My cat ate metaldehyde – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 4 sources

Based on: Animal PoisonLine (UK, VPIS), Pet Poison Helpline, Metaldehyde poisoning in 26 dogs, Open Vet J 2023

Call a vet now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now. Metaldehyde ingestion can lead to rapid gastrointestinal and neurological signs.

What to do now

What to do right now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet
Note what was eaten, how much and when
Bring the packaging
Remove what is left
Keep your cat calm

Don't

Do not make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to
Do not give any human medicine

Why it can be dangerous

Metaldehyde is a common active ingredient in slug and snail poison and is available in pellets, liquids, wettable powders and granules.^[2] A reported LD50 for cats is 207 mg/kg.^[4]

Signs to watch for

Drooling
Gastrointestinal signs
Neurological signs

Signs can occur quickly after ingestion, often within a few hours.

Where it is found

Slug and snail bait
Slug pellets
Snail bait

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

How much metaldehyde is dangerous for a cat?

A reported LD50 for cats is 207 mg/kg, so contact a vet immediately about any ingestion.

What signs should I look for?

Metaldehyde ingestion can cause rapid gastrointestinal and neurological signs, including drooling.^[2]

How soon could signs start?

Effects can occur quickly after ingestion, often within a few hours.^[1]

Sources

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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