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My cat had mineral oil for hairballs. What are toxicity signs?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 5 years and 1 month old | 8 lbs

I gave my cat a very small amount of mineral oil to help her pass a hairball and help with constipation. Now I'm reading that it can cause lung toxicity if inhaled and I'm terrified. How will I know if she's ok?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on February 6th, 2019

Mineral oil is unlikely to cause aspiration pneumonia if it is swallowed normally by the pet. If it's vomited and inhaled then, yes, it certainly can cause serious illness, including potentially aspiration pneumonia, however at this point there isn't much that could be done by a veterinary professional unless she has vomited and is showing signs of pneumonia (coughing, breathing difficulties, lethargy, etc) which won't develop for at least 24 hours after vomiting and inhaling. Making her eliminate the mineral oil by inducing vomiting is not indicated, since this will (obviously) increase the chances of aspiration. To answer your question, "How will I know if she's OK?", you'll know she's OK if you don't see the symptoms described by Dr. Anstaett below. If you don't see any of these issues, you'll know everything is fine. And in the future, the recommended product (Laxatone) is a much safer way to encourage hairballs to pass.

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    Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    If she has any coughing or shortness of breath, she should get in to see a vet. typically these are symptoms you would see within 24 hours of having given mineral oil. You can use a product such as laxatone to safely help with hairballs. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/tomlyn-laxatone-tuna-flavored-hairball-lubricant Thanks for asking PetCoach!

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