In memory of Munchkin, July 25, 2010.

This week, one of the feature articles on the Wichita Pet Rescue Examiner pages covers preventing accidental poisoning for pet owners, focusing on cats, because we lost one of our brood on Sunday. Munchkin has for several years spent short periods outside, though he was mostly an indoor cat.

Having animals means we have to be aware of the chemicals and plants that can harm them. Our ourdoor cats (those that have adopted us after being abandoned) have never run into trouble. We suspect that in this instance, because Munchkin went out just before Saturday night's storm, he found shelter in the garage. There he found something poisonous; and our best guess at this point is that as he headed for shelter he may have gone through the puddle that the car makes when it is parked and the condensation from the air conditioner drains. It may have had some radiator or other fluid that Munchkin ingested when he cleaned himself from the rain.

There are so many different plants and chemicals that can be poisonous and toxic to our furry friends that even when you're careful, there can be something you overlooked. So if you find this blog entry, I encourage you to read the article, as I hope it helps another pet owner prevent their pet from exposure to poisonous or toxic substances.

http://www.examiner.com/x-43504-Wichita-Pet-Rescue-Examiner