Chocolate is a delicious treat that many of us love to indulge in. But how safe is it for our furry friends? Can cats eat chocolate, and what happens if they do?
Is chocolate dangerous for cats, or are their bodies immune to the toxic effects of cocoa beans like ours are? How much chocolate is too much, and what symptoms does eating too much produce?
What should you do if your cat eats some of your favorite chocolates? With the help of experts and veterinarians, we will present all of the information on can cats eat chocolate.
Can Cats Eat Chocolate?
Cats should never eat chocolate as it contains two ingredients that are toxic for cats, which are theobromine and caffeine. Even a small amount of chocolate can be dangerous for a cat because theobromine is absorbed a lot slower in cats that it does in humans.
Caffeine will also stimulate a cat much more than it does with a human as they are more sensitive to it.
Cats are small delicate creatures who’s digestive systems work a lot different to that of a human. The other ingredients found in chocolate that are bad for cats are fat, sugar, and xylitol.
How Much Chocolate Will Hurt a Cat?
With chocolate being so high in theobromine, even A tiny 0.2 to 0.5 oz is a toxic amount and can a your cat very poorly. Different kinds of chocolate contain different levels. See the table below for more information.
Chocolate Toxicity in Cats | |
Type of Chocolate | Minimum Amount That Can Be Toxic to an 8 lb. Cat |
Milk | 1.14 oz |
Dark | 0.5 oz |
Semisweet | 0.5 oz |
Baking | 0.2 oz |
White | Not a concern |
With some of the other foods we cover on this blog, we say that some foods are okay to give your cat in very small amounts on the odd occasion. When it comes to chocolate, completely stay away from it and never feed it to your cat.
Symptoms Of Chocolate Poisoning In Cats
A variety of symptoms can occur if your cat consumes chocolate, even death if your cat doesn’t receive treatment. If your cat has consumed even a small amount of chocolate, take your cat to a veterinarian immediately. Be aware of the following symptoms:
- Restlessness
- Hyperactivity
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Increased thirst
- Increased rate of breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Tremors
- Heightened temperature
- Seizures
- Muscle rigidity
- Death
What To Do If Your Cat Eats Chocolate
As we mentioned above, the first thing you should do if your cat consumes any chocolate is to contact your local veterinarian.
It’s a good idea to know what kind of chocolate it was and exactly how much was consumed.
Doing this will help your vet greatly when it comes to treatment. Saving the packaging of the chocolate is even better.
Treatment of Chocolate Toxicity in Cats
In the unfortunate event of your cat consuming chocolate, the following treatments are options that your veterinarian may use:
Vomiting
Your vet may use an injection which will make your cat vomit to prevent consuming any theobromine found in chocolate.
This option is used if you take your cat to the vets immediately after they consume chocolate.
Activated Charcoal
This is a black powder mixed with water that prevents toxins from being absorbed in the body by trapping them.
It can either be mixed in with your cats food or given directly in the mouth via a syringe. Your cat will usually have to take activated charcoal for 2-3 days.
A Drip
The way this works is by directly putting fluids into a vein using a drip. This works because it helps to flush out any toxins in their urine. If the condition is serious then your cat may have to stay on a drip in the veterinary hospital so they can be monitored.
How To Prevent Cats From Eating Chocolate
It’s unlikely that your cat will even attempt to eat chocolate in the first place, but it does happen and it is still a danger. Cats are curious creatures and they are all very unique, so the easiest way is to just keep chocolate out of reach in the first place. Remember it’s not just chocolate bars, it’s also candies, donuts, cookies, and brownies.
Also be more aware at certain times of the year where there is more chocolate around than usual such Halloween, Easter, and Christmas.
Another thing to be aware of is children. If you have both pets and children you will know that kids try to feed pets everything they can find in the house.
Always supervise children when they are eating chocolate. The biggest danger here is if they try to put chocolate into your cats food bowl where it could accidentally be consumed when they are eating there regular food.
Alternatives To Chocolate For Cats
If you want to give your cat something different as alternative healthy treat, here are some safe alternatives you can introduce into their diets. They may not eat these things directly, but you can mix small amounts of these into their regular food on the odd occasion.
Vegetables:
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Cucumbers
- Green Bean
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Spinach
Fruits:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
Can Cats Eat Chocolate Conclusion
Can cats eat chocolate? Eating chocolate can be a very pleasurable experience, but it is not the same for cats.
Chocolate contains substances that are toxic to felines and may lead to serious health problems if consumed in significant amounts.
In this blog post we have outlined some important information about what happens when your cat eats too much or even just a small amount of chocolate.
If you love your feline friend as much as we do, then follow these tips so they don’t get sick from eating any more treats!
