Cat ate chocolate

[DayshaG]

Hello! My godmother's cat ate a piece of chocolate candy with caramel about the size of a quarter today and I attempted to see if anything was on the Forum with no luck. I realize this is evening and may not hear until a later time but if you have any advice on whether this is very dangerous or not. Thank you.

 

[Dr. Christina]

I was sure I had responded to someone about chocolate doses. Let us know what happened yesterday. My guess is fine, since that candy was probably milk chocolate and not of a high concentration of theobromine. Now the super expensive dark chocolate could be a different problem.

Poisoning Poison Chocolate Dosage

Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals - Toxicology - Merck Veterinary Manual The primary toxic principles in chocolate are the methylxanthines theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine). Although the concentration of theobromine in chocolate is 3–10 times the concentration of caffeine, both constituents contribute to chocolate toxicosis.

The exact amount of methylxanthines in chocolate varies because of both the natural variation in cocoa beans and the variation among different chocolate product brands.

Dog Chocolate Toxicity Meter - When to Worry | PetMD

If your dog ate chocolate, contact your emergency vet immediately. Use our calculator to learn how it will affect your dog.

www.petmd.com

Maybe @Dr. Jean Hofve would have more specifics for cats.

Dr. Christina

 

[DayshaG]

@Dr. Christina my godmother said it was milk chocolate and everything appears to be OK with the kitty. I want to thank you for responding. I did see your response but haven't had time to acknowledge and thank you til now!

 

[Dr. Christina]

Good for you to keep the vet calculator on hand and know about chocolate. Lots of people panic for no reason.

you are welcome.
Dr. Christina

 

[DayshaG]

Good for you to keep the vet calculator on hand and know about chocolate. Lots of people panic for no reason.

you are welcome.
Dr. Christina

@Dr. Christina what is the vet calculators used for? Looked very scientific when I clicked on the link. Thanks! Hope you're doing well. Over the weekend I finally was able to give Bella sub q fluids alone. Quite the learning curve for me.

 

[Dr. Christina]

my apologies - that was not a good link.
A good one for everyone to keep on hand is: Dog Chocolate Toxicity Meter - When to Worry | PetMD
try it out. Rarely will a cat eat chocolate. there are separate calculators as they are more sensitive.

Daysha, with chocolate, toxicity, conventionally, is measured by the amount and type of chocolate eaten, for the weight of the dog (or cat).

Of course, a balanced, healthy animal will be less likely to have problems.
Dr. Christina

 

[DayshaG]

my apologies - that was not a good link.
A good one for everyone to keep on hand is: Dog Chocolate Toxicity Meter - When to Worry | PetMD
try it out. Rarely will a cat eat chocolate. there are separate calculators as they are more sensitive.

Daysha, with chocolate, toxicity, conventionally, is measured by the amount and type of chocolate eaten, for the weight of the dog (or cat).

Of course, a balanced, healthy animal will be less likely to have problems.
Dr. Christina

@Dr. Christina thank you! And by the way, my godmothers kitty was fine apparently.