Quaternary ammonium disinfectants (quats) in Pets

Quat disinfectants and floor cleaners can burn a cat's tongue and paws. Learn why concentration matters more than dose, how to rinse safely and why vomiting must not be induced.

What It Is

Quaternary ammonium compounds such as benzalkonium chloride and didecyldimethylammonium chloride are cationic detergents used to kill germs. In concentrated form they burn the mouth, throat, eyes and skin. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that cationic detergents can also cause body-wide effects, including collapse and seizures.

Where Pets Come Across It

Hard-surface disinfectant sprays and wipes, floor cleaners used in homes, kennels and catteries, some fabric softeners and dryer sheets, and liquid potpourri. Cats are often exposed by walking across a freshly mopped floor and then licking their paws.

Which Animals Are Affected

Cats, because of grooming. Dogs are exposed by licking or chewing bottles. Birds can be affected by fumes and residues.

Published Toxic Dose

Risk depends mainly on concentration, not on a mg/kg dose. Concentrated products meant to be diluted are corrosive, while ready-to-use dilutions more often cause irritation and drooling. No dose threshold for pets is published in the sources below, so the calculator does not grade a mg/kg figure on this page. Read the percentage of each 'alkyl ... ammonium chloride' on the label when you call.

Signs and How Soon They Appear

Drooling, pawing at the mouth, refusing food, ulcers on the tongue (which can take 12 hours or more to appear), fever, breathing difficulty and red, sore paw pads. Liquid potpourri can also cause eye injury and, rarely, collapse.

What to Do Right Now

Call a vet or poison line. Wipe the paws and coat with plenty of lukewarm water while wearing gloves, and gently flush the eyes with water if they were splashed. Offer a little water to drink unless your pet is vomiting or struggling to swallow. Do not make your pet vomit, because a corrosive liquid burns again on the way back up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources and References

• Merck Veterinary Manual: Toxicoses from Corrosive Agents (cationic detergents)
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Household Cleaners and Personal Care Products

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