Miracle Cat Up For Adoption Eats Rat Poison, Defies Odds

SAN MATEO, CA -- It's true. Cats do have nine lives. Just ask Millie, who survived eating rat poison and lived to tell about it.

The little fighting feline is up for adoption at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA and needs a home to provide a safe, indoor-only environment for the 7-month-old female

It's suspected she somehow ate bromethalin, an over-the-counter rodenticide used to eradicate rodents.

“Millie was found as a stray by a Good Samaritan on Oct. 2 at his place of work in Menlo Park. He recognized immediately the cat was very sick and brought her to us,” Humane Society spokeswoman Buffy Martin Tarbox said. “She was completely comatose, and over the following days had intermittent seizures. She was in such bad shape. We didn’t expect her to survive, but with our specialized care, she did.”

The expert veterinary staff at the facility found her symptoms to be consistent with bromethalin, which is highly toxic with no known antidote. Survival rate in cats is extremely low. The poison causes fluid to accumulate in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in severe swelling of tissues and can cause weakness, wobbling, seizures, coma and even death.

Some animals get secondary poisoning when they eat prey that has ingested the substance. Perhaps one could say that's the rat's last line of defense.

“Millie is truly a miracle cat,” Tarbox said. “We provided her plenty of fluids, intense supportive care, and thankfully she began to improve. Because of the poison, Millie has sight impairment and will likely never be a neurologically normal cat. She wobbles a bit, and has problems jumping and climbing. But she requires no treatment and is very friendly. There is a possibility her neurological issues may improve in a stable and loving home environment.”

Millie has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. She is only available to a person or family committed to keeping her as an indoor-only cat. She would do best in a quiet and stable household with no small children, the Humane Society added.

“Despite her rough beginning, Millie is a very sweet and gentle cat,” Tarbox said.

Those who are interested in meeting with Millie can visit the shelter at 1450 Rollins Road in Burlingame. Her adoption fee is $80.

--Image courtesy of Peninsula Humane Society