You already know that chocolate is toxic to cats, but can cats eat chocolate milk? I thought the same rules would apply, so it shocked me to hear the truth! I share the surprising facts about chocolate milk and whether cats can eat it in this article.
Chocolate – even the white type -can be lethal for cats. Your kitty will rarely seek it out on the countertop and eat a whole bar, but when you’re feeding them chocolate as a bite-sized treat because you think you’re doing good, you can kill your cat.
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If you have dogs, you would have heard that chocolate is toxic for them, but different things are true for cats, so don’t feel ashamed if you thought they could eat chocolate. Below, I share the truth about chocolate and cats to help you make better decisions for your kitty.
Why Is Chocolate Bad For Cats?
Chocolate contains an agent called theobromine. It’s a toxic compound that can cause an abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, tremors, and even the death of your cat. The most dangerous chocolate for cats is unsweetened chocolate typically used for baking and dark chocolate.
Can Cats Eat Chocolate Milk?
Yes, cats can eat chocolate milk.
Many people will argue with this answer and say that all forms of chocolate can kill your cat, but the chocolate in chocolate milk is extremely diluted and might only make your cat uncomfortable.
How Much Chocolate Milk Can Cats Eat?
As a loving cat owner, you shouldn’t take the risk of feeding your cat any form of chocolate. It’s true that they’ll have to drink a lot of chocolate milk before it kills them, but paired with all the other ingredients in it, chocolate milk shouldn’t be on your list of things to feed your cat.
If you see your cat taking a lick of chocolate milk, you don’t have to panic! The risk for seizures and tremors only starts at a dose of 45-55 mg/kg and the possibility of death at more than this.
What Will Happen When A Cat Drinks Chocolate Milk?
If your cat drinks some chocolate milk, the chances are that nothing will happen, but repeatedly feeding it to them is dangerous. Not only can the chocolate cause issues, but the other ingredients in chocolate milk can too.
Chocolate milk is made from cow’s milk, cocoa, sweeteners, and preservatives.
Cow’s milk isn’t the healthiest for cats, and because most cats are lactose intolerant, they can experience digestive issues after drinking it. The sweeteners and preservatives in chocolate milk can also make cats sick.
The more severe side effects of chocolate milk include stiffness, trouble breathing, and seizures. If your cat only drank a little bit of chocolate milk, they might vomit or experience diarrhea if they’re intolerant to the milk or other ingredients.
Chocolate Milk As An Occasional Treat
I don’t recommend giving chocolate milk to your cat – not even as an occasional treat. If your cat accidentally drinks some chocolate milk, they’ll be okay.
Still, you shouldn’t give it to them on purpose. For me, it’s just not worth the risk, and when my cats show interest in my chocolate drinks, I simply refuse.
Chocolate Alternative For Cats
If you really want your cat to experience the luxury of chocolate, you’ll be glad to know there’s an alternative!
Carob is a fruit that looks like a pea pod and carries a nutty-flavored pulp and seeds. It’s sweet, high in fiber, caffeine-free, and a safe chocolate alternative for cats. You may not have heard of it before, but it’s widely available in health shops, pet shops, and online. You can buy carob bars, powder, and flavoring drops.
How to serve carob to cats?
If you buy the powdered form of carob, you can mix it with your cat’s wet food to create a sweet yet nutty flavor. It also blends well with yogurt and goat’s milk.
Carob chips work great for melting. I like melting it and using it as a sauce over my cat’s dry food and fruit as a Sunday treat. You should just be careful not to use too much since the additives in carob chips may cause an upset tummy.
The carob drops available at pet shops work excellently over almost anything! I’ve even mixed some with olive oil when frying fish for my cats. They loved the nutty flavor with their salmon and meowed for more!
The benefits of carob for cats
Carob is packed with fiber to help your kitty with any digestive issues they may have. It can relieve constipation and regulate diarrhea. Carob also contains antioxidants that may support your cat’s heart health.
In Summary
A few sips of chocolate milk won’t necessarily harm your cat, but why take the risk when there are safer alternatives? Chocolate has been proven to be toxic to cats, while an option like carob only benefits them when given in moderation. When you give your cat carob flavored milk, they still enjoy a chocolatey taste!
I hope this article helps you make a more informed decision about giving your cat a taste of chocolate. If you have any questions not answered here, please ask them in the comment section.
FAQs
Can cats drink strawberry milk?
Separately, strawberries and milk aren’t toxic to cats, but store-bought strawberry milk can be harmful because of its other additives.
Is chocolate milk poisonous to cats?
Chocolate milk can be toxic to cats, but only when they drink a lot of it.
How much chocolate milk can kill a cat?
The chocolate in chocolate milk is diluted with sugar and milk, so your cat will have to drink a lot of it before it can kill them. A 45-55 mg/kg chocolate dose can cause seizures and tremors, while more than 55 mg/kg might kill your cat.
How long after eating chocolate will a cat get sick?
If your cat has chocolate poisoning, symptoms will start appearing about two to twelve hours after eating some.