and the essential oils and menthol in ma🐶 Nail Polish & Acetone Remover🚫 Not SafeNo. Acetone remover and wet polish cause stomach upset and drunkenness in dogs, and vomiting mus🐱 Nail Polish & Acetone Remover🚫 Not SafeNo. Acetone and wet polish sicken cats through licks and through grooming residue off paws, and 🐶 Nicotine & Cigarette Butts☠️ ToxicNo. Nicotine is one of the deadliest household poisons for dogs — even a single cigarette butt c🐱 Nicotine & Cigarette Butts☠️ ToxicNo. Nicotine is highly poisonous to cats, who are usually exposed by drinking ashtray water or c🐶 Oven Cleaner (Caustic Spray)☠️ ToxicNo. Oven cleaner is caustic lye in spray form — licking or inhaling it causes severe burns to th🐱 Oven Cleaner (Caustic Spray)☠️ ToxicNo. Oven cleaner’s caustic lye film burns a cat’s mouth, paws and throat on contact, and inhaled🐶 Paint Thinner & Mineral Spirits☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Paint thinner is a petroleum distillate that burns tissue and can cause fatal 🐱 Paint Thinner & Mineral Spirits☠️ ToxicHighly dangerous. Solvent fumes and licked droplets both harm a cat, and any swallowed amount ca🐶 Permethrin Yard & Bug Sprays🚫 Not SafeNo. Concentrated permethrin sprays can make dogs seriously ill if licked or inhaled while wet, t🐱 Permethrin Yard & Bug Sprays☠️ ToxicNo. Permethrin is highly poisonous to cats — even tiny amounts from grooming contaminated fur or🐶 Pine-Sol & Pine Oil Cleaners🚫 Not SafeNo. Pine oil cleaners like Pine-Sol irritate a dog’s mouth and stomach, and large licks can caus🐱 Pine-Sol & Pine Oil Cleaners🚫 Not SafeNo. Pine oil cleaners are risky for cats — grooming residue from floors and paws can cause drool🐶 Pool Chlorine Tablets☠️ ToxicNo. Concentrated chlorine tablets are caustic and can cause severe internal burns — a dog who ch🐱 Pool Chlorine Tablets☠️ ToxicNo. Chlorine tablets are caustic and can badly burn a cat’s mouth and stomach, though cats are u🐶 Rat Poison (Anticoagulant Rodenticide)☠️ ToxicNo. Anticoagulant rat poison is among the deadliest household hazards for dogs, and symptoms are🐱 Rat Poison (Anticoagulant Rodenticide)☠️ ToxicNo. Rat poison can kill cats, though they are more often poisoned by eating affected rodents tha🐶 Rock Salt & Ice Melt🚫 Not SafeRisky. Rock salt burns paw pads, and licking it off can cause stomach upset and, in larger amoun🐱 Rock Salt & Ice Melt🚫 Not SafeRisky. Rock salt stings paw pads, and every grain a cat grooms off its feet ends up in the stoma🐶 Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl)☠️ ToxicDangerous in quantity. Isopropyl alcohol is roughly twice as potent as drinking alcohol, and a l🐱 Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl)☠️ ToxicDangerous in quantity. Cats are small and groom whatever touches their fur, so alcohol on the co🐶 Rust Remover☠️ ToxicNo. Rust removers are among the most corrosive products in the home, and ingestion can cause dee🐱 Rust Remover☠️ ToxicNo. Rust remover can burn a cat’s mouth and poison her system, and cats are exposed mostly by wa🐶 Silica Gel Packets🚫 Not SafeNo. The beads themselves are mostly inert, but the packet can cause choking or a blockage, so a 🐱 Silica Gel Packets🚫 Not SafeNo. Silica beads are largely non-toxic, but a packet swallowed by a cat risks choking or an inte🐶 Slime & Modeling Putty🚫 Not SafeNo. Homemade slime and putty sicken dogs through glue, borax, and glitter, and salt-based putty 🐱 Slime & Modeling Putty🚫 Not SafeNo. Cats who bat slime around and groom their paws swallow glue, borax, and glitter that irritat🐶 Snail & Slug Bait (Metaldehyde)☠️ ToxicNo. Metaldehyde snail bait is a fast-acting killer for dogs — a small handful of pellets can cau🐱 Snail & Slug Bait (Metaldehyde)☠️ ToxicNo. Metaldehyde is toxic to cats too, though they are exposed less often than dogs — usually by 🐶 Sugar-Free Gum (Xylitol)☠️ ToxicNo. Xylitol gum is one of the most dangerous items a dog can steal — a few pieces can crash bloo🐱 Sugar-Free Gum (Xylitol)🚫 Not SafeNo. Cats rarely steal gum and appear far less sensitive to xylitol than dogs, but swallowed gum 🐶 Sunscreen🚫 Not SafeNo. Sunscreen causes vomiting and diarrhea when dogs lick it off their fur, and products with zi🐱 Sunscreen🚫 Not SafeNo. Sunscreen sicken cats when they groom it off skin or fur, since cats ingest everything that 🐶 Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate)🚫 Not SafeMostly a mess, not a poisoning. Cyanoacrylate glue is low in toxicity, but it bonds lips, tongue🐱 Super Glue (Cyanoacrylate)🚫 Not SafeUsually more nuisance than poison. Dried super glue in a cat’s stomach rarely causes harm, but s🐶 Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Acid-Based)☠️ ToxicNo. Acid toilet cleaners burn the mouth, throat, and stomach on contact, and dogs who drink from🐱 Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Acid-Based)☠️ ToxicNo. Acid bowl cleaners cause instant chemical burns, and a cat who drinks treated toilet water o🐶 Toothpaste (Fluoride)🚫 Not SafeNo. Human toothpaste upsets dogs’ stomachs, and swallowed fluoride in quantity is harmful — some🐱 Toothpaste (Fluoride)🚫 Not SafeNo. Human toothpaste swallows poorly for cats — fluoride irritates the stomach, mint oils upset 🐶 WD-40 & Penetrating Oils🚫 Not SafeNo. WD-40 is a petroleum product that causes stomach upset in dogs and can cause lung damage if 🐱 WD-40 & Penetrating Oils🚫 Not SafeNo. WD-40 irritates a cat’s stomach and the biggest danger is aspiration if she vomits, so never🐶 Windshield Washer Fluid (Methanol)☠️ ToxicExtremely dangerous. Washer fluid contains methanol or ethylene glycol, and even a few lapped sw🐱 Windshield Washer Fluid (Methanol)☠️ ToxicExtremely dangerous. Methanol in washer fluid shuts down a cat’s nervous system, and lapping fro🐶 Wood Stain & Varnish🚫 Not SafeNo. Wet wood stain and varnish contain solvents that poison dogs who lick them, and vomiting ris🐱 Wood Stain & Varnish🚫 Not SafeNo. Wet stain and varnish solvents sicken cats, who pick them up by walking through wet surfaces