What Happens If A Cat Eats Chocolate?

“My cat has eaten some chocolate” is a situation that worries many guardians, who, aware of the possible danger, wonder how much chocolate a cat can eat. As we have indicated, it is not advisable to give chocolate to a catbut neither should we be alarmists and think that by taking a tiny amount the worst of the outcomes will occur.

Foods that contain cocoa provide the body with caffeine and theobromine, substances responsible for the pleasant sensations that chocolate causes in people. However, cats do not have the necessary enzymes to digest these substances. Therefore, these cocoa components can cause poisoningwhich will be more or less serious depending on the amount ingested with respect to the weight of the animal.

To give you an idea, just by taking about 20 mg of chocolate for each kg of the animal’s weight, it could already cause gastric complications and, if we increase that dose to 80mg/kg, we could speak of severe intoxication. Higher amounts of up to 200mg/kg would probably be a lethal dose.

Also, you should keep in mind that foods containing chocolate are often accompanied by sugar. For this reason, we recommend this other article on Why cats cannot eat sugar.

The symptoms that indicate a possible intoxication in cats due to ingestion of chocolate are variable and, in any case, they must be given maximum attention. These symptoms do not appear immediately after ingestion, but a few hours after taking. Keep in mind that they can even appear 24 or 48 hours later.

If your cat, for no apparent reason, starts drink too much water and to urinate, too, with an abnormal frequency, the reason may be that he has eaten some chocolate that he found within his reach. The vomiting and diarrhea They are also frequent symptoms, since the animal’s body tries to expel the chocolate.

In addition, when the cat eats large amounts of this food, more serious symptoms may appear, such as rapid heartbeat, tremors, seizures, or bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes. These symptoms of chocolate poisoning in cats require urgent veterinary attention.

In the first place, we must clarify that inducing vomiting in a cat is complicated and may not be the best solution for many reasons:

• Perhaps the amount of chocolate the animal has ingested is so small that it is not necessary to make it vomit. You could do more harm than good.
• Once 2-3 hours have elapsed since ingestion, making your cat vomit does not make sense, since the toxic substances, after the digestion time, are no longer in his stomach, but have passed into his intestine. At this point, vomiting won’t do any good.
• Trying to make him vomit is an extreme measure that you will always have to consult with the veterinarian beforehand, because if the cat presents symptoms such as tachycardia, drowsiness or seizures, it is totally inadvisable.

Even so, if in an emergency the veterinarian tells you to try to induce vomiting, the best option to achieve this is give hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide) of 3%, calculating 5 milliliters for every 2.5 kg of weight of the animal. It is important to calculate the exact dose because, in higher amounts, hydrogen peroxide could damage the animal’s digestive tract and apparatus.

To give this remedy, you will have to take your cat and gently wrap it in a towel to prevent it from scratching you. Place him on your lap, so that he is as comfortable and calm as possible, and try to give him hydrogen peroxide well. with a syringe or a small teaspoon. Surely she won’t want to open her mouth. Don’t force yourself to do it, just pour the hydrogen peroxide on the sides of the mouth, separating the cheek area a little.

The best option to know what to do if a cat eats chocolate is to consult with the veterinarian. In most cases, it is very difficult to know how much cocoa the animal has taken and what is the best option to prevent complications. If you suspect that your feline friend has ingested chocolate, take him to the vet so that you can receive the best treatment in each case.

In case of severe symptoms, it is likely that the cat will have to undergo a gastric lavage to eliminate toxic substances that are putting your health and, perhaps, your life at risk. The veterinarian will take into account the symptoms (respiratory difficulty, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, etc.) and will determine the ideal drugs to control them. Your cat may have to be observed in the clinic to monitor his evolution.

It is clear that, even in small quantities, any type of cocoa-based product is not recommended for cats, but if you want to give your cat a treat, there are some special ‘chocolates’ for him. Actually, they are made from carob flour. Like cocoa, this legume is rich in antioxidants and also provides a good dose of fiber.

Carob flour, free of caffeine and theobromine, is used in multiple products in the food industry (biscuits, biscuits, bars…) and is a good option as a prize and cat treat, as long as you offer it sporadically and in moderate amounts.

Now that you know what happens if a cat eats chocolate, you can continue to learn about other foods that it cannot eat. We tell you about it in these articles:

If you want to read more articles similar to What happens if a cat eats chocolatewe recommend that you enter our Pets category.