Can cats have chocolate? How dangerous the sweet treat is for your pet

Everyone loves a little treat, especially pets.

Halloween in particular makes room for even more choices satisfy your sweet tooth. For pet ownersthe creepiest part of the season may not be the goblins or ghosts; but instead the potential that your pet could eat something that will make him or her sick.

While we have a wide variety of treats, our furry friends need to be more selective.

Chocolate is off limits to dogs, but what about cats? Here’s how the candy can affect their health.

Can cats eat chocolate?

Cats should never eat chocolate. It is poisonous to cats and dogs, PetMD reports. The two compounds found in chocolate − theobromine and caffeine − making it fatal to cats and affecting their gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

Humans can easily process theobromineso it is not a threat to us. Cats and other petshowever, cannot quickly metabolize the alkaloid, reports The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. It takes between two and three hours for the human liver to absorb theobromine, while a dog’s liver takes about 18 hours. a 2005 study.

The small amounts of caffeine in chocolate are another riskreports Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Consuming the stimulant can cause vomiting, diarrhea and an increased heart rate in cats VCA Animal Hospitals.

Chocolate candies also contain xylitol − a sweetener that is poisonous to cats. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning include vomiting, lethargy and seizures, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

How much chocolate is poisonous to cats?

The amount of chocolate considered toxic to cats depends on their weight and the type of chocolate they consume.

For example, One square of unsweetened baking chocolate is as toxic as 23 chocolate kisses to a 10-pound cat, according to Petful.

What happens when a cat eats chocolate?

If your cat eats chocolate, take him to the vet for treatment as soon as possible.

Chocolate poisoning can occur within a few hours, while more serious symptoms can occur 12 hours after consumptionaccording to PetMD.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning involve:

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Increased urination and drinking

• Increased heart rate

• Restlessness, hyperactivity

• Tremors

• To attack

• Abnormal heart rhythm

• Difficulty walking

Although a cat can die from eating chocolate, the severity of the reaction depends on how much it ate and when it was treated. Purina reports.

It is best to keep chocolate away from pets, PetMD recommends. Keep candy out of reach, especially during the holidays, as cats can tear and shred the wrapping and ribbons covering chocolate.

Plants and flowers safe for cats: A complete list.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can cats eat chocolate? Unpacking Toxic Effects on Your Feline Friend