Why can't cats have chocolate?

Question

my kitten may have gotten into the chocolate mix I was using to make brownies.

Answer 1

Even in relatively small amounts chocolate is poison to cats and dogs. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, two different types of stimulants that affect the central nervous system and the heart muscle, as well as increasing the frequency of urination. For a cat or dog to lick the remains of an ice cream from a bowl is unlikely to cause any harm at all unless the animal has a specific medical condition already.


My kitten just ate a chocolate bar and the wrapper! I found it a few days ago. He got on my counter into my candy dish. I had a scat which sprays a harmless gas to keep him off, but the batteries had went dead and he decided to be brave and jump up there. I have replaced the batteries. My kitten is sick already with a number of things, heartworms, herpes (a respiratory virus for them), and has kidney problems. I thought that that was why he was sick, but the vet said it wasn't the chocolate he ate. It can vary I guess. He ate more of the wrapper than the chocolate as the chocolate fell to the bottom of the bowl in chunks, luckily. My kitty is still sick, probably from heartworms, according to my vet. Your kitty is probably just fine. You can take him to the vet to make sure. The only thing they really do if they kittys are toxic from chocolate is make the throw up. Ewww, but necessary.
I think your kitty is probably fine. Vet check ups are always good if you are uncertain in anyway.
However, if the animal was to eat a larger quantity of chocolate he may become very sick indeed and develop vomiting or diarrhea. When the amount of chocolate eaten is excessive, symptoms can include restlessness, hyperactivity, muscle twitching, increased urination and/or excessive panting. White chocolate has the least amount of stimulants and baking chocolate or cocoa beans have the highest. A better idea is to buy chocolate drops which are made specifically for pets, as they will not harm your pets' teeth.

Answer 2

Chocolate contains the compound theobromine which is a diuretic
as well as a cardiac stimulant. This can cause the pet's heart rate
to increase or it may cause the heart to beat irregularly, both of
which can be dangerous to the animal. The level of theobromine present
in chocolate varies depending on the type of chocolate. For example,
dark chocolate contains higher levels than milk chocolate and so could
pose a greater risk to your pet.

There are many problems that can result from feeding a cat
chocolate. Chocolate is relatively high in calories so it can contribute to
the development of obesity in your cat. A cat can lose its
appetite for it's normal food if it eats chocolate. The largest problem is
though the fact that chocolate contains the chemical theobromine
as mentioned above. If this chemical builds up in the cats system,
it can be potentially lethal, and one reason for this is that cats
cannot clear theobromine from their bodies as quickly as people can.

Many cat owners would simply expect their pet to develop an upset
stomach after eating a large amount of chocolate but few realize
its lethal potential.

Further problems which can arise from chocolate poisoning are
Diuresis (increased urine production), diarrhea, lethargy, vomiting,
depression, and muscle tremors. These are signs which must be
recognized by any cat owner so that the cat is not fed too much
chocolate.

Treatment for chocolate poisoning in its advanced stage can be
very unpleasant for both the cat and the owner of the cat, so it is
much better to be safe and to cut down chocolate consumption of your
cat to a minimum. If you do have worries that your cat has consumed
large quantities of human chocolate it would be wise to consult your
vet - pronto. Spotting the symptoms early on can be very beneficial and
can give the cat a much better chance of surviving any poisoning
which may have occurred.

Answer 3

Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine. It is related to caffeine and can cause nervous system dysfunction in animals, including cardiac arrhythmias (the heart is not beating normally), seizures, and even death. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are often seen. Humans don't have any problem with chocolate because we can metabolize theobromine without difficulty, but animals cannot. Cats are even more sensitive than dogs.
In general, the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. For example, milk chocolate contains much less theobromine than dark chocolate, and unsweetened baker's chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder contains the most.
If caught in time, the animal should be made to vomit. It may be given activated charcoal which will absorb any chemical left in the digestive tract. Then, if needed, it would receive supportive care such as IV fluids, sedatives if there are any tremors or seizures, and medications to reduce diarrhea or excessive vomiting.

Answer 4

Keep the chocolate away from kitten!! Read this:
-I got this information from the Purina Cat Chow help website-

What can I do or give to my kitten to help reverse the effects of having had chocolate ice cream?

Chocolate can definitely be poisonous for our pets with dark chocolate being worse than milk chocolate. If your pet has ingested chocolate, it is always best to call your veterinarian or local emergency to have your cat's case considered and determine if your cat or kitten needs to be seen.

Also on this same note, many kittens are lactose intolerant, so it is possible the dairy from the ice cream may also upset his or her stomach or cause diarrhea.

There may be more here on this link too-
http://www.catchow.com/searchresults.aspx?searchstring=chocolate

Answer 5

Chocolate Toxicity causes acute (sudden) gastroenteric (intestinal upset), neurological (brain) toxicosis and cardiac (heart) toxicosis.
The ingredient in chocolate that is the problem is Theobromide and caffeine.
The dose that is lethal is
baking chocolate 7.0g per kilo of body weight
Milk Chocolate 60g per kilogram
So a kitten of 3 Kilograms would need to consume 21g baking chocolate or 180g milk chocolate.

Answer 6

Not good, but not awful in small amounts. It also depends on the Cat- for example, our cat used to always eat the Chocolate icing on donuts (before we got wise and put them in the oven) With no ill effects. I tend to think that it's a matter of dose and resistance. Your cat should be fine, but keep a close eye on it. If it starts to feel sick, take it to a vet.

Answer 7

well the ingredints caffeine and theobromide are a big NO NO for cats so try to put them in another room if you need to make chocolate delicacies next time

Answer 8

I know dogs can't digest it, I would guess it would be the same for cats. I'm not sure what you should do if the cat ate some, I would call a vet.

Answer 9

Not good. It affects the CNS. Centeral nerveous system. Could kill them. Check this out.