You can't save all of them.

[kyburg]

Toast. Juice.

This morning, I went to work, came home at lunch and made lunch for houseguests and the two of us, packed them up, waved goodbye to them and was on my way back to work when something crossed my path.

A small, dilute orange tomcat. Who didn't have the umph to cross the intersection.

That was one sick kitty. Stopping the car, leaving it running, I approached him with some caution - didn't want him to scat, although that would have been a good sign. He didn't even complain when I scooped him and ran back to the house, ringing the doorbell as I was putting him in one of the cat carriers on the front porch. Jim was home today, and when he came to the door, I handed him cat in carrier and told him to get the cat to a vet - right away.

By the time he got him to the vet, the cat had a name. Ralph. As in "RAOWL RAOWL RAOWL" all the way there.

By the time I got home and had dinner ready, the vet had done two sets of bloodwork and a sonogram.

He'd been poisoned by antifreeze.

He was also sick with an upper respiratory infection, and was less than six months old.

And there was no hope of saving him. I told the vet to tell him, he was a big, brave kitty and send him on his way.

Jim is devastated. I'm disappointed - and I'm sending alerts to the neighborhood block leader, and will be calling the LASPCA tomorrow - Lt. Buck, if I can get him.

I'd never seen him before today. He got a good meal and some tender loving care at the vet - the very best I could do for him.

Too late - all of it.

But you can't save all of them.

Guys, I'm worn to little spotted rags tonight. Will talk tomorrow.

Comments

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

There are brands of antifreeze that won't kill pets and small children, and I don't think they're necessarily any more expensive. But you've got to be the kind of person who chooses to buy them.

[riverheart.livejournal.com]

There are? Which ones?

I have spent a great deal of time every time there's been even a little tiny radiator leak in our car, washing the gravel (I mean that literally) to get the antifreeze off, because I have six four-legged family members here.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

I can find non-toxic marine antifreeze solutions, but I can't find it for automotive use. I think I know why. Marine antifreeze is used for mothballing engines over the winter. Since the engine is full of it and it is at low temperature, corrosion (which requires oxygen) isn't a factor. When you crank the engine in the spring, the non-toxic anti-freeze is flushed overboard, and the engine is cooled by the water the boat floats in. Car engines, however, are closed systems, and need corrosion inhibitors in order to function correctly. This is part (but not all) of what makes car antifreeze toxic. (The other half is ethylene glycol, which is its major component. The non-toxic stuff is made of propylene glycol, which, while it may give a cat a laxative effect, won't kill it.)

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

that's it - thanks for saving me a Google there. The main thing is to find an ethylene glycol brand instead of a propylene glycol one (there are some for cars too). I couldn't remember which was which.

Ethylene will still be bad for them, but way less likely to be fatal.

[riverheart.livejournal.com]

Just the opposite, according to the Sierra site. Ethylene glycol is the really toxic stuff, while propylene glycol is much less toxic to kids and animals.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

doh! dyslexia attack! thanks for catching that.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

ouch! Go you for taking good care though! I suppose putting a drop pan under the car wouldn't help much?

The brand I know of is Sierra:
http://www.sierraantifreeze.com/

I assume there may be others. I don't own a car and haven't for years, though, so I may not be up to date.

[riverheart.livejournal.com]

A drop pan wouldn't help. I want as much as possible to actually absorb down into the sand and gravel and earth (rather than risking runoff; I control the way I let it flow and absorb), and I wash the gravel pieces because I know animals will put the larger gravel pieces in their mouths. I'm not worried about the smallest pieces, nor the sand; if I dilute it, control where it goes so that it all absorbs down into the driveway, and doesn't run into the stream, I think it's safe.

(My husband has seen me pouring pitchers of hot water on the driveway, over and over again, to wash it and dilute it sufficiently, including in the rain.)

There are reasons to have an unpaved driveway. It would be a lot worse with pavement.

If Napa and Schucks have the Sierra brand in town, I can get that next time. Excellent, and thank you!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Sierra's the only brand I know of, and I wasn't sure it was non-toxic.

I'm rather protective of my dogs, and can't imagine such a horrible fate for them.

[bluemoonpnw.livejournal.com]

Sierra and Pah-Nol are. (not sure about the second one's spelling)
I think there are a few others out there also, though we have been using Sierra for years now.
Moon