Up to 50 cats poisoned a month by antifreeze in fountains

Environment Minister George Eustice called for warnings on garden fountains after telling MPs people used anti-freeze to stop them icing up in winter

Ethylene glycol in anti-freeze has a sweet taste to small animals but is extremely toxic when consumed in small doses and can rapidly lead to kidney failure and death
Ethylene glycol in anti-freeze has a sweet taste to small animals but is extremely toxic when consumed in small doses and can rapidly lead to kidney failure and death Credit: Photo: Alamy

Around 50 cats are being poisoned a month by people putting anti-freeze in garden water features, a minister has said.

Environment Minister George Eustice called for warnings on water features after telling MPs he was concerned to learn people used anti-freeze to stop them icing up in winter.

He added it may also be necessary to make clear the risks posed to pets by anti-freeze.

Conservative Mark Spencer had warned ''more than a cat and a half a day'' are suffering traumatic deaths as a result of anti-freeze.

Cats Protection had spotted 1,197 reports of anti-freeze poisoning of cats in the country since November 2012, around 50 deaths a month, Mr Spencer said.

Ethylene glycol in anti-freeze has a sweet taste to small animals but is extremely toxic when consumed in small doses and can rapidly lead to kidney failure and death, MPs were told.

Mr Spencer asked the Government to consider making it mandatory for anti-freeze products to include Bitrex to deter cats, dogs, hedgehogs and ''other small mammals in the countryside'' from consuming them.

He also called for better labelling on bottles to show how toxic the product is to small animals.

The Sherwood MP's requests emerged after at least 22 cats died in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, due to anti-freeze poisoning, with most of the deaths occurring throughout August.

Replying for the Government, Mr Eustice said people found guilty of deliberately poisoning an animal could be fined up to £20,000 and face six months in jail.

He said a bittering agent would not stop those people who want to deliberately harm animals, adding he would encourage manufactures to consider Mr Spencer's point.

Mr Eustice went on: ''I do understand some people may even be using anti-freeze in their garden water features to stop them freezing up in winter and there are some reports of this, there are internet chat forums discussing whether this is sensible or not to use anti-freeze in such features and this could result in animals being inadvertently poisoned, whether domestic pets or wildlife.

''We don't know again whether this is the cause but it certainly has the potential to be and it's another issue that caused me some concern when investigating this issue ahead of the debate.''

Addressing labelling, Mr Eustice said warnings had to be included on products containing ethylene glycol including ''harmful if swallowed''.

He said: ''The classification of ethylene glycol, and hence the legally required hazard warning, is determined by its toxicity to humans so it would not be appropriate to impose a stricter warning.

''However, what I can say - and I think this is an interesting area to explore further in this debate - the regulations do allow manufacturers of anti-freeze to add supplementary information on the label as long as it does not contradict the legally required phrases and is placed separately from them.

''So it would be quite possible, for instance, for the labels on anti-freeze to warn about the particular risk to pets, for example, and maybe to make clear it would not be right to use these products in garden water features. I think that might be a step forward.''

Figures from The Veterinary Poisons Information Service, which offers vets specialist advice about poisoned pets, reveal the most common cause of death in more than 200,000 animals on its database is Ethylene Glycol poisoning – the deadly ingredient in antifreeze.

The figures also show that 90 per cent of cats that swallow anti-freeze will die as a result.

White Cross Vets in Merseyside is campaigning for antifreeze preparations to be banned unless bittering agents are added to make the taste less appealing to pets.

Penny Lott, clinic director at White Cross Vets in Gateacre, said: “We see too many poisoned pets across our practices every year who are in distress after swallowing antifreeze either as a terrible accident or a malicious act of cruelty.

“Ethylene Glycol is highly toxic and because of its sweet taste it is especially appealing to pets but just one teaspoon is enough to kill a cat and a tablespoon will kill a dog.

“If an accidental spill occurs and a pet either drinks or walks through the antifreeze and then licks their paws it can kill them.

“We have also seen cases where pets have been intentionally poisoned with food that has been soaked in antifreeze.

“However, these cases could be prevented if antifreeze wasn’t sweet tasting and included bittering agents."

Ethylene Glycol is also included in many screen wash products.

Director of the practice in West Derby, Merseyside, Jess Murray Keane said: “As winter approaches people will be filling up their cars with screen wash and it’s easily spilt.

“If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned with this substance, it’s essential they see a vet straight away.

“Early treatment can often be effective but many pets that are left untreated unfortunately have to be put to sleep or die of kidney failure within days.”