A TikTok creator who goes by NotJustin, with the handle @notjustinsutherland, posted a video warning pet owners about minoxidil after his cat died. In the video, he said the cat, named Halo, was 2 years old. He said Halo died of congestive heart failure within 24 hours of being exposed to minoxidil.
The video shows a man in a black durag and black athletic shirt standing in a kitchen. On-screen text reads, “Minoxidil will k*ll your pets.” The man held up what appeared to be a small white bottle with a dropper, which he identified as a minoxidil product.
The creator said he had to put down Halo about three days before posting the video. He described Halo as “a very big part” of his life and his TikTok content. An image of a light-colored cat with blue eyes was shown on screen as he spoke.
Creator says there are no warnings on minoxidil labels
In the video, the man said he was not aware that minoxidil is extremely toxic to cats and dogs, even in very small amounts. He said, “If you have it on your fingertips and you pet them, that could be enough to kill them.” He also said that in small amounts, it can absorb through a pet’s skin and kill them.
He criticized the lack of warnings on the product. “There is no warning on the labels, there is no warning on the boxes. I had no warning, he had no warning,” he said in the video.
The creator said he wanted to use Halo’s story as a public service announcement for other pet owners. He urged viewers who use or plan to use minoxidil to keep it far away from their animals. He advised washing hands thoroughly after handling the product and washing pillowcases if minoxidil is in someone’s hair. Pet safety warnings like this one keep surfacing from unexpected places, as a video showed goats at a private event with no visible symptoms before they were later confirmed to have rabies.
He described the symptoms Halo showed
The man described the signs he saw in Halo before the cat died. He said Halo became lethargic very quickly, stopped eating and drinking, stopped using the restroom, and began lying in unusual places. He said he called the vet within a few hours of noticing these signs, but “it still wasn’t fast enough.”
He ended the video by expressing his grief and hoping the post could help someone else’s pet. “Love you, Halo. Hopefully this can save somebody’s pet. Please just be careful,” he said. The video’s caption reads, “Minoxidil will k*ll your pets #psa #minoxidil #fyp.”
The video drew a range of responses in its comment section. One viewer wrote, “Just threw out all of my husbands minoxidil he can stay bald.” Another said, “My fiancé just started using it. We have pets. We had NO idea. Thank you SOO much. I’m so sorry you went through this.”
One commenter suggested legal action, writing, “Sue the company. That should be on the label.” Another shared related pet safety information: “Tea Tree oil is toxic to dogs. Lillies will kill your cat. If you get flowers, and arrangement has lillies, don’t let your cats near it. The powdery orange stuff inside the lillies will kill them-organ failure. I put the flowers in the garage and then take them to work.”
One viewer said a medical professional was unaware of the risk, writing, “My dermatologist said ‘I have never heard of this in my entire career’. Thank you for confirming with me.” Another commenter pushed back on the idea that the warning was unknown, stating, “NO ONE does research anymore, I don’t use minoxidil and I know this.”
