When Halloween season is upon us, there’s a good chance that there’s an extra amount of candy sitting around your house. With trick-or-treating on the agenda, it’s a time of year when humans give out and chow down on Halloween candy.
But what happens if your cat sneaks away with some of your candy? Do you need to rush them to the emergency vet?
Here’s what you need to know about Halloween candy and cats, and what to do if your cat accidentally gets into some candy.
How Bad Is Halloween Candy For Cats?
First of all, candy in general really isn’t an appropriate and safe food for cats to eat.
Depending on the type of candy, it may contain ingredients that range from being bad for your feline’s stomach, digestion, and teeth to ingredients that are toxic or poisonous for cats.
Some of the ingredients in Halloween candy that are dangerous for your cat include the following
- Chocolate
- Sugar
- Caffeine
- Dairy products
- Raisins
- The artificial sweetener xylitol
Beyond the ingredients in candy, the packaging could also become a choking hazard for your feline, especially if you discover that your kitty is attracted to playing with vibrant-colored candy or any wrappers that make an alluring crinkling sound.
What Should You Do If Your Cat Eats Halloween Candy?
If you find out that your cat has managed to eat some Halloween candy, then it’s important to call your emergency veterinarian straight away. The vet will ask about what types of candy your cat might have ingested and will attempt to work out which potentially poisonous ingredients your cat has eaten.
The vet will ask about the amount of Halloween candy that your cat has eaten, so try and take a look at your candy stash and figure out how much of it your feline might have sneakily taken.
You should also look out for any common symptoms that can appear after ingesting toxic substances and report them to the vet. Some of the most frequent include:
- Heart rate increasing
- Seizure
- Vomiting
- Seeming very weak and lethargic
If the vet advises you to bring your cat in to an emergency animal hospital after they eat candy, the course of treatment and recovery will depend on the type of candy they ingested and what likely toxic ingredients they could have consumed.
In general, it’s best to make sure you store your Halloween candy safely inside a container and then place the container inside a cupboard so that you don’t risk your cat eating any potentially harmful holiday sweet treats.
Has your cat ever tried to sneak away with your Halloween candy snacks? How do you keep your treats away from tricky felines? Let us know in the comments section below!
