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Frozen pomds

nightgardennightgarden SW ScotlandPosts: 112

I was amazed to read in my gardening magazine that nearly 1200 cats died over the last 2 years (very painfully) from drinking from ponds that have antifreeze in to prevent them freezing over.

Hard to credit that anyone would do such a thing but it must be killing a great deal of wildlife too so can I please ask (beg even) everyone not to do this. 




  • nutcutletnutcutlet PeterboroughPosts: 26,160

    Is that true do you think ng? I can't imagine anyone doing that

  • pansyfacepansyface PEAK DISTRICT DerbyshirePosts: 18,626

    It wouldn't only kill the cats. It would kill all the plants as wellimage

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 72,031

    I think that anti-freeze is sometimes added to those bubbling water features in the winter - stupid yes, but then there are some very stupid people about.

    It is very dangerous because cats love to drink from running water!  As has been said, death from anti-freeze is a horrible death. image


  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 15,341

    Around us, its pigeon fanciers putting out saucers of milk mixed with antifreeze. They think the cats scare the pigeons. When my next door neighbour let her father in law have a pigeon shed at the top of her garden, I caught him doing just that.  I went ballistic.  My brother lost two cats to antifreeze poisoning, his vet also said it was pigeon fanciers. Its a really horrible death. When the father in law asked if he could use my electric from my greenhouse to operate his racing clock, you can imagine the answer.

    I don't know of any gardeners using antifreeze in ponds. Small heaters and balls in the water , yes, antifreeze no.

  • TootlesTootles Posts: 1,469

    There was a case of this in my parents village. So many cats died that the police are now involved. I hope they catch the heartless, pathetic individual.  The local people have also set up a group to hunt the criminal down.

    If I ever caught such a cruel and ignorant person doing this I don't think I could be responsible for my actions. Those that do this are either stupid or plain evil...or both!

  • LesleyKLesleyK Posts: 4,029

    Many years ago we heard of someone who kept pigeons bragging about how he caught cats and drove them to the middle of nowhere and released them.  How cruel is that!  Wish I'd known where he livedimage

  • GemmaJFGemmaJF Posts: 2,286

    Cats like the taste of ethylene glycol, the poisonous chemical in some antifreeze. I've been told also once they have tasted it, they feel compelled to keep drinking it. image

    I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if some people do add antifreeze to water features to stop them freezing. Though it seems almost beyond belief I would guess if they involve valves or pumps they are afraid of ice damaging them. Simply draining the system before a frost would take a lot more effort than pouring in some antifreeze....

    I would guess too though that the vast majority of cat poisonings are entirely deliberate.

  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949
    Oh wow. I never would have thought of people doing that. Surely there is a food safe alternative out there to keep ponds flowing and everyone happy. (Aside from the asshats who will insist on ruining things just to spite others).
  • It is completely true that both dogs and cats will actively drink ethylene glycol anti-freeze and it causes rapid and fatal kidney failure even, sometimes, if treatment is immediate and aggressive.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 29,177

    the cynic in my questions the number of deaths ( not that I condone a single one of them ) Did the owners of those 1,200 cats pay for an autopsy after their cats died? if not , how can they absolutely confirm the cause of death, therefore,  how do they come up with that number. 

    I can just about imagine some nutter using anti freeze in one of those tacky self contained recycling " water features" but who on earth would use one in a pond with plants, wildlife?

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