Can cats eat chocolate (why should it not be given to cats)

It is well known that chocolate is toxic to our dogs, but did you know that chocolate is even more harmful to cats than to dogs.

Chocolate eating is less common in cats (possibly because they don't want to try "sweets" and aren't as omnivores as dogs), but when it happens, the toxicity is just as severe.

In this article, we'll outline what you need to know about the toxicity of chocolate to cats and what you can do if you notice or suspect that your cat has eaten chocolate.

About the rules

It would be right if, before getting a pet, you study the future diet and the question of whether cats can eat chocolate.

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It is important, when treating your cat with a chocolate treat, to follow some rules that will help protect the animal:

You cannot accustom him to frequent treats, since the cat’s digestive tract takes a long time to digest this product.
Before giving your pet a treat, you should think about whether cats can eat chocolate and calculate its permissible amount, knowing that 25 - 30 g of treats is considered a dangerous dose for an adult cat.
Keep in mind that it will be safer to divide the amount of acceptable chocolate into several doses.
Be sure to make sure your cat has enough to drink on sweet days.

Attention! You cannot increase the norm, since the cat eats chocolate without understanding the taste, and overeating can put it in mortal danger.

The cat's reaction to sugar

Cats do not need sugar at all; it should be avoided and not given even as a treat. Accumulating in the body, sugar begins its destructive effect: the kidneys enlarge, urolithiasis develops; Blood glucose levels increase significantly, which leads to diabetes. Excess fat is deposited in the tissues of internal organs, which significantly reduces their performance.

Cats that regularly eat sweets have sour eyes, severe coat shedding, and may experience baldness. They are also plagued by problems with stool, intestinal immunity suffers, which means the body cannot fight viruses.

Sweets cause diseases of the mouth and digestive system. Food is digested less well, proteins are no longer absorbed, vision deteriorates (aging individuals can completely lose it).

Feeding your pet must be done responsibly - do not assume that the animal itself knows what food it needs. Sugar should not be present in his diet. Sweets can be replaced with other treats that will not harm the cat’s health or pose a threat to the life of the cat.

Why do many animals prefer this dessert?

It is known that these furry predators usually eat meat, poultry and fish fillets. Today, some owners feed them with special foods that can be purchased at pet stores, but in addition give them a taste of food prepared for people. Owners have different answers to the question of what cats like. After all, animals often give preference to products that are atypical at first glance. For example, desserts containing cocoa bean powder. These are chocolate bars and bars, candies, cookies.

Cat and sugar

In 2005, scientists published the conclusion that the DNA of felines lacks the gene responsible for recognizing sweet taste (Tas1r2).
It is believed that cats are not able to sense sweetness; their tongues do not even have the corresponding receptors. It is precisely “not intended”, because by nature they are predators and they simply do not need to recognize sweet food. The greatest nutritional value for cats is proteins, but not carbohydrates (which, in fact, are sweets).

Among the reasons why most cats love sweets are the milk, eggs (if they are baked goods) contained in the product, and the aroma of vanilla. This is where the greatest danger lies - the cat thinks that it is eating a dairy product, while absorbing a huge amount of sugar and other harmful additives. Such harmless treats will bring nothing but suffering.

Do cats like sweets?

Fortunately, the cat's body has protected itself from toxic substances, and cats simply do not taste sweetness. Due to a defect in the Tas1r2 gene, cats do not have sweet receptors. And fortunately. However, sometimes their curiosity and boredom overcome nature. Therefore, as owners, we must ensure that the cat does not have access to sweets.

Keep in mind that not only is chocolate toxic, but so are the following foods:

cocoa and products that contain it,
ice cream - especially chocolate ice cream,
chocolate pudding,
chocolate candies,
candies with cocoa and coffee filling,
chocolate drinks and mousses,
cake with cocoa mass and coffee,
bars,
chocolate yoghurts.

What to do if your cat eats chocolate?

Unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian, leave treatment to professionals and DO NOT use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting in your cat. This can cause severe stomach ulcers in cats.

If possible, it is useful to have the following information ready:

When did the ingestion occur?
Name of the specific food that was ingested (wraps are ALWAYS helpful if you can bring them)
The amount of chocolate you think your cat ate
List of clinical signs you noticed

While a visit to the vet will likely be recommended, having this information will help the veterinary team assess the risk to your cat and develop a plan while you're on the road.

