Baking soda would have to be consumed in large quantities for it to be detrimental to your cat. In the worst-case situation, the high salt concentration of baking soda creates a life-threatening electrolyte imbalance. Baking soda is safe to use around the home, but you should take certain precautions.
Baking soda can be a potentially harmful substance to cats.
It’s always a good idea to consult a veterinarian before use. If your favorite feline seems to be suffering from side effects, consult a vet.
So, is baking soda safe for cats?
Baking soda is a staple in many households.
It’s often used in baking as a leavening agent, but it can also be used in cleaning, cooking, and medicine. While baking soda is usually safe for humans, it’s not safe for cats.
Baking soda can be toxic to cats and dogs if ingested in large quantities. The main ingredient of baking soda is sodium bicarbonate.
When ingested in excess, sodium bicarbonate can cause stomach irritation and difficulty breathing. However, baking soda can be toxic to cats even in small doses.
Therefore, it’s essential to keep baking soda out of the reach of cats.
What is Baking Soda?
Baking soda, often known as sodium bicarbonate, is a compound of sodium and hydrogen carbonates.
It is normally safe to use in your home and garden. However, it can be dangerous for pets to consume even small amounts.
Baking soda is used with an acidic ingredient such as lemon juice or vinegar to help baked goods rise quickly and produce lighter textures in the baked good’s structure.
It is not to be confused with baking powder, which contains only a small amount of the ingredient that is hazardous to pets.
Is Baking Soda Safe for Cats?
The simple answer is that you can use baking soda around your home and garden, but not around your cats.
Baking soda is alkaline, and therefore alkaline to your cat.
If your kitty ingests soda, it can lead to nausea and diarrhea and bloat, all of which are very serious symptoms for cats.
Baking soda should be kept on a high shelf or away from your feline’s reach.
If you find that your kitty has gotten into a bag or container of baking supplies and has eaten some powder or other substance from it, it’s important to call your vet immediately for further instructions and guidance.
Is Baking Soda Dangerous for Cats?
It is dangerous if your kitty ingests large quantities of it all at once, but less harmful if taken in smaller amounts over time.
However, cats would need to consume more than a teaspoon of baking soda for it to pose a serious risk to their system; the average cat eats less than a teaspoon of food a day.
If a cat eats too much, an electrolyte imbalance can occur that can result in weakness and vomiting or even seizures in some cases.
Diarrhea, disorientation, vomiting, shortness of breath, convulsions and coma are all possible symptoms of ingesting too much baking soda.
If you observe any of these symptoms after your pet has eaten something containing some amount of baking soda in it, call your vet immediately for further advice.
Why Is Baking Soda Harmful to Cats?
Baking soda is only harmful to kitties because it is alkaline in nature.
Cats are more sensitive to baking soda than humans are because felines do not have the enzymes in their stomachs that break down this compound as they do with other substances like starch and sugars.
For unpleasant side effects, a cat would have to eat a large amount at once to be affected; eating a small amount over the course of a few days would not cause any side effects.
Baking soda, commonly known as sodium bicarbonate, is a compound of sodium and hydrogen carbonates.
It has a high pH value which is alkalizing, making it corrosive to the gastric lining of the cat’s stomach when ingested in large amounts.
Too much salt raises the blood pressure in cats and can lead to kidney damage and even death if untreated.
Your cat does need salt, so adding a little to her diet will not cause any problems, but keep human-grade table salt out of her reach.
Uses of Baking Soda for Cats
Removing Skunk Smell
If your cat gets into a skunk’s spray or comes into close contact with it (on their fur for example), it can be quite difficult to remove the smell from your pet.
The Humane Society of the United States suggests using a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar to neutralize the odor from the skunk spray.
It’s intended for a dog but should be fine to use on a cat as well.
Pet Safe Toothpaste
Baking soda may also make an effective pet-safe toothpaste for your pet.
Brush your pet’s teeth using a small amount of the paste once or twice a week to prevent plaque buildup that can cause tooth decay and other oral problems.
It performs well and is safe for use even by pets with sensitive teeth and gums.
You also don’t have to be concerned about a toxic reaction because baking soda is non-toxic to cats.
Bee Stings
It’s an odd event, but your kitty can get stung by a bee just as you can get stung by a bee, which could result in pain and inflammation at the sting site.
To treat it, remove the stinger and apply a thin layer of baking soda over the wound to neutralize the poison.
This aids in the recovery process by reducing swelling and pain caused by bee stings.
Stop Bleeding Toenails
If you’ve cut your cat’s nails too short and she’s experiencing bleeding or discomfort, you can ease the discomfort by applying a small amount of diluted baking soda to the nail as a poultice.
The poultice absorbs the moisture from the tissue and dries it up, which will stop the bleeding.
Remove Fleas
Baking soda is often used as an ingredient in flea shampoos because of its ability to bind to the protein found in the coat of the cat.
Simply sprinkle some on your cat ‘s coat and give it a good brushing to remove trapped fleas and their eggs.
You can also use it as an additive to your vacuum cleaner bag or canister if you vacuum regularly to remove dead fleas from your home environment.
Deodorize Your Bedding
Another place where a cat odor might develop is in your bedding.
If you are unable to wash the bedding, sprinkle baking soda over the smelly spots and leave overnight before washing as usual the next morning.
It will not only remove the smell but absorb excess moisture from your cat ‘s sweat and urine, which can cause unpleasant smells to stay around much longer.
Cleaning Up Cat Urine
In the case of cat urine, mix a little baking soda in with the pet’s wet food to help reduce the frequency of spraying behavior in cats that tend to mark their territory this way.
Clean the Litter Box
One of the finest applications for baking soda in the home is for cleaning litter boxes.
Baking soda neutralizes the ammonia odors that develop in a cat ‘s urine and also kills the bacteria that live on the surface of the litter that can cause the smell.
Sprinkle some on your cat ‘s litter before refilling the box and it will neutralize unpleasant smells.
Put a little bit in the litter side every day for a couple of weeks, and then when it becomes habit, start reducing the amount used until eventually you don’t use it at all.
A few tablespoons of baking soda in each litter box will dramatically reduce unpleasant odors and keep your kitty happy.
Also Read: What Happens If My Cat Eats Maggots?
Conclusion
If your cat ate some baking powder, it would be unlikely to cause a toxic reaction unless there was a large amount of it consumed.
It is quite rare that it will consume enough of the chemical to cause any symptoms at all.
We use it to freshen our breath when we eat cookies, so there seems little reason why our feline friends should be adversely affected by it either.
We also put it in the litter box to absorb any bad smells and prevent bacteria from growing, so it seems perfectly harmless to have around the place.
While baking soda should not be used to brush the teeth of cats because it can cause abrasions to the tooth enamel, there are no ill effects on the digestive system or kidneys of kitties who ingest it.
It’s excellent for eliminating pet odors around the home and may be a useful adjunct when treating any minor skin irritations in cats caused by bites from insects or other pests.
It can even be used as a cat repellent if applied sparingly to the feet of the furry animals.
