Heartbroken Skipton woman whose cat died from suspected antifreeze poisoning joins Cats Protections' campaign to raise vital awareness

A Skipton woman whose beloved cat died from suspected antifreeze poisoning has joined a national campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of the products to felines.
By Lucy Leeson
Published 24th May 2021, 16:45 BST
Updated 25th May 2021, 10:17 BST

Ann Bolland's 18-month-old cat Missy is thought to have swallowed antifreeze near her home, before becoming severely unwell.

Missy was rushed to the vets as her body began shutting down rapidly. Despite doing their best, nothing could be done to save her, leaving Ms Bolland heartbroken.

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She has now teamed up with Cats Protections' campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of the product to cats.

Missy was rushed to the vets as her body began shutting down rapidly. Despite doing their best, nothing could be done to save her, leaving Ms Bolland heartbroken.Missy was rushed to the vets as her body began shutting down rapidly. Despite doing their best, nothing could be done to save her, leaving Ms Bolland heartbroken.
Missy was rushed to the vets as her body began shutting down rapidly. Despite doing their best, nothing could be done to save her, leaving Ms Bolland heartbroken.

Ms Bolland said: "I realised something was wrong when Missy seemed a bit subdued one morning, and within the hour I could see she was going downhill. I got her to the vets quickly but it was too late, her body had begun shutting down. She was disorientated, her organs were failing and the vet said all the signs were pointing to antifreeze poisoning.

“Within a few hours, she had to be put to sleep. Her deterioration in such a short time was absolutely horrific to witness – she had been a healthy, energetic and lively cat, and suddenly she was gone.

"The day before had been a bright, sunny February day with a heavy frost forecast, so I think she had somehow come across it when someone was topping up their car with antifreeze. I had no idea of the risks to cats of antifreeze and I would urge anyone using it to be extremely vigilant that there are no cats around. Losing Missy in such a traumatic way has had a huge effect on me, I’m a huge animal lover and have always owned pets, but I’m not sure I can bring myself to have another.”

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Madison Rogers, the charity’s Senior Advocacy & Government Relations Officer, said: “Antifreeze contains a substance which is particularly harmful to cats and can prove fatal if ingested, as it seems was tragically the case for Missy.

“This summer, we’d urge owners to make sure any stores of antifreeze in sheds or garages are securely kept away from cats. And anyone doing checks on their vehicle should be mindful of how dangerous antifreeze can be for cats, so it is important to wipe up spillages immediately and not leave bottles on the driveway unattended.

“Many motorists are completely unaware of how dangerous antifreeze can be, and we’d like to see better labelling on products. Such a simple measure could help prevent the deaths of many cats and save their owners the ordeal of seeing their beloved cat suffer.”