Is Chocolate Safe For Cats To Consume?

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Chocolate is one of our all-time favorite snacks. In fact, you might say it is our guilty pleasure. We absolutely adore it, and we asked ourselves more than once, “Can cats eat chocolate?” If you ever thought about sharing some of your chocolate with your furry companion, here’s what you should know about cats and chocolate.

Is chocolate safe for cats?

Most cat and dog owners know chocolate is not safe for dogs but is it safe for cats? This is a vital piece of information all cat owners should know. The shortest possible answer is - NO. Chocolate is not safe for cats, and you should never even get tempted to share some with your cat. The two main reasons chocolate is considered unsafe for cats are theobromine and caffeine.

Theobromine

Theobromine is a bitter alkaloid naturally present in the cocoa plant. It is used for chocolate production, and humans can safely consume it. However, cats cannot. This alkaloid can cause all sorts of health complications for your feline friend.

Caffeine

Believe it or not, caffeine is classified as a psychoactive drug. It is a central nervous stimulant, and humans take it in their coffee. It helps get us awake, but our cats should not consume it. It can cause hyperactivity and other issues in cats.

How much chocolate can cats eat?

Despite our best efforts, our cats sometimes ingest things that might not be safe for them. While chocolate is considered toxic, tiny amounts will probably not seriously harm your cat. If you’re not sure how much your cat ate, it would be best to call your vet and take your cat to the clinic.

What if my cat ate a lot of chocolate?

If your cat somehow got its paws on a lot of chocolate, you should rush it to the nearest emergency vet clinic. The most likely course of action is to induce vomit. Your vet will safely make your cat throw up the ingested chocolate and remove most toxins from your cat’s body.

Do cats like chocolate?

All cats have an interesting evolutionary adaptation - they can’t taste sweet. That is also true for big cats like tigers and lions. Their sweet receptors don’t work, and you can say they don’t have a sweet tooth we do. That is pretty good news, and it means your cat will most likely not be too interested in chocolate anyway.

What is the worst type of chocolate for cats?

All types of chocolate should be avoided for cats. However, some kinds are worse than others. The main difference is the amount of theobromine chocolate contains. Generally speaking, the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. The most dangerous one would be dark chocolate. Make sure you keep your sweets and chocolate away from those cute little curious paws.

World Cat Finder Team