In case you are used to sharing your food and desserts with your cat, you should know that there are many foods that are not appropriate for felines. If you love chocolate and want to share it with your furry companion, you must first know the answer to the following question: Can Cats Eat Chocolate?
Although its flavor is delicious and your pet eats it, this does not mean that chocolate is a favorable sweet for him.
No, cats should not eat chocolate. You must avoid at all costs that your cat ingests it.
Chocolate contains toxic substances called methylxanthines, which are theobromine and caffeine. These substances can be naturally metabolized by the human body, but not by the cat body.
In the case of felines, these substances are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and are dispersed throughout the body, which can cause certain serious symptoms. Your furry friend can suffer from heart conditions, liver failure, central nervous system dysfunction, and may even die.
Your cat is unlikely to die from eating chocolate ice cream, but this delicious dessert is not good for him. In fact, it can cause health problems that can last for hours.
In addition to containing the harmful ingredients in chocolate, chocolate ice cream also contains lactose and sugar, which are harmful to your four-legged friend.
It is not advisable for your cat to drink chocolate milk, it does not bring him any benefit. On the one hand, it contains lactose and adult cats are intolerant to it.
Consequently, if your pet drinks chocolate milk, he will suffer vomiting and an upset stomach in the short term. And over time he may start to become overweight due to the large amounts of calories and fat in this drink; which can lead to serious illnesses and lead to premature death.
There is no reason why you should include chocolate milk in your cat's diet. If you wish, you can opt for coconut or almond milk that are more suitable for your mustachioed friend, as long as you supply moderate amounts.
In case you have doubts, even milk made especially for felines and that you can find in pet stores, should also be given to your cat in low doses.
For cats the best drink is water, so you should make sure that your beloved pet always has fresh water to drink.
Chocolate pudding is another bad idea when it comes to cat food. This dessert contains high levels of sugar, carbohydrates and chocolate, which, far from being beneficial for your cat, can cause illness or death.
On the one hand, excess sugar can lead to serious poisoning.
As for carbohydrate intake, this can lead to your pet suffering from obesity. Remember that your beloved feline does not burn much energy if he is at home all day or lying on your sofa. So the carbohydrates that it ingests will accumulate in the fatty areas of the feline, and can also reach the internal organs affecting their functioning.
As for chocolate, you should keep in mind that theobromine is poisonous to felines, and in large doses it can be fatal.
Chocolate cakes should be on the list of forbidden foods for your cat. If your pet eats chocolate cake in excess it can severely damage his health.
Your mustachioed friend could get chocolate poisoning if he eats chocolate cake in large quantities. Your pet may have any of the following symptoms:
Usually a chocolate cake contains high levels of sugar and calories, which constitutes a great risk to the health of your pet. If you give him cake from time to time there may be no problems, but if you constantly feed him with this dessert you can cause obesity.
When a feline is overweight it can easily begin to suffer from lethargy or breathing problems. They may also have difficulty moving around and may even lose the ability to climb or run.
On the other hand, obesity in kittens is one of the most common causes of diabetes or cancer, among other conditions.
In the case of dark chocolate, the threat to your cat's health increases, since this type of chocolate has a greater amount of theobromine.
In other words, dark chocolate is even more toxic to your cat than white chocolate. So it is better that you never feed it with this sweet.
The same thing happens with chocolate brownies as with other foods made with chocolate. These contain the chemical that is highly toxic to felines.
When the substance accumulates in the cat's body, it can cause very serious symptoms, especially liver failure.
It is enough for your cat to eat a little chocolate for it to start suffering from health problems. This is why vets recommend that you avoid giving your feline chocolate.
As for the amount you can give without causing harm, this is impossible to estimate, since the metabolism of each pet is different. However, you may have a few criteria in mind such as the weight and size of your cat, and the type of chocolate he ate.
Due to the sensitivity that cats have towards chocolate, they will present obvious symptoms even if they have eaten a small piece of the candy.
At first, vomiting may occur, as well as diarrhea and a lot of hyperactivity. If these symptoms are not treated, the feline will begin to suffer from great thirst, tremors, restlessness and other signs of sensitivity.
When a cat has eaten large pieces of chocolate and is not treated, it may convulse, become stiff, breathe rapidly, and may die.
If your pet has ingested chocolate and is showing symptoms of toxicity, it is best to contact your vet to induce vomiting. Your vet may also direct you to do this on your own before taking your cat to the animal hospital.
To induce vomiting in your furry quadruped, you can give one or two small tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. This can help him expel both the food and the wrapper, if he had eaten it as well. You should bear in mind that if you don't have hydrogen peroxide in your home, then it is best to take your pet immediately to the vet's office.
The animal specialist will make he expel the chocolate from his body, and the safest thing is to apply liquid therapy to hydrate the cat. The vet also usually perform urine and blood tests, as well as an ECG to determine if there are unusual heart rhythms.
The treatment to be applied will depend on the symptoms that the feline has presented. A diet consisting of soft foods is usually prescribed for a few days.
Keep in mind that if you do not administer the treatment immediately after your feline eats chocolate, it could die.
There are many criteria to consider when faced with the question "Can Cats Eat Chocolate?", But the most sensible thing is that you do not include chocolate in your pet's menu.