The effect of dessert on the body of pets

Experts say that this sweetness does not bring any benefits to the cat’s health. However, some owners believe that sometimes you can pamper your pet with such food. Is dessert really safe? Veterinarians warn that they often encounter cases of intoxication that occurs due to substances contained in the product.

What effect does valerian have on cats?

Research by scientists has shown that valerian infusion has an effect on cats with its smell. ... The smell is reminiscent of a sexually mature adult cat, and the plant causes changes in the hormonal and emotional background, changing the animal beyond recognition and adding a touch of unpredictability to the pet.

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When does a cat need sugar?

But still, in some cases, the pet needs additional sugar. They are very rare and are the consequences of serious illness or recovery in the postoperative period. And only when the level of glucose in the blood is much lower than the norm acceptable for the cat’s body.

In no case does the owner of the animal have the right to make such an appointment if he does not want to cause irreparable harm to him. Only a veterinarian, after a thorough analysis, can decide on a special “sweet” diet.

But even in this case, cats are prohibited from chocolate, cakes, pastry buns, cookies and yoghurts, especially carbonated drinks. Surprisingly, many pets are very fond of Coca-Cola and Fanta, sweet tea.

Can cats eat chocolate?

NO! But why?

Cocoa seeds contain many substances that are very dangerous to a cat's health. Methylxanthines: Theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline are plant alkaloids derived from xanthine. They are simply poisonous to cats (they are also found in tea leaves and mate, coffee beans and kola nuts - so tea, coffee and Coca-Cola are also excluded).

Theobromine, like caffeine, makes the heart beat faster. This can lead to tremors, tachycardia and palpitations. It is also a strong diuretic, which is especially dangerous for cats - we know how quickly cats become dehydrated and the consequences of this. It also has antispasmodic properties - it relaxes smooth muscles and also dilates blood vessels. Stimulates the nervous system. Since animals, especially cats, have a much slower metabolism of this substance, it is extremely dangerous for them. Kittens have virtually zero tolerance to this alkaloid. Theobromine can be present in a cat's blood for up to 3 days after eating chocolate!
Theophylline also dilates the bronchi and blood vessels, has a diuretic effect and relaxes the bile ducts.
Eating sweets itself causes obesity and many other diseases that they cause (for example, kidney problems, liver problems, pancreatic insufficiency, diabetes). These risks should not be underestimated. There are more and more obese cats, and most of them suffer greatly from it.
Eating sweets also poses a risk of tooth decay and serious periodontal disease.

Sweets and cat diseases

The first thing that can happen to a pet when eating sweets is a decrease in immunity and the development of many serious diseases.

Urolithiasis disease

Cats' kidneys are the first to suffer when they eat sweets. Due to intensive work (after all, this is a purification system that unsuccessfully tries to remove harmful products from the body), they significantly increase in size.

The animal's organs are subject to wear and tear, and the acid-base balance is disturbed. And sweets can lead to this just as much as salty foods.

Depending on the type of sweets, either excessive oxidation or alkalization of the body occurs, which in any case leads to the development of kidney failure. Urolithiasis, when eating sweets in large quantities, occurs even in cats that do not have a predisposition to it.

Diabetes

A cat's body is not designed to process large amounts of glucose. Insulin begins to be produced in concentrations that greatly exceed the permissible norm in the blood.

The cat quickly loses sensitivity to this substance, the level of glucose in both the blood and the animal’s urine always remains at high levels, diabetes mellitus quickly develops and the pet becomes a hostage to the “sugar” diet.

Excess carbohydrates

A person often eats a piece of chocolate when he needs to quickly increase energy levels, relieve fatigue, improve the ability to think and make decisions instantly, during heavy mental or physical work. And after even a small dose of chocolate, you feel a surge of strength and acceleration of thought.

By offering the same piece of treat to a pet, the owner causes him great harm. Especially for a cat in a small apartment, where she does not have the opportunity to move enough. All excess carbohydrates, even if they do not lead to serious illnesses, will certainly be stored in the form of excess fat.

Nature provides for the consumption of large quantities of proteins by predators, which is the key to their health and longevity. Carbohydrates are needed in minimal quantities; exceeding the required level means dooming your pet to illness and early death.

How to give chocolate to cats

Even knowledgeable owners admit that sometimes they allow their pet to eat a little chocolate, because they think that a small amount of treats will not provoke negative consequences. The animal’s well-being will not immediately worsen because of a small piece of chocolate, but harm will be done to the body, and it will manifest itself later.

A serving of a sweet product that leads to liver failure in a cat and death is 30–35 g.

