With Halloween just around the corner, your family is probably looking forward to the treats more than the tricks. Those colourful, sugary delights can also be a temptation to your feline family members, but cats and sweets can be a dangerous combination. For your cat’s safety, it's important to keep your kitty away from the sweets stash.
Dangerous Foods for Cats
Some ingredients found in Halloween sweets and other treats can cause an upset stomach, while others can be downright toxic and dangerous to ingest. PetMD warns that it's especially important to keep your kitty away from these treats:
Chocolate
Chocolate contains the compound theobromine, which can cause serious reactions in cats that include heart arrhythmia, muscle tremors, and seizures. Cats should also be kept away from caffeine, another ingredient found in chocolate that can also induce muscle tremors, as well as heart palpitations and restlessness.
Dairy-Based Treats
Cats are lactose intolerant, so while ingesting sweets that contain dairy isn't likely to be lethal, it could cause an upset stomach, resulting in vomiting and diarrhoea.
Xylitol
This sweetener is used as a sugar substitute in many sugar-free sweets and chewing gums. In dogs, this ingredient is known to raise insulin levels and cause a severe drop in blood sugar and can lead to liver failure. While there has never been an official case of this occurring with cats, it's better to be safe than sorry and keep your cat away from sugar-free treats.
Raisins
There's always that one house that hands out boxes of raisins. What's meant to be a healthier treat for your kids could be deadly to your pets. Raisins, along with grapes, are known to cause kidney failure in dogs. Again, while there's never been a known case of this happening with cats–possibly because cats are pickier eaters than dogs–it's best to err on the side of caution and keep them away from your cat at all costs.
Tasty Tips
Choking Hazards
Toxicity isn't the only danger that comes from mixing cats and sweets. Your cat is actually less likely to be tempted by the sweet itself than she is by colourful, crinkly wrappers, which can be a choking hazard, warn Cat Behavior Associates. If your cat manages to ingest a wrapper without choking on it, it could cause an intestinal blockage. Paper sticks left over from lollipops and hard sweets could also become choking hazards. So to keep your kitty safe, it's best to keep all types of sweets shut up in a safe place where a cat can't get to it, as well as discarding wrappers properly.
If Your Cat Ingests Sweets or Chocolates
PetMD recommends taking the following actions if you think your cat might have eaten some:
If possible, determine what has been eaten and how muchCall your veterinarian, who can advise you whether you should observe your cat for symptoms, induce vomiting to clear the stomach, or bring in for treatment.
- If you can't reach your vet, call the nearest emergency vet or animal hospital instead.
If you have small children in the house, it is a good idea to manage their sweet intake (for multiple reasons), so that you can ensure they aren't tempted to share their tasty sweets with the cat, or leave any wrappers lying around. If you're worried that your cat will feel left out on Halloween, have some favourite cat treats or kibbles on hand to distract from the Halloween treats.
Related products
Sterilised Mature Adult Cat Food
Hill's Science Plan Sterilised Cat Mature Adult Cat Food with Chicken is specially formulated with ActivBiome+ Multi-Benefit Technology. It is a precisely balanced nutrition tailored to meet the needs of mature adult sterilised cats, ages 7+, and to promote graceful ageing.
Senior Cat Food
Hill's Science Plan Senior Cat Food with Chicken is a complete pet food, specially formulated with ActivBiome+ Multi-Benefit Technology.
This food supports healthy aging during the golden years. Contains a special ingredient blend to help keep older cats agile, more alert & interactive.
Oral Care Adult Cat Food
Hill's Science Plan Oral Care Adult Cat Food with Chicken contains clinically proven kibble technology to reduce plaque & tartar build up.
Urinary Health Adult Cat Food with Chicken
Hill's Science Plan Urinary Health Adult Cat Food with Chicken supports the health of the whole urinary system. Suitable for sterilised cats.
Related articles
Cats Need Good Nutrition In Order To Stay Healthy
Good nutrition is about the right balance of nutrients. Learn more about health issues when feeding a cat food that has an improper nutritional balance from your friends at Hills Pet Nutrition.
How Often Should You Feed A Cat?
Feeding time can be a wonderful bonding opportunity for you and your cat. Find out how to make the most of it and create a healthy habit with HIll's Pet UK.
Hill's Cat Foods: Nutritional Balance Just for Indoor Cats
Find the right Hill
Hill's Cat Foods: A Healthy Choice for Your Cat
Selecting the right food for your kitten is a key to quality nutrition and a long, healthy life. Learn more about how to select the right kitten food.
Put your cat on a diet without them knowing
Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavourful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.
Put your cat on a diet without them knowing
Our low calorie formula helps you control your cat's weight. It's packed with high-quality protein for building lean muscles, and made with purposeful ingredients for a flavourful, nutritious meal. Clinically proven antioxidants, Vitamin C+E, help promote a healthy immune system.