Being a feline parent is all fun until you jump into like these when you have to be super picky about your pet because you can’t feed any other thing to it blindly. In that regard, here comes a question, “Can I feed poppy seeds to my cat?”
Short answer to this question is, ‘No’. You shouldn’t even let your cat even swallow these seeds mistakenly.
But this is not enough information as being a cat parent, you must be curious about the thing that’s stopping your cat from consuming those seeds. Hence, to know about what, why, and which of this topic, keep reading:
Can Cats Eat Poppy Seeds? Or Are They Toxic?
There’s not even a single doubt about that!
Poppy seeds contain so many substances (in different forms like alkaloids) that you shouldn’t even let your cat come closer to the jar of those seeds. Toxicity of these seeds is so strong that it’ll attack straight to the nervous system (brain) of the cat’s body to cause the maximum damage.
A thing many people don’t know is that poppy seeds have even caused problems for humans (according to a report from University of Queensland. In old Greek and Indian medicines, poppy seeds are quite common but newer studies state that alkaloids in poppy seeds like thebaine, noscapine, laudanosine, and papaverine are quite toxic for even you.
Related: Can Cats Eat Croissants?
Is Your Cat Suffering with Poppy Poisoning?
“Toxic reactions caused in anyone’s body due to poppy seeds is Poppy Poisoning.”
Cats are always tempted towards new things and if poppy seeds are new to them, they must be asking you for a small portion. Now in this case, even if you have kept them away from your cat, there’s a possibility that it has somehow consumed a few seeds.
That case can be extremely bad for him/her. That’s why it’s important to first know whether they have eaten some seeds or not in order to find the solution.
Symptoms of Poppy Poisoning
If your cat’s behavior or health looks a bit odd, it might be because of poppy poisoning even if it doesn’t seem to be the case. Hence, let’s have a look at the symptoms of poppy poisoning:
- Miosis (middle point of eyes gets smaller in this disease)
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
Severe symptoms of poppy poisoning are:
- High fever
- Trembling
- Low pulse rate
- Depression
In extreme cases, these symptoms can even lead your cat to coma or even death (if not taken care of early).
Meanwhile, cats getting outrageously violent and excited after consuming even a few poppy seeds is quite common. It feels as if cat is high on some extreme drugs but it’s all because poppy seeds affect directly the brain cells of cats.
How to Treat Poppy Poisoning in Cats?
The first step towards treatment of any disease is its diagnosis to be 100% sure. So, let’s first discover that:
Diagnosis of Poppy Poisoning
If you notice any of the symptoms shared above, please don’t waste any time and take your feline to the vet so that he can treat it.
An expert can easily tell whether the cat is suffering from poppy poisoning or not. But to ensure, your cat’s vet will ask for some essential tests like:
- CBC (to determine how internal organs are functioning)
- ECG or ultrasound (to assess the heart’s working in severe cases)
- PCV (for hydration level)
Treatment for Poppy Poisoning
The treatment completely depends on the vet and the state of your cat. Because every patient needs different cure and every doctor has a unique style of treatment. But here are a few things almost every cure for poppy poisoning includes:
- Induced Vomiting: It’s done by vet to get rid of poppy seeds if they are still present in cat’s stomach.
- Use of Oxygen Cage: Some cats’ situations get even worse that they can’t even breathe so they are treated in an oxygen cage.
- Dark Room: Violent and lethargic cats are treated in a room with no lights.
Which Seeds to feed and which to not to Your Cat Eat?
FAQs
How many poppy seeds can I feed to my cat?
Not even a single seed!
The cat will ask for it but you have to keep poppy seeds at a place where your best friend can’t go. It’s for his/her best.
If not poppy seeds, will poppy seed bread be okay to eat for my cat?
No!
By grinding and mixing seeds with bread, toxic elements of poppy seeds won’t vanish. The bread made with poppy seeds is as harmful to your kitty as poppy seeds.
What if my cat gets attracted to poppy seeds?
It’s a trap, don’t fall for it!
The feline doesn’t know what is good for it and what is bad. But you (as a parent) know what’s healthy for your pet and what’s not. So, you have to be patient in this case. Nonetheless, if you ask us, we’d suggest you not bring poppy seeds home.
Winding Up……
All in all, poppy seeds are a big ‘No’ for cats. After reading the article, there won’t be any doubt in your mind and hopefully, you’ll never even think of feeding one poppy seed to your cat. Another thing to know is that even if you were thinking of growing poppy seeds in your lawn or yard (as a cat parent), you have to abort the decision immediately for your cat’s safety.
