Fire Safety for Cats - After the Fire

You and your cat just had a traumatic experience - you lost your house in a fire and fire-fighters pulled your cat from the flames and gave him oxygen to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. The fire is out and everyone steps back for a moment to breathe - what next?

Even if your cat looks fine, you should probably take your cat to your veterinarian for an exam, as the negative effects of smoke inhalation may not show up for some time after the fire. Ensure that the attending firefighters or medical personnel at the scene administer at least 10-15 minutes of oxygen before you transport your cat, to help stabilize them for travel. If you are unable to transport your pet to the veterinarian quickly, placing your cat in a steamy room, near a humidifier or offering a nebulizer will help moisturize their heat-damaged lungs.

Your vet will check your cat for burns from the flames, caustic chemicals burns, and check your cat's mouth and lungs for signs of inhaled toxins. Smoke inhalation injury is caused heat injury to the upper airway, including the nasal passages, inhalation of particulates that settle in the lungs and airway, and oxygen deprivation (suffocation), since fires consume the oxygen in the immediate area. Additionally, traumatized lungs can develop fluid accumulation (pulmonary edema) that leads to pneumonia, and can spasm and constrict (bronchispasm and bronchoconstriction) which can cause asthma-like symptoms.

Some of the toxic chemicals that your cat may inhale in a fire are carbon monoxide, excessive levels of carbon dioxide and cyanide, acrolein, hydrogen chloride and aldehydes released as gases by the fire. Inhaling toxic fumes can cause trauma to the lungs, burns to the cat's airway, and death in extreme cases.  Signs to watch for after a fire are:

• Inflamed, red eyes
• Discharge from the eyes or nose
• Coughing
• Weakness/lethargy
• Depression
• Discolored mucous membranes (bright red, blue or pale pink/gray)
• Singed or burnt hair
• Respiratory distress and/or difficulty breathing (rapid breathing, increased effort to breathe)
• Gagging and/or vomiting
• Breathing with mouth open or panting, tongue hanging out
• Raspy respiratory sounds when breathing or a change in voice
• Foaming at the mouth
• Seizures
• Collapse
• Squinting
• Skin and/or burns on or around the eye
• Respiratory or cardiac distress or arrest

Diagnosis of Smoke Inhalation in Cats

Once your veterinarian has examined your cat, he or she may recommend chest x-rays, to look for signs of lung injury or fluid buildup. Depending on the severity of lung injury, x-rays may need to be repeated over several days.


Blood gas measurements may be recommended to determine whether your cat needs additional oxygen support or determine the level of carbon monoxide toxicity.

A complete blood count (CBC) may be recommended to evaluate the level of inflammation or rule out infection, and blood chemistries may be recommended to check for other organ damage from heat injury or toxins, or evaluate your cat for shock.

A fluorescein stain may be recommended to check the surface of the eye (cornea) for damage from smoke exposure, heat damage or particulate injuries.

Treatment of Smoke Inhalation in Cats

 If your cat has inhaled smoke, treament options may include:

• Oxygen therapy
• IV fluids 
• Bronchodilators to help relax the lungs and ease difficult breathing
• Nebulization therapy
• Pain medication for thermal injuries (burns)
• Assisted respiration in cases of acute collapse and respiratory or cardiac arrest 
• Physical therapy for the chest - coupage and positional changes to help prevent lung collapse and help prevent the buildup of fluids
• Eye medications to treat damage to the cornea

 For more information, please read our other blog article on Fire Safety.

July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day!

Did you know that firefighters rescue more pets than people from burning buildings? People can get out of a house on their own, but pets, especially cats, can become frightened and hide in small places, making it difficult to evacuate them.

If you need a sticker for your door or window to alert emergency personnel that they should watch for pets in your home, visit this link. When you receive your window cling, write down the number of pets you have and then attach the cling to a front window. Your local fire department may also have stickers available.

Here are some additional pet fire safety tips:

• Extinguish Open Flames - Cats are curious critters and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. They will walk across hot stoves, and they will bat at hot irons. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame or other heated appliance and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home. Note: a different kind of burn (chemical) can occur when cats come into contact with scented oils in diffusers or heated oil lamps. Please make sure that your cat does not come into contact with these aromatic oils. These burns worsen over time, so if your cat does spill scented oil on itself, please seek emergency attention for your pet immediately, even if the burn does not appear too bad.
• Pet Proof the Home - Take a walk around your home and look for areas where cats might start fires inadvertently, such as the stove knobs, loose wires and other potential hazards.If you have a cat that likes to chew wires, wrap the wires in bubble wrap, or spray them with a bitter tasting spray such as Bitter Apple.
• Secure Young Pets - Keep cat, especially young kittens, separated from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home.This may mean your kitten needs a special play-room when the house is empty until he or she is old enough to outgrow chewing behavior.
• Keep Pets Near Entrances - When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.  
• Practice Escape Routes with Pets - Have a plan for your cats in case you have to evacuate quickly or firefighters need to rescue your pet. If your cat hates the carrier, have alternative carry methods such as a secure cardboard box or a knotted pillowcase. If your cat has not had to travel in a carrier, or if your cat hates the carrier, try to acclimate your cat to it by leaving a carrier out at all times. If you have a carrier that comes apart easily, you can take the top off and convert it into a bed with a cushion or soft blanket. You may try feeding your cat meals in the carrier to decrease the negative feelings your cat may associate with it. Practice putting your cat in a carrier at times other than when you plan to take them to the veterinary hospital, so that they learn that not every trip in the carrier ends with shots!
• Pets Can't Escape a Burning Home on their Own - If you have a home security system, you may want to install monitored smoke detectors which are connected to monitoring center personnel that call the fire department. Or, if you do not have or want a home security system, a product such as the Nest Protect will send you notifications on your Smart Phone when smoke or carbon monoxide are detected in your home and no one is home.
• Keep Your Information Updated - Firefighters are familiar with pet alert window clings so keep the number of pets listed on them updated. Knowing the accurate number of pets in the house aids rescuers in finding all of your pets. Also make sure to keep your pets' microchip information up to date in case they escape your home on their own. While you can't track them, you have an 86% greater chance of finding them if they have a microchip versus those pets that do not. If you have recently moved or changed your phone number or email address, take a moment and update that information with your microchip company. If your pet is not currently microchipped, you may want to think about having it done.
• Summer is Grilling Season! - Be aware of your pets around the grill, as well! June and July are the peak months for grilling accidents. Your cat may try to jump on the grill and investigate that yummy cedar-planked salmon or sink their claws into those just baby back ribs!