is chocolate dangerous for cats?

Sorry to ask a question which has probably been asked before, but - is
chocolate toxic to cats in the same way that it is to dogs?
Thanks in advance,
Jen

YES!!! is the short answer.

Chocolate contains a lethal ingredient (to cats), a methylxanthine
called theobromine, and baking chocolate contains 10 times more of this
lethal ingredient than milk chocolate.

Theobromine acts on four areas of your cat's body:

It increases the rate and force of contractions of the heart.
(Tachycardia)
It acts as a diuretic, causing your pet to lose body fluids. (via
Urine)
It affects the gastrointestinal system, causing vomiting and diarrhoea
and it may cause stomach ulcers.
It acts on the nervous system, causing convulsions, seizures and
sometimes, death.

If you find that your cat has ingested some chocolate, call your vet
immediately. He will probably ask you the size of your cat, the type
and quantity of chocolate your cat has eaten, and how long ago it was
eaten. Try to have these answers before you call. He then may tell you
to make your cat vomit. This will depend on the amount of chocolate
ingested and how long ago it was eaten. If your decides that your cat
needs to come into the surgery, do not delay. The effects of chocolate
toxicity may not be apparent right away, but do not let that lull you
into a false sense of security.

Having said that, my cat doesn't appear to be interested in chocolate,
unlike me. I never met a chocolate that I didn't like!

I hope I have averted a disaster, Phew! and all because the lady loves
Milk Tray! LOL

Good luck!

Hi,
Thanks for the great reply. Color me informed! And don't worry, my cat
hasn't come anywhere near chocolate. I had the good sense to assume it
was dangerous for her. I was always just curious and never bothered to
research it.

-jen

"Jennyanniedots" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sorry to ask a question which has probably been asked before, but - is
chocolate toxic to cats in the same way that it is to dogs?
Thanks in advance,
Jen


http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/nutr...latetoxici.htm

Phil has some good reference about other toxics agents
http://www.maxshouse.com/Poisons+Toxins.html

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"Jennyanniedots" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sorry to ask a question which has probably been asked before, but - is
chocolate toxic to cats in the same way that it is to dogs?
Thanks in advance,
Jen


http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/nutr...latetoxici.htm

Jennyanniedots wrote:
Hi,
Thanks for the great reply. Color me informed! And don't worry, my cat
hasn't come anywhere near chocolate. I had the good sense to assume it
was dangerous for her. I was always just curious and never bothered to
research it.

-jen

A lot depends on the type of chocolate and the size of the animal. Dark
chocolate has more theobromine than milk chocolate, and bakers
chocolate has the most. I doubt you could get a cat to eat bakers
chocolate, however. There's not enough chocolate in a few licks of
chocolate ice cream to hurt a cat, however (sometimes there's not even
any real chocolate in chocolate ice cream).

A roommate had a dog that ate an entire 2 lb. box of valentine's day
chocolates with no ill effect, but he was a big dog. Probably would
have killed a small one, but it didn't even make him sick.
-Yngver

Any chocolate contains caffeine which can be harmful to animals