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What if my cat drank rubbing alcohol? What symptoms should I watch for?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 6.5 lbs

I’m worried one of my cats drank rubbing alcohol. I just noticed the cup was dry. It only had enough in it to cover the bottom. There are 2 cats and both are acting normal. What should I watch for? Can I do anything right now? The emergency vet is 45 minutes away and it’s pouring down rain. Here is a photo with the size of the cup. It was there for at least 6 hours. Could it have evaporated? It was just a thin layer, enough to cover a needle.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 23rd, 2019

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you did not see them drink the alcohol, it is very likely that the small amount that was covering the bottom of the cup just evaporated. Alcohol tends to evaporate quite quickly at room temperature. Alcohols, when ingested, can cause metabolic disturbances and neurological side effects. If you are concerned, you can call ASPCA poison control hotline for more information. If you are unsure as to whether or not they drank the alcohol, you could monitor for symptoms and if you begin to notice them being lethargic, vomiting, acting strange, then I would recommend taking them in to be seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435

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