And even the sweet treats sold in pet stores are not as harmless as the manufacturers claim. And they are also completely useless, because she does not feel their sweet taste.

Which chocolate to give is more or less safe - white milk chocolate that does not contain cocoa. But it is also given in minimal quantities, because it also contains sugar.

If, despite the ban, the owner decides to treat his pet to a chocolate bar with cocoa, then he must take into account the following rules:

You should remember the maximum permissible dose of theobromine, calculated based on the weight of the animal. The danger is represented by an amount of alkaloid exceeding 20 mg per 0.5 kg of cat’s body weight.
You cannot treat the animal regularly. The harm lies not only in sugar and theobromine, but also in cocoa. The absorption of this plant product in the cat’s body is long: 2 times longer than the digestion time of meat. Sweets consumed daily simply do not have time to be absorbed, causing disturbances in the digestive tract.
Is it possible to give cats a safe portion at a time - veterinarians say it’s not worth it. For better absorption, it is advisable to break the piece of chocolate into several servings.
Chocolate is harmful to cats because it causes dehydration. Therefore, after treating your pet with a treat, you should immediately offer him water. It will not only relieve thirst, but also improve the absorption of the product.
It is strictly forbidden to exceed the permissible dosage.

Chocolate and its effect on the cat's body

Some cats are true gourmets and show a special love for chocolate, but you shouldn’t be touched by it. Chocolate is extremely dangerous for the health of cats, not only because of the sugar. As you know, cocoa contains theobromine alkaloid, which is pure poison for cats. After eating a small amount of chocolate, the animal’s blood pressure will certainly increase, it will be active and overexcited, and arrhythmia may develop.

If you continue to periodically treat your pet to cocoa-containing products, he will develop heart and nervous system diseases, and a serious allergy is possible.

Large doses will definitely lead to coma and death. Kittens and cats with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.

Important: chocolate in any quantity is extremely dangerous and can cause the death of an animal! If a cat has eaten a lot of sweets or chocolate, it should be shown to a veterinarian.

The critical dose of theobromine, of course, varies from person to person, but on average it is 200 mg per 1 kg of animal weight.

Milk chocolate contains theobromine in an amount of 220 mg per 100 g of product. In black - twice as much.

How to prevent poisoning

Cat poisoning from chocolate is very easy to prevent: you need to keep chocolate away from it. Cats are curious and unpredictable creatures that love to prowl around corners, including the kitchen. All chocolate should be stored in tightly closed containers. Not only chocolate can cause a reaction, but also foods that contain it, including cakes, donuts, cookies, candies, etc. If there is a party or holiday coming up, it is better to place plates with sweets in places that are difficult for the cat to reach and remove them immediately after the holiday. If a guest asks: “Can cats have chocolate?”, you need to answer decisively: “No!”

Owners love to reward their furry friends with treats, and now you can do it without risking your pet's health. The main thing is to choose the safest treats, created specifically to keep your cat healthy and in good spirits. And at the same time, all the chocolate will go to the owner!

How much chocolate is too much

For a fluffy beauty, any amount of chocolate is too much; cats are not allowed chocolate. All forms of sweet treats are dangerous for your furry friend, including dry cocoa powder and baking chocolate, which is most toxic due to its high levels of theobromine. Dark, semi-sweet and milk chocolate and even white chocolate with its low cocoa percentage are also prohibited.

The level of toxicity depends on exactly how much chocolate the cat ate and what type it was. Petful notes that for a 5-pound cat, one small piece of dark chocolate can be as harmful as twenty-three chocolates to a human. Is chocolate bad for a cat? Yes, even in small quantities. She can get sick even if she eats just a little.

List of sweets that should not be given to cats

Why dogs can’t have chocolate: what to do if they eat it

There is a certain list of products that are strictly prohibited for cats:

sweets containing sugar substitute: xylitol;
chocolate. The explanation for why cats can't eat chocolate is that it contains a lot of theobromine;
ice cream;
condensed milk;
fermented milk products with sweeteners and artificial additives.

Sugar in dairy products is very harmful

List of products that you can eat a little at a time

A list of products has been established that an animal can consume in small doses. They contain natural fructose (glucose):

apples contain many minerals, vitamins and fiber;
pears also contain minerals, vitamins and fiber;
Apricots and plums are recommended to be consumed in small quantities;
melons are used with caution;
figs, dates, dried apricots;
raspberries, blackberries, blueberries in the absence of allergies.

The owner decides which option is best for the pet.

