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My cat licked de-icer. Is ethylene glycol poisoning a concern?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 13 years and 8 months old

Hello! Today my cat got to the garage where my husband keeps his windshield de-icer. The label says it contains 5%-<10% of ethylene glycol. I don't know if my cat contacted with the bottle. And the bottle doesn't have any signs of leakage or dried liquid residuals on it. But I'm worried that my cat could have licked the bottle. If she did, would it be enough to cause poisoning?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Linda G,  MS, DVM

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 25th, 2019

Hello. Your kitty is probably OK. True antifreeze contains 95-97% ethylene glycol, so the windshield product is much more dilute. Even if Martha decided to take a little lick, it will be harmless to her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
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