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My cat ate silica gel. Should I worry about vomiting and lethargy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 8 lbs

Hi, My cat ate the contents of a silica gel packet. She is an active cat, maybe 7 or 8 yrs old. Yesterday when I got home from work I noticed that she had thrown up all her food, and found the remnants of the packet. She hadn't eaten much, but was acting normal, throughout the evening she just laid around, she threw up a small amount last night, and hasn't eaten anything since and is acting very lethargic. I am not sure if I should take her in or just give her wet food instead.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By C. Rathjens, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 20th, 2018

The silica packets are actually not toxic, so I don't think the vomiting and lethargy are related to that. However, those are still concerning signs and I would recommend taking Beggar to her vet today for an exam, blood work, and x rays. She could have a metabolic issue, a foreign body, or IBD.

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    Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

    Published on February 20th, 2018

    I would recommend taking Beggar to your vet because anytime a cat is lethargic and not eating, they can be much sicker than we think (since cats are so good at hiding their illnesses). Regardless of the cause of Beggar's illness, she needs to be treated. However, silica gel packs are not as toxic as we generally think, so I doubt that is causing her problem. I am attaching information below from the Pet Poison Helpline website ( http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ ) "Silica Gel Q: Is it toxic? A: Virtually non-toxic. Q: What is it? A: Silica is a hard porous gel that is made synthetically and utilized because of its high affinity for water. It is placed in products to control the humidity and prevent degradation. Silica gel packets are usually 1 x 2 inches and contain multiple small white, clear or opaque beads inside. Q: Why is it labeled “do not eat”? A: Silica gel is not intended for consumption and therefor receives the label “do not eat”. The dust from the processing and creation of silica is irritating to the skin, respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract. In people who are chronically exposed to/inhaling silica, such as a employee in a mine or factory, a progressive debilitating disease called silicosis can develop. Fortunately, silica dust is rarely encountered by our furry friends. Some silica products are mixed with a moisture indicator, these indicators may be toxic in large doses. If a dye is present, the silica gel will no longer be a clear to white but instead bright orange, blue, pink or green." Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Beggar feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

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