Disinfectant wipes and cats: why a dry counter still harms
A cat’s tongue can be chemically burned by an apparently dry kitchen counter wiped with disinfectant minutes earlier. The culprit is benzalkonium chloride, found in most household antibacterial wipes—a compound that leaves invisible residue long after surfaces appear dry. Vets are seeing preventable poisoning cases that could be avoided by understanding how these common products affect feline anatomy.