To feel annoyed - cat and garlic

[Acapulco12]

I don’t think I’m being unreasonable, but just wanted to check. I’m actually feeling quite annoyed!!

I look after people’s pets quite often as a part time job, and get paid to do so. I’m looking after a cat for the next few days and its owner is a new client. I met the owner the other day and all went well, and everything was clear.

I visited the cat this morning to give him breakfast, change water and litter tray etc.

I used a bowl to serve his breakfast in and sent pics of him afterwards to the owner. The owner spotted the bowl in the photo and said she’d used that bowl to put leftover garlic in, and was obviously panicked, as garlic is very toxic to cats. She asked if I washed out the bowl before giving it to the cat. I did, but not very thoroughly, as I didn’t know it contained garlic beforehand. I’m really hoping that any garlic traces in the bowl will not cause any issues, but I’m worried.

The bowl was empty when I saw it and used it. There were no other spare bowls or plates to use for the cat’s breakfast.

AIBU to feel annoyed that she stored garlic in a cat bowl lying on the side of the kitchen and didn’t think to tell me? I get that she was busy preparing for her time away and probably had lots on her mind, but surely this is a big oversight - and not my fault?

I’m going back to check on the cat later, but I am worried.

The cat will be absolutely fine, it’s not like he’s eaten the garlic
plenty of cats eat human food, which has been spiced with garlic anyway, so don’t worry so much
in my country abroad, cats are just given what humans eat ,cat food isn’t a thing and plenty of it is made with garlic they all seem fine but don’t worry

The cat will be absolutely fine. If anything he’ll be sick. Trust me. My cat stole a garlic and herb chicken kieve that was resting before serving to DC. He was fine. He also ate a startburst sweetie with the wrapper still on from someone’s outside bin. He threw the wrapper up, that’s all. I think it would be different if he ate a large quantity. (I’m much more aware and observant now of my greedy cat!)

Thank you so much for your messages. I am feeling really worried - as I googled just now about garlic risks, and it said that symptoms may take a few days to appear - but your messages have reassured me. I will pop back to check on him asap this afternoon.

Give us an update if you can! I wouldn’t worry yourself too much, cats eat all sorts of things they shouldn’t. It was a genuine accident on your part, if anything the owner should’ve been more vigilant. How were you supposed to know?!

I'm sure the cat will be fine.
I can't understand why the owner used the cat bowl for storing garlic in the first place. And totally unreasonable and unfair of her to assume you have second sight and should have known that's what she had done.
Very annoying that the owner has laid this worry on you.

I had no idea about cats and garlic but I haven’t been a cat slave for decades. If it makes you feel better, our family cat was a horror for stealth attacks swiping human food and my mother used generous amounts of garlic in almost everything. I’m pretty sure he must have eaten garlic on a weekly basis and he lived to the ripe old age 20 with no health issues. Spaghetti Bolognaise was a particular favourite of his. I doubt a theoretical trace of garlic on a rinsed bowl will have any effect. I would suggest you call the vet for advice but I’m sure it will be fine.

Well you weren't to know that an empty bowl previously had garlic in it, were you?

Sounds like she's panicking and has made it your problem, which it definitely is not.

Cat (who has not eaten garlic) will be fine.

The cat will be fine. The bowl couldn’t have been that potent, or surely you would have smelled it.

How ridiculous.

The friend should have left you bowls only for cat use.

The cat will be fine.

Cat will be fine and does she expect you to be psychic?

Totally her fault. How on earth were you to know? She shouldn’t make you feel guilty at all.
But I’m sure the cat will be completely fine.

Hey OP, you sound very caring! I'm a vet, and can reassure you that the cat will be fine.

When we see garlic or onion toxicity it's usually after a pet has been fed it as part of their diet every day.

The toxic dose is about 5g/kg, or a few cloves for a cat.

Stay away from scaremongering websites written by journalists, not vets!

My cat finishes off our meals regularly and we have never stopped her on the basis of garlic.

It'll be fine.

The cat will be fine. The owner should certainly left out food and water bowls though. Pre internet we used to give our dogs all sorts that are now deemed toxic. All lived to great ages. (Not that I do it nowadays).

The cat would have to eat a whole clove of garlic to be at risk. A few invisible traces on a bowl won't hurt it.

It will be fine.

Not your fault at all... if they want to worry that much they shouldn't have left it out! I'm sure the cat will be fine

I think she's being unreasonable and ridiculous. I regularly cook this dish with chicken, garlic and a creamy sauce. There's always some left over and I just rinse the chicken, make sure there are no lumps of garlic and give it to my cat. He's always been absolutely fine.

The cat will be fine. The cat’s owner is an idiot.

A cat might be ill if it ate an entire clove of garlic or a pot of garlic butter.

It will not be affected by eating some food from a bowl that had previously had some garlic in it. Honestly, this a complete non-issue and you do not need to worry. This cat's owner is a complete idiot.

one of my cats has stolen heads of garlic as toys on more than one occasion. I take it away when I notice and I’m now more careful about where I store it, but she is a persistent criminal with a penchant for breaking into cabinets and climbing shelves. Most of the time she steals candy or butter to eat, I think she just likes the texture of the garlic. No harm has ever come to her from her adventures.

Seriously? If you couldn't smell the garlic then there certainly wouldn't be enough to poison the cat. And presumably the cat couldn't have smelled it either.

Most pet owners have clearly separate bowls for human and animal use...

Gosh. I didn’t know that one little clove of garlic was so dangerous to cats. I am not a pet owner and am clearly ignorant.

This is why people really shouldn’t feed strays I guess.

The natural cynic in me wonders if she’s ‘panicking’ hoping for a discount on your services. Otherwise why leave that bowl handy and no visible sign of cats correct food bowls.

As others have said the cat will be fine! But if she kicks up a stink I wouldn’t be accepting blame for this. You saw the cat bowl on the side and thought she’d left it out for you - you didn’t know she’d used the bowl for garlic because it’s a cat bowl!