What Happens If a Cat Eats a Piece of Chocolate?
What Happens If a Cat Eats a Piece of Chocolate? This veterinary practice gets to see tons of pet chocolate emergencies, especially during the holidays and other times. Most people assume that their dog ate their chocolate stash; However cats are just as prone to eating chocolates, and the risk of them to do is incredibly dangerous. What do you do with an intoxicated and feline friend? If you think your cat ate chocolate, read more details of what this poison does to the pet and what steps to take immediately.
What Happens If a Cat Eats a Piece of Chocolate?
Why is Chocolate Toxic to Cats?
Chocolate is loved by us as humans, but it’s poison for our felines. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine which are two poisonous compounds. These chemical compounds are a part of the methyl xanthines which are stimulant substances. Since it takes our cats too long to properly process and break down (metabolize) the stimulants and the other compounds in chocolate theobromine, and caffeine reach the blood where over-stimulation of the muscle, and nerve tissue (system) the heart and brain causes all kinds of trouble.
Not All Chocolate is Created Equal
This truly depends on what kind of chocolate you are talking about and how much you ate of the said chocolate. Keep in mind that it will be increasingly poisonous the darker and bitter of a chocolate you were talking about. This is to illustrate a general toxicity scale
| Type of Chocolate | Theobromine Content (approx.) | Toxicity Level |
|---|---|---|
| White Chocolate | Very low (0.2 mg/oz) | Non toxic ( but the high fat/sugar content can result in upset stomach ) |
| Milk Chocolate | 44-56 mg/oz | Slightly toxic |
| Semi-Sweet / Dark Chocolate | 238 mg/oz | Extremely high toxicity |
| Baking Chocolate / Unsweetened | 393-454 mg/oz | Extremely high toxicity |
| Cocoa Powder | 398-832 mg/oz | Extremely High toxicity |
Adapted with thanks to ASPCApro and Blackwell’s Five-Minute Veterinary Consult. Just one tiny square of baking chocolate could kill a small, 5 kg cat – only four squares and he’d be dead.
Signs and Symptoms of Chocolate Poisoning
Signs of chocolate poisoning in cats begin 1-4 hours after consumption and may continue for up to 12 hours. The symptoms will vary based on how much methylxanthines your cat consumed.
Mild to Moderate Symptoms (20-40 mg/kg theobromine)
With toxic exposure, you may notice other early symptoms. For lower concentrations of toxic substance you will most likely note vomiting or diarrhea. The other initial signs would most often be restlessness or excessive excitability; hyper activity, frantic behavior, excessive drinking or urinating (polydipsia, polyuria); increased respiratory rate or panting
Severe Symptoms (Over 40-60 mg/kg theobromine)
Worsening Toxicity The symptoms will worsen and become much more serious; the most common complications will involve the cardiovascular and nervous systems including:
- Fast heartbeat and irregular heart beat (tachycardia, arrhythmias). Tremors or muscle twitching. Seizures.
- Increased body temperature (hyperthermia).
- Coma, followed by death.
What To Do if Your Cat Eats Chocolate: An Emergency Action Plan
Your cat has consumed chocolate: A trip to the veterinarian is an emergency. Your cat can get out of danger quickly and is going through an emergency, however attempt to remain as tranquil as you can. Don’t hold out until the cat begins displaying signs and symptoms.
If the poisonous substance has been ingested and is entering your body.
Remaining and information is gathering. To do this: Discover what type and just how much chocolate the cat ate. Bring the bag to the vet.
Also Check: Signs Your Dog Has a Blocked Anal Gland
Call Your Veterinarian OR A Pet Poison Helpline.
Do not try to treat this situation at home. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435. Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661.
DO NOT Induce Vomiting: Vomiting a cat can lead to aspiration pneumonia and other medical complications, which are far more dangerous than the chocolate itself. The toxin is often metabolized too rapidly for the treatment to be effective.
Veterinary Treatment for Chocolate Poisoning
What would the vet do? Treatment options: Treatment at the vet will be based on when chocolate was consumed and any symptoms seen, there’s no specific antidote for poisoning, it is mainly just support and decontamination
The treatment is then as following:
Decontamination: If ingestion of chocolate occurred within 1 to 2 hours, vomiting may be induced by administration of a medication, or they may perform a gastric lavage or stomach pump under an aesthetic. Activated charcoal will also be administered to absorb the toxic compounds from the digestive tract.
