Cats are very curious, so much so that you have to watch what they put into their mouths a lot. There are several foods that are toxic to them, so it is important that we give them only what they can eatotherwise you could have very serious problems.
One of the most frequent doubts that we usually have when we live with a furry one is that of why can't cats eat chocolate. If you want to know, keep reading because today we are going to unravel the mystery.
What is theobromide and why can't my cat eat chocolate?
Chocolate is harmful to cats and dogs.
Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine and a high fat content. The most toxic forms for cats are cocoa powder and chocolate bars for cooking.
Theobromine together with caffeine belong to the chemical group of alkaloids methylxanthines.
La theobromine is the major toxic component of chocolate and main cause of poisoning due to ingestion of chocolate in cats and dogs.
Your cat cannot eat chocolate due to its small size and its liver is that of a strict carnivore. This makes them lack certain enzymes that help metabolize some toxic substances, including theobromine. So if the amount ingested has been very high, this compound will accumulate in the cat's blood. In addition, the high fat content can cause pancreatitis.
As a consequence of these factors, If your cat were to become intoxicated by chance, the recovery phase would be slower than in a dog.
Chocolate poses a serious health risk to cats and dogs. The Toxicity of this will depend on the dose, that is, on the ratio of chocolate it eats and the weight of your cat, in addition to the percentage of purity of the chocolate. Being milk chocolate is that it has less toxicity.
Therefore, if your kitten ate even a small piece of this food, his life could be in danger.
How do I know if my cat has been poisoned by eating chocolate?
The symptoms are very varied, these being the following:
- Hyperactivity
- Agitation.
- Tremors
- Increase in blood pressure.
- Vomiting
- Excessive drooling
- Diarrhea
- Polydipsia (need to drink a lot of water).
- Coma.
- Death.
What do I do if my cat has eaten chocolate?
In very serious cases, that is, in those in which the intake has been very high, the animal could die in just 24 hours. So if your cat has eaten chocolate, It is very important that you take him to a veterinary center as soon as possible to avoid reaching that situation.
First of all, Call your vet and tell him that you are going to the emergency room, it is important that you specify that he has ingested chocolate.
Do not try to make him vomit at home, since with cats it is quite complicated and we could cause more damage.
If we have activated carbon at home we can give our cat 5 pills. Active carbon is responsible for slowing down the reabsorption of theobromine and caffeine, preventing their absorption from being complete.
If you do not have activated charcoal at home, it may be good to give it water or food to reduce absorption in the stomach and thus reduce symptoms.
If you think that your cat has been able to eat chocolate but you are not sure, I recommend that you observe it in the next 24 hours to detect any symptoms as soon as possible.
What is the treatment for chocolate poisoning?
The treatment that the veterinarian deems appropriate will depend on the state in which your cat arrives at the veterinary center and the symptoms it has when it arrives at the veterinary clinic.
If it is absolutely certain that what you have eaten is chocolate, the first thing they will do at the veterinary center is to induce vomiting and perform a gastric lavage. And then you will be given activated charcoal mixed with water through a syringe.
In the case of not being sure, possibly, the first thing that is done is an x-ray and blood tests.
To avoid dehydration and stimulate urine production, you will be given fluid therapy. Finally, you will be given medication to reduce the heartbeat and blood pressure. And sedatives to calm the kitten and anticonvulsants.
As an additional measure, your cat may have a catheter placed to prevent caffeine from being reabsorbed through the bladder.
Also, in the event that your cat needs to be hospitalized for more days and has pancreatititis, a jejunostomy tube can even be placed. With this probe it is achieved that the pancreas does not work during the recovery period. However, it is a laborious procedure that is put through surgery and under anesthesia.
In conclusion, keep the candies and chocolates in tightly closed cans and away from your cat, since a little mischief of his can end up going to the vet and in tragedy.
We always have to look to give our furry friend the best, but there are a number of foods that we have to eliminate from the list. Usually you just have to give I think and wet food specific for felines. PBut if you want to give him natural food, in addition to chocolate there are other foods that you cannot give him either, such as: bones, onion, canned tuna (unless it is indicated for cats), garlic.
I hope you liked this post and found it useful. And you know, to reward you, I recommend that you buy specific treats for cats. In this way, the health of our friend will not be in danger, and you will be calm.