Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => That CAN'T be true! => Topic started by: stana on 25/10/2007 19:30:12

Title: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: stana on 25/10/2007 19:30:12

I've heard from a friend who owns a lot of cats that, if a cat is given alcohol and ingests this alcohol, he will be forever under the influence. Is this true?

Or was he told this so he wouldn't be tempted to give his cats the last of his mom's whisky as a joke?!

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: neilep on 25/10/2007 19:46:50

HI Stana,

It has to be a joke !!....why should it be indefinitely inebriated ?


Your friend should NOT give his cat some alcohol.......it could become very ill !!!.....and he'd have to clean up the mess....plus....I think it'll be quite cruel !!

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: another_someone on 25/10/2007 21:14:08

I would suggest that any animal that does not recover from intoxication is inevitably going to have a short life (a state of intoxication is a state in which the body is not functioning normally, and unless this is reversed, you will not be able to survive - but then, I suppose if it is fatal, that might be regarded from the perspective of one's own lifespan to be regarded as being as permanent a state as you will ever get).

I don't know how well other animals tolerate alcohol (different species do react differently - their livers behave differently), but since alcohol is a natural substance, they should have some tolerance of it (although, since alcohol is a breakdown product of vegetable matter, and cats are almost exclusively carnivorous, their likelihood of naturally encountering alcohol is far less than it is for an omnivore, such as a human, or a herbivore, such as elephants, or fruit flies - both which I believe have been known to become intoxicated on decaying fruit).

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: paul.fr on 25/10/2007 21:27:44

Cats and alcohol is not a good combination, although there has been at least on experiment done  "Neurosis and Alcohol: the induction and cure of alcoholism in cats"

you can read some of it here:

http://www.alternative-doctor.com/mind_stuff/very_human_cats.htm

this also reminds me to pose my cat question.

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: Monox D. I-Fly on 11/01/2018 04:05:39

Quote from: another_someone on 25/10/2007 21:14:08

or fruit flies - both which I believe have been known to become intoxicated on decaying fruit).

Huh? I thought fruit flies love decaying fruits... I mean, decaying fruits are full of maggots.

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: chris on 11/01/2018 08:22:54

Here's an article about using fruitflies (drosophila) to study alcoholic inebriation, toxicity, dependence. (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/features/bar-flies)

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: Bored chemist on 11/01/2018 20:59:08

"If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?"
It's all too possible that's true: the cat may well be killed by the alcohol (directly or indirectly) before it sobers up.

Title: Re: If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?
Post by: chris on 11/01/2018 22:44:11

Quote from: Bored chemist on 11/01/2018 20:59:08

"If a cat gets drunk, does it remain intoxicated for life?"
It's all too possible that's true: the cat may well be killed by the alcohol (directly or indirectly) before it sobers up.

It could become cat-atonic, possibly?

As opposed to cat-aholic, which is a religion...