Signs of Chocolate Poisoning in Cats Vomiting. Diarrhea. Decreased appetite. Increased thirst.
The two main culprits, caffeine and theobromine, are stimulants. Caffeine, found in many food and drink items besides chocolate, becomes toxic when absorbed into your cat's body, leading to "vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, restlessness and an increased heart rate," explains Banfield Pet Hospital.
1 Even a small amount of chocolate can be bad for cats, and can cause symptoms ranging from vomiting to seizures and even death.
If You Catch Your Cat Eating Chocolate:
Take them to the vet immediately without waiting for symptoms to appear. If caught early enough, a vet can induce vomiting to remove the toxin from your cat's body before it escalates or causing damage.
Signs of chocolate poisoning usually occur within 6-12 hours after your cat eats chocolate, and can last for up to 3 days in severe cases. Any of the following clinical signs are concerning in a cat: Vomiting. Diarrhea.
Uncharacteristic sluggishness, unsteady gait, drooling, heavy breathing, diarrhea, seizures, and sudden bouts of vomiting are among the common clinical signs of feline poisoning (toxicosis). A cat owner who observes any of these signs will do an animal a huge favor by seeking emergency veterinary care.
A dose between 34.02-45 mg/kg — your feline may also suffer from tachyarrhythmia (possibly dangerous, rapid heartbeat). A dose between 45-55.01 mg/kg will cause seizures and tremors. A total dose larger than 55.01 mg/kg may kill your cat.
Toxic doses of theobromine are 20 mg per kg of a cat's body weight (9mg/ pound), and a severely toxic dose is twice this dose (40mg/kg or 18mg/pound).
Eating chocolate chip cookies can cause chocolate poisoning in your cat. Cats with chocolate poisoning develop lethargy, nervousness, drowsiness, tremor, seizure, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, coma, or even death.
Intravenous fluids also can be administered to help keep the cat hydrated, aid in more rapid metabolism and dilute out the toxic ingredients of chocolate. Once you bring your cat home, you should feed her a bland diet for a few days after receiving treatment; but always be sure to follow your veterinarian's directions.
How is chocolate poisoning in dogs treated? Treatment for chocolate poisoning in dogs may include induced vomiting, activated charcoal, intravenous fluids, heart medications, anti-convulsants, and antacids, depending on the clinical signs.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning usually appear within 2-12 hours and can last for days. In severe cases toxicity can cause: Fast breathing or panting. Shaking, trembling and tremors.
Cats and dogs are both at risk of chocolate poisoning. However, there are more reported cases of dogs being affected since dogs typically eat just about anything. Smaller pets face much greater risk of chocolate toxicity than large breed dogs because it only takes a small amount of chocolate to negatively affect them.
Chocolate is bad for cats, but most ice cream brands don't contain enough actual cocoa for a small taste to be an issue. Having said that, keep foods with chocolate and garlic away from cats. In fact, stick to a quality catfood and treats. Your animals shouldn't be eating your food.
Therefore, eating just a couple of grams of chocolate can be fatal for a cat. Dark chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa content will contain more theobromine than milk or white chocolate, but all are dangerous. If your moggy has scoffed any of your chocolate stash you should take them to a vet straight away.
25% of poisoned pets recover within two hours. Of the pets that take longer to recover, many can be treated at home with the advice of your veterinarian or with advice from the ASPCA Poison Control Center (telephone 1-888-426-4435). Even with treatment, one in 100 poisoned pets dies.
Once a cat ingests or comes in contact with a toxin, symptoms may not show up right away. Some toxins may take 3 to 4 days to show any effects. The types of symptoms a cat will exhibit will depend on the toxin she has been exposed to.
Can cats recover from poisoning? Cats can and do survive being poisoned if they're treated early and appropriately. In one study of 20 cats poisoned by permethrin, a chemical widely used in flea control products for dogs, only one died and this was because he wasn't taken to a vet for 24 hours.
Typically, cats aren't interested in chocolate, but owners should never offer it willingly as a treat. Owners can safely reward their cat by sticking to safe cat treats that can keep your cat both happy and healthy.
So remember, nonfat plain yogurt is usually safe and healthy for cats and dogs to eat as a fun snack — just check the nutrition label first to make sure it doesn't contain a dangerous ingredient, like xylitol. And for even more power-packed benefits, consider adding a daily probiotic to their regimen.
Cats shouldn't eat ice cream for the same reasons it's not exactly healthy for humans: Ice cream tends to contain lots of sugar and fat that is unnecessary for the feline diet.
There is no antidote for chocolate toxicity. Induction of vomiting must be done within 2 hours of chocolate ingestion to be effective. If you are too far from the veterinary clinic, your vet may ask that you induce vomiting at home.
Signs of chocolate poisoning usually appear within 6 to 12 hours.
There is no antidote to theobromine.