Is antifreeze dangerous for cats and dogs?
It damages the kidneys: signs can come 2–3 days later. To the vet right away.
DogDangerous
CatDangerous
Call your vet right away, even if your pet seems fine.Signs can show up hours or days later. This page helps you on the phone: it doesn’t replace the vet.
What the sources say
- Even a small amount of antifreeze can make the kidneys fail and kill, especially in cats. Watch out for coolant leaking from cars too.
- The first signs can show 30 minutes later: vomiting, sleepiness, looking drunk and wobbly, seizures, trouble breathing. Signs of kidney failure can take 2–3 days to show.
- To the vet right away: the sooner, the better the chances.
- Keep antifreeze in sealed, labeled containers away from pets, and clean up every spill at once.
Who to call: the numbers Search something else
What to do now
- Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet now, even if your pet seems fine: signs can take hours or days to show.
- Move your pet away from what it ate and take away what's left. If some is still in its mouth, offer a toy so it lets go.
- If the substance is on its fur or skin, wash it off with a mild shampoo and water, then rinse well and dry.
- Keep the packaging, the label or a piece of the plant, or take a photo, and bring it with you.
- Tell the vet what your pet swallowed, roughly how much and when.
What not to do
- Don't make it vomit unless the vet tells you to.
- Don't use salt water: it's extremely dangerous.
- Don't try to treat your pet yourself or give it medicines: some medicines for people and other animals are poisonous to pets.
- Don't wait for signs to appear.
Sources
- RSPCA, “Antifreeze poisoning in cats” (checked on October 9, 2026)
- PDSA, “First aid for poisons and toxins” (checked on October 9, 2026)
- RSPCA, “Poisoning in dogs” (checked on October 9, 2026)
- RSPCA, “Poisoning in cats” (checked on October 9, 2026)