![]() ![]() Under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), EPA must ensure that all pesticides used on food in the United States meet FQPA's stringent safety standard. And let the clothes dry thoroughly before you and your cat reunite.Pesticides are widely used in producing food to control pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, bacteria, mold and fungus. If you're spraying your clothes, do it somewhere the cat doesn't have access to. So the bottom line when it comes to permethrin and tick-bite prevention is: If you have a cat, be extra careful. Ticks, fleas, lice and mosquitoes do carry lots of diseases that permethrin and other insecticides can help prevent, she says: "All sorts of things that we wouldn't wish on ourselves or our pets." ![]() "The way I look at it, as a veterinarian, is it's all about making choices," Murphy says. This can be helped by gently rinsing out the mouth, or offering the cat some water or milk to take away the bad taste.īut if you see signs of neurological problems - tremors, twitching or shaking - it's time to take the cat to the vet right away.Įven then, if there aren't any complications, "the prognosis for a full recovery is excellent," Murphy says. "Cats seem particularly sensitive to bad tastes in their mouths," Murphy says. Other reactions to watch for are drooling or pawing at the mouth. If the cat fights back, you can take it to the vet for a bath. These skin reactions are usually easily treated by washing the affected area with mild, liquid dishwashing detergent. "They may be scratching, digging and rolling because it's uncomfortable." "The animal may be frantic if they have something uncomfortable on their skin," Murphy says. If you're concerned your cat may have been exposed to permethrin, the most common symptoms are skin irritations - redness, itching and other signs of discomfort. If an animal "isn't able to normally metabolize it, break it down and excrete it, it can build up and be more likely to cause problems." "Cats seem to be deficient in one of the primary mechanisms for metabolizing permethrin," she says, which is why they are more susceptible to the chemical. She agrees that the most dangerous scenario for cats is an accidental exposure to a highly concentrated product meant for dogs. Lisa Murphy, associate professor of toxicology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. "Don't put the dog product on the cat," says Dr. There are some simple rules that can help minimize the risk. "Of course you can always get an individual who is more sensitive, but for most animals there are going to be minimal clinical signs," she says. And with concentrations of 5 percent or less, Means says, there are rarely problems. "Some cats will be so sensitive that even just casual contact with a dog that's been treated will be enough to cause clinical signs, including tremors, seizures and in the worst-case scenario - death," she says.īut the concentration of permethrin in household sprays is much, much lower – typically less than 1 percent. These products may be 45 percent permethrin or higher. The biggest problem for cats is when they are exposed to highly concentrated permethrin products meant for use in dogs, she says. Charlotte Means, director of toxicology at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. "It's the dose that makes the poison," says Dr. Here's what we found.Ĭats are more sensitive to permethrin than other mammals, but cat lovers can still use the insecticide as long they're careful about it, veterinarians say. We certainly didn't want any cat catastrophes, so we decided to look into this a little further. Shots - Health News To Repel Ticks, Try Spraying Your Clothes With A Pesticide That Mimics Mums "I would hate to see any cats harmed because an important piece of information is left out of the story." "NPR has always been a wonderful source of great information," wrote Colleen Scott-Jackson of Jacksonville, N.C. "Suggesting that people spray their garments with permethrin to prevent tick bites without a cat disclaimer is very dangerous." "Permethrin is very toxic to cats," wrote Charles Fischer, who lives in Chapel Hill, N.C. It didn't take long for emails to come flooding in. When you spray permethrin on your clothes, a study published in May found, it incapacitates ticks quickly, rendering them unable to bite. Permethrin is a synthetic pesticide that's similar to natural compounds found in chrysanthemums. This was definitely the case with Monday's look at the use of permethrin-treated clothing to prevent tick bites, which can cause a lot of nasty diseases. Our stories often prompt a lively response from readers and people who hear us on the radio. If there's one thing we're grateful for on Shots, it's our passionate, engaged audience. "Don't come near me until the permethrin on your clothes has dried." ![]()
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