Why Is Chocolate Bad for Cats? According to Dr. Taylor Truitt, a veterinarian and the co-founder of The Vet Set, the two compounds in chocolate that are toxic to cats are theobromine and caffeine -- both of which fall under a chemical group called methylxanthines. These are the same two compounds that are toxic to dogs. "Methylxanthines stimulate the cardiac and nervous systems causing excitation, hyperactivity, an elevated heart rate and even psychosis," says Dr. Truitt. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Chocolate Ingestion? According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the signs and symptoms a cat exhibits after ingesting chocolate depend upon the type, amount and its level of toxicity. These include nausea and vomiting, agitation, abdominal pain or discomfort, increased thirst, muscle tremors, fever and seizures. A cat can also suffer from cardiac arrhythmia after ingesting a toxic amount of chocolate and an arrhythmia isn't something cat owners would be able to detect on their own. If a highly toxic amount of chocolate was consumed it could be deadly, so it's important to keep a watchful eye on your cat and keep chocolate locked away or out of reach. What About Different Types of Chocolate? The darker the chocolate, the greater the toxicity. For example, "If you compare one ounce of dark chocolate with one ounce of milk chocolate, the dark chocolate ounce for ounce has a much greater concentration of theobromine and caffeine versus the milk chocolate due to its higher cocoa concentration," says Dr. Truitt. Here's how type and size determine toxicity:This article was originally posted on care.com.
- Lower Toxicity White chocolate has a low level of methylxanthines, so it's minimally toxic. Milk chocolate has a higher level of methylxanthines than white chocolate but compared with darker chocolate it's considered less toxic to cats.
- Higher Toxicity Dark baker's chocolate has a very high level of methylxanthines. Dry, unsweetened cocoa powder contains the most concentrated levels of methylxanthines and is the most toxic of all types of chocolate to cats.