A veterinarian warned pet owners that household items that emit fragrances could be harmful to a cat’s health.
Air fresheners, perfumes and colognes, and even some flowers that are particularly fragrant, can cause allergic reactions, vomiting or diarrhea in cats, Duma Animal Hospital director Chung Sheng-hua (鍾昇樺) said.
Pet owners might not be aware of any problem, as cats often do not display any obvious symptoms when they have been poisoned, unless the situation is severe, Chung said.
Owners should remain vigilant for changes in a cat’s appetite or behavior, he said.
For example, if a cat appears uncharacteristically restless, angry, apprehensive or dispirited, or if it starts running around more than usual, it might indicate a health problem, he said.
More obvious signs would be if the cat suddenly stops eating, or if they experience vomiting or diarrhea, he said.
Except for in emergency situations, owners should inspect their homes before taking cats to the vet, looking in garbage cans, medicine cabinets and any place the cat went recently so that they can help the vet better understand what might have caused the symptoms, Chung said.
Many fragrant products, including air fresheners and body products, use organic solvents and oils that help dissipate the fragrance, he said, adding that a cat’s liver cannot metabolize these substances.
In small quantities, the substances would not be poisonous to a cat, but they accumulate in its body over time, he said.
In cats, the effect is worsened by how cats interact with items in the house, he added.
Pet owners should keep cats away from camphor, camellia, sandalwood and other materials that have particularly strong fragrances, as these could cause allergic reactions, he said.
Typical reactions include sneezing, swelling of the eyes and trouble breathing caused by inflammation of the respiratory tract, he said.
Other substances that are known to be poisonous to cats and should not be used near them include lemongrass and pyrethrins, which are used as pesticides and found in some chrysanthemum flowers, he said.
Perfumes and colognes are less harmful to cats than home air fresheners, but should never be sprayed in their direction, nor should a pet owner apply them in heavy doses when planning to interact with cats, he said.
Asked about air fresheners that claim to be safe for pets, Chung said that there are no safety standards for pet products in Taiwan, so such claims cannot be verified.
Pet owners should exercise caution no matter what fragrant products they use, he said.
An increase in Taiwanese boats using China-made automatic identification systems (AIS) could confuse coast guards patrolling waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast and become a loophole in the national security system, sources familiar with the matter said yesterday. Taiwan ADIZ, a Facebook page created by enthusiasts who monitor Chinese military activities in airspace and waters off Taiwan’s southwest coast, on Saturday identified what seemed to be a Chinese cargo container ship near Penghu County. The Coast Guard Administration went to the location after receiving the tip and found that it was a Taiwanese yacht, which had a Chinese AIS installed. Similar instances had also
GOOD DIPLOMACY: The KMT has maintained close contact with representative offices in Taiwan and had extended an invitation to Russia as well, the KMT said The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would “appropriately handle” the fallout from an invitation it had extended to Russia’s representative to Taipei to attend its international banquet last month, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday. US and EU representatives in Taiwan boycotted the event, and only later agreed to attend after the KMT rescinded its invitation to the Russian representative. The KMT has maintained long-term close contact with all representative offices and embassies in Taiwan, and had extended the invitation as a practice of good diplomacy, Chu said. “Some EU countries have expressed their opinions of Russia, and the KMT respects that,” he
AMENDMENT: Contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau must be reported, and failure to comply could result in a prison sentence, the proposal stated The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday voted against a proposed bill by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers that would require elected officials to seek approval before visiting China. DPP Legislator Puma Shen’s (沈伯洋) proposed amendments to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), stipulate that contact with certain individuals in China, Hong Kong and Macau should be reported, while failure to comply would be punishable by prison sentences of up to three years, alongside a fine of NT$10 million (US$309,041). Fifty-six voted with the TPP in opposition
VIGILANCE: The military is paying close attention to actions that might damage peace and stability in the region, the deputy minister of national defense said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) might consider initiating a hack on Taiwanese networks on May 20, the day of the inauguration ceremony of president-elect William Lai (賴清德), sources familiar with cross-strait issues said. While US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s statement of the US expectation “that all sides will conduct themselves with restraint and prudence in the period ahead” would prevent military actions by China, Beijing could still try to sabotage Taiwan’s inauguration ceremony, the source said. China might gain access to the video screens outside of the Presidential Office Building and display embarrassing messages from Beijing, such as congratulating Lai