Options for replacing sweets

The best substitute for sweets for your pet is natural fruits and vegetables. They contain fructose, glucose and are a source of large amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are very beneficial for the animal.

Important! In pet stores you can buy specially made sweet cookies for cats. It is enriched with vitamins A, E, D3. Made without GMOs, preservatives and dyes.

You can please your pet by purchasing a special packaged pudding in the form of a dairy product.

The most important sugar substitute may be honey. But you need to be especially careful with it, as it causes allergic reactions. Literally a drop of honey is added to cat food, which adds sweetness to the product and is not harmful to health.

There are many natural sugar substitutes for pets

You can replace sweets with the following crops:

swede;
pumpkin;
carrot;
turnip;
beet.

Important! Seeds, nuts, almonds, and sesame have a certain sweetness after processing.

Giving your cat sugar will not poison it, but it can cause many long-term health problems. Sugar is a waste food that contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. It should be excluded from the pet’s diet or replaced, if necessary, with natural products.

Signs of intoxication

Not all owners adhere to such rules. Veterinarians say that they often encounter intoxication that occurs after eating chocolate. Poisoning in cats associated with the consumption of this dessert most often occurs on holidays, when the owners have a large amount of candy on their table. How does the pathology manifest itself? Intoxication can be diagnosed if the following signs are present:

Lethargy or increased anxiety.
Strong feeling of thirst.
Seizures.
Vomiting.
Frequent urination.
Loose stools.
Heart rhythm disturbances.
Trembling in the muscles.
Frequent breathing.
Increased blood pressure.
Coma.

Only a specialist can diagnose and treat the disease. Therefore, if the owner suspects that the pet has been poisoned by chocolate, he should take the pet to the veterinarian as soon as possible. You should tell the doctor how much dessert the cat ate. Sometimes the doctor advises to alleviate the animal’s condition by gastric lavage. For this, water mixed with crushed activated carbon is used.

Of course, all owners know what the cats living in their home love. However, before pampering your pet with any treat, you need to find out whether this food is as safe as it seems at first glance. Particular attention should be paid to the health of pregnant and lactating animals. The body of older animals and young animals is also sensitive.

The answer to the question of whether cats can have chocolate is very ambiguous. It all depends on the amount of dessert, the frequency of its use and the characteristics of the pet.

What's next for the cat?

Cats are very sensitive to the emotions of their owners. In addition to controlling emotions, it is best for the owner to keep the pet in a cool, calm and quiet place so that the symptoms of chocolate poisoning do not worsen.

Upon admission to the clinic, the doctor will take tests from the cat and prescribe the necessary therapy. The need for further testing and treatment options will depend on the animal's health and weight, as well as the type and amount of chocolate eaten. Your veterinarian may even encourage your cat to vomit to prevent toxins from working in her digestive system.

The effect of chocolate on cat health

Surely many cat owners have at least once noticed an increased craving for chocolate in their cats. Indeed, many animals love sweets very much . But few people know exactly how chocolate affects the body of cats. Statistics show that the largest number of poisonings are directly related to substances harmful to furry pets contained in chocolate. These substances include caffeine, methylxanthine, and theobromine. Their use threatens the animal with dehydration, an increase in the frequency of contractions of the heart muscles, a negative effect on the nervous system, as well as problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Excessive use of hazardous substances can lead to death.
The most dangerous for cats are dark chocolate and chocolate bars made from grated cocoa . Milk chocolate also contains a large amount of harmful substances, but it is still safer for the cat’s health, but white chocolate is considered the most harmless.

Why are these ingredients so dangerous for animals?

Chocolate and theobromine are stimulants or stimulants. Caffeine, found in many foods and drinks other than chocolate, becomes toxic when ingested by a cat, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, restlessness and increased heart rate. Theobromine when taken orally causes similar symptoms.

What are the clinical signs of chocolate toxicity in cats?

Clinical signs usually appear within 6–12 hours after ingestion and may persist for up to three days in severe cases.

A cat may have the following clinical signs:

Vomit
Diarrhea
Decreased appetite
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Increased heart rate
Anxiety
Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
Muscle tremors
Convulsions
Coma

These symptoms can progress very quickly. Changes in heart rate and rhythm can lead to low blood pressure, while muscle tremors and spasms can lead to dangerously high body temperature.

If left untreated, these changes can be fatal.

What will your veterinarian do if your cat eats chocolate?

