My cat might have licked human shampoo. Should I be worried?

Unless she ate a large amount of it (1 tablespoon or more), she should be fine. You can call the poison control hotline ( http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ ) to confirm as they will have the most up to date information if it would help you. Otherwise, monitor her for vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, or diarrhea. I don't expect she'll have any problems. Thanks for using PetCoach and please let know if this was helpful!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ingesting or licking off a small amount of shampoo shouldn't be too worrisome. The vomiting, diarrhea, and decreased appetite may have another medical cause such as an infection from a virus or bacteria or perhaps a parasite. I would recommend Nami see her veterinarian for an exam and evaluation soon. Your veterinarian may want to test Nami's stool or run blood work or x-rays to help determine a cause so she can get appropriately treated. Until you can get to her veterinarian, you feed her a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice to help settle her stomach. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As long as your cat doesn't eat/drink an excessive amount of this shampoo, she should be just fine. And as long as you didn't get any into her eyes, she should be OK. In the future, it is not recommended to use human shampoos on animals - there are special animal shampoos that are not as irritating if gotten into the eyes, and nontoxic if consumed. I recommend monitoring for any vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, or any neurologic signs such as tremors or seizures. These could indicate a toxicity. If she is squinting her eyes, this could mean you got shampoo in her eyes and caused damage to her corneas. If you see any of these signs, she should be seen by a veterinarian right away. I hope this is helpful!

There is a chance of toxicity with ingesting dish soap. Dish soap is listed as a non-ionic detergent, and you will see vomiting and diarrhea if she digests it. I recommend trying to get her to wash the rest off, and the monitor her. If she does starting vomiting and having diarrhea, you need to take her to your vet right away. Your vet will have to administer treatment, as inducing vomiting is not recommended because it will do more harm than good. Next time you wash your cat, I'd recommend a pet shampoo to do it.

I think you are worrying too much. When gets lick a toxic substance they almost always start drooling and foaming at the mouth. If he didn't do that then he likely didn't get enough or any at all in his mouth. Just monitor him for now and if he starts acting sick then I would get him to your vet for an exam. Best wishes.

I am concerned that he is not eating, moving, or drinking and is exhibiting pain. He may have licked some of the shampoo causing some stomach upset but I think he needs to be examined by a vet to determine the cause of all his problems and best way to treat. He might need an anti-vomiting medication and pain medications to make him feel better. Although there are no reports that head and shoulders is toxic to cats, in the future, only bathe him with shampoos that are labeled for use in cats. Your vet can recommend the best shampoo based on the condition of his skin.

A one-time bath using a sensitive skin or gentle wash designed for people likely won't harm your cat, but it may still be a good idea to check any specific ingredients in it for toxicity. You can find lists of toxic plants/substances on sites such as here: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control Signs of toxicity to look out for may include minor symptoms such as drooling, foaming at the mouth, seizure, disorientation, dilation of pupils, vomiting or diarrhea. If you do see any signs that may indicate a possible toxicity or find an ingredient that is toxic to your pets in it, it is best to contact your local veterinarian for treatment.