Toxic to cats · Chemicals

Is Cholecalciferol toxic to cats?

Extreme severity No safe amount — No amount is considered safe.

Yes. Even a small amount can be life-threatening — treat any exposure as an emergency and contact a vet immediately.

Symptoms to watch for

  • increased thirst
  • increased urination
  • weakness
  • lethargy
  • decreased appetite
  • vomiting
  • acute kidney failure

How vets treat it

Requires immediate veterinary intervention, hospitalization, frequent laboratory monitoring, and expensive therapy as there is no specific antidote.

Why it's dangerous

Ingestion causes life-threatening elevations in blood calcium levels, which leads to acute kidney failure and significant organ damage.

Toxic compound: Vitamin D3

Good to know

Symptoms may not appear for 1-3 days after ingestion, by which time permanent damage may have occurred. It has a very narrow margin of safety.

Sources

This page is informational and is not veterinary advice. If your pet has been exposed to something risky, contact your vet or an animal poison control line right away.

More substances toxic to cats

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