Can Cats Eat Maltesers – Is It Safe

The sound of chocolate has the power of making people crave chocolate products like Maltesers. It is delicious and safe to eat occasionally rather than frequently to avoid health problems. Meanwhile, it is different for pets, like cats, because the smallest quantity of chocolate can cause as much harm as large chocolate to their health. The question now is, can cats eat Maltesers?

No, cats can’t eat Maltesers. You should prevent your cats from eating chocolate for the sake of their health. To protect your feline from various health problems, you should keep them away from milk-based chocolate products, like Maltesers.

Now that you know that chocolate products, especially those with milk, like Maltesers, are dangerous for your cat’s consumption, you may have other unanswered questions relating to this topic. Let’s discuss and learn about the effect of chocolate consumption by cats by answering the most frequently asked questions relating to this subject. 

Why Is Chocolate Bad For My Cats

The primary reason stems from the source of chocolate, which is cocoa. Theobromine is the main content in cocoa and chocolate, making them harmful to cats. The metabolism of theobromine does not occur in cats but human bodies; hence, it will appear as a toxic substance in your cat’s body.

Since the metabolism of theobromine present in chocolate does not occur in cats, it will accumulate and become toxic to the cat’s health. Theobromine toxicity in a cat’s body is an issue of concern because it can result in severe health conditions, such as liver failure and death. In addition to this, the harmful content of chocolate (theobromine), like caffeine, stimulates the central nervous system, and your cat faces the risk of overstimulation.

The adverse effect of chocolate in your cat’s body system does not depend on the quantity of chocolate consumed because the smallest quantity has the same effect as a larger quantity. Therefore, it is advisable to keep any chocolate in your house out of sight and reach of your cat to keep it healthy.

How Much Chocolate Is Toxic to Cats

The smallest amount of chocolate is as toxic as a larger quantity of chocolate.

Generally, cats are susceptible to theobromine (the content present in all chocolate). A cat’s sensitivity to theobromine will make the cat display apparent symptoms, irrespective of the amount of chocolate it consumes. The effect of chocolate on the cat’s health ranges from mild to chronic health problems. The mild health issues that occur when your cat consumes chocolate are bowel problems and stomach upset, like vomiting and diarrhea, restlessness, and tremor.

On the contrary, your cat may experience serious health problems; this stage features apparent symptoms, like stiffness, seizures, liver disease, rapid and uncontrollable breathing, and death. Meanwhile, most cats often experience these chronic symptoms when they consume a large amount of chocolate. 

Although the smallest amount of chocolate is dangerous to the health of cats, the level of chocolate toxicity depends on the dosage of theobromine in chocolate and the type of chocolate. The toxic level of theobromine in chocolate a cat consumes is in dose 200 mg/kg. Meanwhile, there are different kinds of chocolates, and they vary in their theobromine and caffeine level or dose. The different kinds of chocolates are sweet chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and baking chocolate.

Sweet chocolate, such ad white chocolate, and milk chocolate, contain milk and sugar in large quantities. They are toxic to cats but not as harmful as semi-sweet chocolate that has a bitter taste. The most toxic type of chocolate is baking chocolate. It often comes in various shades and bars. The smallest amount of baking chocolate is enough to make your cat unhealthy.

White chocolate is less toxic because it does not contain cocoa solids but cocoa butter. Your cat will have to consume about 1.14 oz of milk chocolate to experience its toxic effects. Semi-sweet or dark chocolate has a toxicity range of 0.2 oz. Lastly, baking chocolate, which is the most toxic type of chocolate, can cause damage to your cat’s health when the cat consumes as little as 0.2 oz of baking chocolate. 

What should I do if my cat eats chocolate

You should call your vet immediately or contact the Pet Poison Helpline before it is too late.

You are not ubiquitous, so you will not be able to keep an eye on your cat every minute, second, and hour. You will, however, not m be able to keep track of what your cat ate, especially in your absence. There is a high chance that you will not find out your cat ate chocolate even if you are home all day. Meanwhile, the first way to find out your pet consumed chocolate is to be aware of the symptoms a cat will display after consuming chocolate.

These symptoms may be as mild as diarrhea, rapid breathing (increased heart rate), vomiting, and restlessness. The symptoms may also be as severe as seizures and coma, which often occur when the pet owner takes the mild symptoms with levity. Hence, you should take immediate action when you notice any mild symptoms in your cat by calling your vet.

Many pet owners often use hydrogen peroxide to make their cat vomit the chocolate forcefully it ate without informing their vet. This action often causes stomach ulcers, a severe digestive system problem, in the cat. The cat’s health needs to consult your vet because your cat might be suffering from another health problem not caused by chocolate consumption.

Lastly, it is essential to have some information, such as the time the ingestion happened, the name of the product ingested, the amount of the chocolate consumed, and the symptoms your cat displayed. These pieces of information will provide your vet with the idea of the possible health issues and in coming up with the best way to make your cat healthy again. 

How Long After A Cat Eats Chocolate Will Symptoms Show

Two to twelve hours Your cat will experience or begin to display the mild symptoms of chocolate poisoning two to twelve hours from the time of consumption.

The symptoms may last for days and result in severe complications, such as tremor, coma, and even death if taken with levity.

Conclusion

Chocolate is generally harmful to a cat’s health, irrespective of the amount of chocolate your cat eats. Hence, it would be best if you did not feed your cat Maltesers. If you love your cat, you will keep every chocolate in your home out of sight and reach of your cat. Lastly, call your vet immediately when you find out about your cat’s chocolate poisoning.