Supportive Care: With any signs displayed by a cat an Intensive care unit treatment should be put in place:
IV Fluids: It promotes urination of the toxic compound, as well as giving support for hydration Heart medications : Used in cases where the heart rate is excessively high and arrhythmias are occurring.
Sedatives/anti-seizure medication : Used in cases where the patient experiences a seizure and aggression or nervousness occurs Monitoring : cats can remain hospitalised for up to 4 days and recovery could take from several days due to long theobromine’s half life time.
The Prognosis: Will My Cat Be Okay?
If chocolate poisoning is treated quickly, then chances of recovery are quite high. Majority of the cats can get back to normal without much difficulties if vet consultation is given on time. Cases where, nothing is done and the cat develops seizures, heart failure and coma, then chances of recovery would be less.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will even a small nibble of chocolate kill my cat?
Yes, yes it can! Just one tiny lick or one little nibble of the dark or baking kind of chocolate could easily be lethal for the smallest feline-as few as 4 ounces of baking chocolate is often a deadly amount for even large cats. Their liver’s metabolism for processing theobromine, a toxic chemical in all forms of chocolate, cannot keep up.
How much chocolate will cause my cat to be in danger?
To be or not to be is dependent upon how heavy your cat is and how concentrated the chocolate is that’s ingested. What could easily lead to the death of a 10 lb. Cat (less than an ounce), would perhaps only leave an ounce or a bit less than that to cause trouble in a milk-chocolate situation.
Does my cat have reason to worry if they lick a small bit of chocolate cake or candy coating?
Unless the offending piece of cake comes with more of the creaminess-and most does-you probably do not have anything to worry about. Milk chocolate is not nearly as problematic in terms of lethal consequences but too much could give your kitty a tummy ache, or worse, because cats aren’t normally tolerant of all of the fats, sugars, and most especially– dairy– found in most frostings and creams. If you have any doubts, though, please call your Vet.
How does a cat show signs of being poisoned by chocolate?
It may just cause tummy ache (the dreaded V and D that so many are familiar with when it comes to feline health), hyper activity and restlessness that will keep both of you up all night. Your kitty will also begin to be extremely thirsty and will be peeing in greater quantities than you or he realize.
How much time should pass before I realize my cat is going to have an adverse reaction to chocolate ingestion?
Typically symptoms manifest within about 1-4 hours, but there is a rare occasion that your cat may be fine for 1-4 hours or even longer, perhaps up to twelve. Caffeine, if ingested, can trigger the early signs or more quickly in an actual poisoning, but you won’t see the most harmful effects caused by Theobromine in the feline for some time, thus the 1-4 or 4-12 hours that is most often observed.
Is my feline out of luck without any professional help after ingesting toxic chocolate?
Don’t worry you still can help. If the chocolate was ingested just within the last few hours, don’t even think twice. Don’t wait, don’t see if kitty’s “okay,” don’t pass go or collect a hundred dollars just get the furry, feline, Chocolate-gorged to the vet. If a cat ingests sufficient quantities of this deadly dessert, they will eventually fall to its deadly effects, which includes permanent organ damage and ultimately death without prompt medical care.
If my feline is experiencing no negative after-effects, do I still have reason for concern?
Yes! Even though your cat seems completely undeterred, you must still call your veterinarian for an emergency consultation as soon as you realize that your cat consumed toxic amounts. These symptoms, though deadly, usually do not appear until hours after your cat consumes the toxic product; by that time the damage is already done.
What options does my veterinarian have if my feline ingested excessive amounts of chocolate?
After receiving the report about your fur-baby, your Vet can safely induces your pet to vomiting, then administer treatments such as active charcoal for stomach absorption of any residual chocolate toxins. A visit to your vet will also ensure that they can manage heart rate, seizures and tremors with necessary prescription drugs.
Should I just make my kitty vomit at home after finding out they consumed toxic levels of chocolate?
This practice should always be considered a last-resort-ever-idea. It could put them in harm’s way or even kill them. Cats are notoriously challenging to administer medicine orally, and doing so can bring on vomiting which could actually lead to their food and vomiting being aspirated into their airways or their lungs instead of their stomach.
Are certain breeds of cats more predisposed than others towards a disastrous reaction after consumption of a dangerously potent type of Chocolate?
Yes they are, so don’t be overly confident with an innocent kitten and an adult with serious health problems like a serious heart problem or a respiratory condition like a bad cough that often develops due to a variety of medical problems. Older cats or cats who aren’t in their prime often fare more poorly with toxic chocolate consumption compared to healthy and otherwise well maintained cats.
