Can Cats Eat Chocolate – You might be wondering what to feed to cats. Well, you have come to the right place where we will talk about the things that you can feed your cat and what you should not. We will also talk in brief about the effect of chocolates and whether cats can eat chocolate.
What Are The Different Compounds Present In The Chocolates?
We all love chocolate and eat it frequently. Humans can easily digest it but it is not the same for cats. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine both of which are very harmful to the cats. If given in excess amount it can be fatal to cats. Consuming the chocolate will have a toxic effect on the bodies of the cats as they digest these chemicals very slowly and this can be very toxic.
Never feed dark chocolate or any other chocolate to the cats as dark chocolates have the most amount of theobromine and caffeine as compared to milk chocolates.
Having these two compounds helps in maintaining different organ systems within a cat which involves the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems.
When do you see the symptoms if a cat consumes the chocolate?
If cats consume chocolate then you might see the symptoms within a few hours. The more severe symptoms are seen after 10 to 12 hours.
Some Symptoms Of Chocolate Poisoning
There are many different symptoms that we might see when cats consume chocolate.
- If the cat has consumed a decent amount of chocolate it might see vomiting or diarrhea.
- Another symptom includes an increase in the heart rate.
- The cat might face fatigue, restlessness, or some sort of hyperactivity.
- This will make them urinate more and will feel thirsty.
- Other symptoms include the difficulty in walking.
Content of Different Chocolates and Theobromine
Let us have a look at the different chocolates and their theobromine content
| White chocolate – | White chocolates contain the least amount of theobromine but should not be given to cats as anything can happen and one thing can lead to another. |
| Milk chocolate – | The next is milk chocolate which is not effective as contains moderate thebromine levels. |
| Dark chocolate – | It contains the most amount of theobromine and is very toxic for cats. |
| Chocolate used for baking – | This possesses the most amount of theobromine and is the most toxic. |
These are some of the chocolates that contain the theobromine quality from least to most concentration.
How To Handle The Situation If Cats Consume The Dark Chocolate?
There are some of the steps that you can follow if your cat consumes the chocolate in a decent amount.
If cats consume chocolate then you can make them vomit. But its not easy to make them vomit as there is no way to induce the vomit. The only thing one can do is to talk to the veterinary doctor as soon as possible.
So that cats get the proper care and treatment, let them be in the hospital for some time and then take them home. The doctor will recommend you about the number of days depending upon the severity.
If it is treated early then it becomes easy and cats are cured effectively. This also diminishes the long-term effect.
Some types of foods are toxic for the cats and should not be given to the cats in order to maintain proper health.
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Alcohol Onions
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Avocado
- Raw dough
- Raw meat
- bones
- Uncooked eggs
- Milk
Let us now have a look at some of the food items that we can safely give to the cats so that they can make them healthy.
- A small amount of tuna Diced
- Cooked chicken
- Turkey
- Berries
- Unseasoned rice
- Carrots
- Green
- Beans
- Bananas
- Catnip
- Broth
These are some of the food items that are considered very healthy for cats and can be easily digested.
How Can We Prevent The Cats From Eating Chocolate?
- If you are a chocolate lover and have a lot of chocolates in your house then keep them away from the reach of the cats. Put them inside a safe place where cats can’t find them.
- Sometimes we are not familiar with the food items that suit the cats. So always make others aware of the food that does not suit the cats so that they don’t feed them any toxic products.
- Whenever you go out then hide the chocolates in some safe area so that cats cannot find it.
- Cats can jump high so keep the things inside the locked Almirah. Keeping the eatables at the shelf won’t help.
These are some of the precautions that you have to keep in mind so that your cat does not inject chocolate or other cocoa-rich ingredients.
Just like humans cats are also an important part of our ecosystem and provide many different benefits. We should always keep them as safe and also other animals. Never make cats consume the chocolates as they are very toxic for them. Also, the foods that are made of chocolate are very harmful and can prove to be fatal. If you have a cat then follow the guidelines and other measures that will be beneficial for your cat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – Can we give anything that has less amount of cocoa?
A – It is not recommended to give the cacao or something that has theobromine. They are toxic to the body.
Q – Can we give milk chocolate to the cats?
A – Although it has the least amount of theobromine or caffeine still it can be toxic for the cats.
