Can cats eat chocolate?
Quick Answer
No
Chocolate is toxic to cats and can cause serious health issues such as heart problems, muscle tremors, and seizures.
How to Tell
- Restlessness
- Rapid breathing
- Heart palpitations
- Muscle tremors
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Increased thirst
Why It Can Be Risky
Feeding your cat chocolate can lead to a number of health risks.
- Theobromine poisoning: Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that cats cannot metabolize effectively, leading to poisoning.
- Caffeine toxicity: Chocolate also contains caffeine, which can cause restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, muscle tremors, and fits in cats.
- Gastrointestinal upset: Chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst in cats.
Safe Alternatives
- Cat treats: There are many cat-friendly treats available that are much safer alternatives to chocolate.
- Homemade treats: You can make homemade treats using cat-friendly ingredients.