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My cat licked dish soap and isn't eating. Should I take him to vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 1 month and 9 days old | 12.4 lbs

Hello, my cat spilled a bottle of Palm olive dish soap on him, and was licking it off a little. He now is crying when we pick him up, and is barely drinking or eating. His name is Simba.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on October 3rd, 2017

I'm so sorry that Simba is not going well. You didn't mention how long ago he might have ingested the soap. We will see mostly GI signs (vomiting and diarrhea) with most soap ingestions, but some soaps have ingredients that cause damage to the lining of the GI tract and can require much more intensive treatment. I would recommend contacting a poison control center with the exact ingredients in the soap and see if they can tell you how worried you need to be about the soap ingestion.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
Since Simba is a kitten, he needs to be taken to a vet right away if he isn't eating or drinking. Kittens can get dehydrated very quickly, which can be very dangerous.
Good luck!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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