Treatment for chocolate consumption will vary from case to case, but usually includes the following:

Deactivation

The first step is to remove as much chocolate from your cat's stomach as possible. Cats are notoriously difficult to induce vomiting, even with medications that can be obtained from a veterinarian's office. You SHOULD NOT try to make your cat vomit at home.

If induction of vomiting fails and the potential for toxicity is high, some cats will be given activated charcoal to bind or calm the toxins and their stomachs will be flushed. The less of the toxin is absorbed, the less likely there are serious side effects.

Maintenance therapy

For cats with clinical signs of toxicity, hospitalization is likely.

Your veterinarian will choose a combination of medications that target specific symptoms (anticonvulsants for tremors and/or heart medications for arrhythmias). They will also use fluid therapy to support the heart and blood pressure and help your cat's body eliminate the toxin more quickly.

What sweets can a cat eat?

During the summer heat, many owners, showing false concern for their pet, give it ice cream. It seems that both the dairy product itself and cooling the body should only bring benefits. But in fact they do a lot of harm to the cat.

Ice cream for a cat, if necessary, can be easily made independently by freezing unsweetened natural yogurt, fermented baked milk or a mixture of cottage cheese and kefir. Almost all pets love these impromptu treats.

You can give cats a little corn and bell pepper, they have a sweetish taste. The sugar content in them is minimal, and there is a lot of healthy fiber. Almost all cats like these products.

It’s only better if the vegetables are boiled and the peppers are peeled. Under no circumstances should these products be consumed in canned form.

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Signs of poisoning

Intoxication of varying degrees of severity (do not forget that each cat is individual and reacts differently) can occur from 4 to 72 hours. Observe the pet’s behavior and well-being all this time. Main signs of poisoning:

diarrhea;
frequent urination;
rapid breathing;
strong heartbeat;
dehydration;
excessive salivation;
convulsions;
restless behavior or, conversely, lethargy, apathy.

In the worst case, the cat may begin to choke or fall into a coma. However, at the first suspicious signs you should contact a veterinarian and not wait for poisoning to develop.

Why do cats eat chocolate or cocoa?

At first glance, it may seem largely irrelevant that cats shouldn't eat chocolate, since chocolate is unlikely to be something that cats are attracted to and that they would potentially try to eat! While it is true that cats are much less likely to consume chocolate than dogs, it can still happen, especially if any of the following factors come into play:

Hot chocolate or cocoa drinks made with milk or cream may appeal to your cat as they may eat the cream or milk.
Milk chocolate is also rich in milk as well as cocoa, and its aroma may appeal to cats.
Chocolate cake made with cream fillings or other substances that may also pose a risk to cats.
Some cats that are skilled beggars and scavengers can quickly eat anything that drops or that they can smuggle in before they even actually process what they're eating!
Finally, if you use cocoa shell husks or cocoa mulch in your garden, this may also pose a potential risk, so it may be wise to switch to an alternative product.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning

It is impossible to fully ensure the safety of a cat, because it can be negatively affected by a huge number of factors, which owners are often simply not aware of. In addition, some pets are very active and curious; without their owner’s knowledge, they can enter places that are forbidden for them, get to forbidden foods, open tied packages or get into bags. So, how can you tell if your cat has been poisoned by chocolate?

Of course, chocolate affects the body of each animal differently, because all cats have different tolerance to harmful substances, someone’s stomach can independently cope with a dangerous product, while someone’s is more delicate and susceptible. However, the general symptoms for all pets are approximately the same.

First of all, you need to know that symptoms do not appear immediately, but after some time . The cat may behave restlessly, make loud noises for no reason and speak anxiously to the owner. Hyperactivity, rapid breathing, muscle cramps, and extreme thirst can also be evidence of pet poisoning. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea give much more cause for concern and in almost all cases are symptoms of poisoning. Measures should be taken immediately in cases where the cat experiences convulsions, irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, or coma.

In what form should you give sweets?

If the owner still plans to periodically pamper the cat with sweets, veterinarians recommend choosing the least dangerous foods for the animal’s body as dessert.

So, what sweets do breeders observe to be of increased interest to pets: ice cream, lollipops, condensed milk, sweets, sweet baked goods, cookies, fruits and berries. Now let's look at all these products in order!

My cat ate chocolate. What will affect my cat?

Unlike humans, for whom chocolate has antidepressant and stimulating properties, the effects of chocolate on cats are not at all positive. Chocolate provokes serious digestive problems that translate into vomissements , acute diarrhea and fatal poisoning . Chocolate also causes nerve and heart problems .