Beware, poison!
Your kitten has a natural instinct not to eat anything that she doesn’t recognise. There are a lot of poisons and chemicals inside and out of the house though, so it's always possible that she might swallow something bad by mistake. It’s always worth keeping an eye out for your little one, whose curiosity might get the better of her.
Kittens are all too often inclined to investigate a colourful bottle of cleaning fluid or eat poisoned bait if it smells interesting. They're also at risk from their own cleanliness. If something like paint or tar sticks to her fur or paws, she could swallow it as part of her normal grooming.
The worst thing about swallowing poison is that it can be difficult to find out what substance she's taken in. Symptoms can also vary widely. Keep an eye out for unusual tiredness, the appearance of paralysis, shivering and cramps. Some poisons can also cause diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
Every second counts
As ever, prevention is better than cure. Just store your cleaning liquids, medicine, paints and poisons of any kind out of your kitten’s reach. We know this can be difficult, given just how curious your little bundle of mischief can be, but there should be somewhere you can think of! If she does show signs of poisoning, however, don't try to make her sick. Take her to the vet as soon as possible, and if you know what the poison is, bring it with you.
In these kinds of situation it's really useful to have your vet’s telephone number easily to hand, just in case. And try to remain calm as this will help to reassure your poorly little one.