Can Cats Drink Coffee?

Some owners see no harm in sharing their food or drink with their little friends, but it can be very dangerous.

Unfortunately, cats tend to be curious creatures. Even if the owner is very strict about their pet’s diet, cats often manage to get a taste of human food.

For this reason, every feline owner should know the symptoms of caffeine toxicity in cats and what to do if a cat has drunk coffee.

Is Coffee Safe for Cats?

Doctors still argue about the effects of caffeine on humans – some say it’s dangerous, while others insist that coffee has health benefits. Meanwhile, veterinarians’ opinions on coffee’s effects on cat health are more united.

The short answer to “is coffee safe for cats?” is – no. Coffee contains two ingredients toxic to cats – caffeine and theobromine. Both chemicals are also found in chocolate. Coffee is among the worst things you could possibly feed your cat.

Caffeine’s and theobromine’s toxicity doesn’t mean that a cat will get poisoning from a couple of licks of coffee. However, consuming too much coffee can have severe adverse effects.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) strongly advises feline owners against feeding their pets coffee and other substances containing methylxanthine class chemicals.

A common misconception about cats and coffee is that milk can reduce gastroenteric upset caused by caffeine.

Adding a bit of milk to coffee indeed works with humans – the fats contained in cow’s milk effectively minimize acid reflux and stomach irritation.

However, milk can only make matters worse with cats. Most adult cats are lactose-intolerant. Drinking coffee with milk doubles the health risks for your furry friend, adding digestive upset to toxicity.

Is Decaffeinated Coffee Safe for Cats?

Alright, caffeine and theobromine are toxic for cats, so you shouldn’t let your cat drink coffee. But is decaffeinated coffee safe for cats? After all, the name suggests it doesn’t contain caffeine.

Decaffeinated coffee indeed contains significantly less caffeine than regular coffee, but it isn’t completely caffeine-free. The decaffeination process also lowers the theobromine content, but it doesn’t eliminate the chemical entirely.

In other words, decaf coffee is less dangerous for cats than regular coffee, but it isn’t safe, and in no way is it beneficial to a cat’s health.

Why Does My Cat Drink Coffee?

One would expect that cats won’t consume anything potentially harmful to their health, just like humans don’t eat poisonous mushrooms or plants.

Unfortunately, mother cats can’t teach their kittens which foods are toxic, and cats didn’t have sufficient exposure to coffee in nature to develop an evolutionary, instinctive dislike of it.

Simply put, a cat has no way of knowing coffee is dangerous for it. Even worse, a cat can’t draw connections between consuming coffee and experiencing gastroenteric upset because the reaction isn’t immediate.

However, the lack of understanding of coffee’s toxicity doesn’t explain why some cats like coffee.

Typically, vets explain a cat’s odd taste preferences by the lack of specific nutrients in its diet. For example, a cat that loves cheese is likely attracted to the fats.

However, it isn’t the case with coffee since it doesn’t contain any nutrients. Some cats are attracted to coffee out of plain curiosity; others may simply love the smell.

Cats that want to drink coffee with milk are likely attracted to dairy rather than caffeine.

Meanwhile, sugar shouldn’t affect a cat’s interest in coffee because cats can’t sense sweetness. On the other hand, whipped cream is tantalizing to most cats because it’s fat.

Can Coffee Kill a Cat?

If caffeine is toxic to pets, can coffee kill a cat? That’s a valid concern. Caffeine in large amounts can indeed be lethal to cats.

Now, you’re likely glad you’ve researched the question before letting your cat sip coffee in unlimited amounts.

Thankfully, lethality in cats due to coffee is rare. According to scientists, a toxic serving of coffee for a cat is about 1.5 ounces or 45 milliliters – that’s about a quarter cup.

There’s no definite answer to how much coffee can kill a cat. Perhaps, for coffee to be lethal, a cat would have to drink at least a cup of coffee.

However, each cat’s tolerance to caffeine is different, so the owner shouldn’t assume their pet is safe after drinking even a little bit of the hot beverage.

Caffeine Effects on Cats

Caffeine is a known stimulant, and humans consume coffee for this very reason.

Coffee helps billions of people wake up in the morning and keep going throughout the long working day. However, the stimulating effect isn’t as mild and desirable in pets.

To imagine how a cat would behave after drinking even a tiny amount of coffee, think of how you would feel after three cups in a row.

Caffeine effects on cats include restlessness, agitation, panting, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and hyperactivity.

Most cats start exhibiting symptoms of caffeine toxicity within an hour of consuming coffee. Sometimes, hyperactivity progresses into tremors and seizures.

At first, the owner may not notice anything wrong with their pet, especially if the cat is typically active and playful. But the longer the owner waits to seek veterinary help, the more caffeine builds up in the cat’s system.

Note that these symptoms may occur not solely after a cat has drunk coffee but after it has consumed tea, meds, or anything else containing caffeine.

Coffee Side Effects

Increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and hyperactivity aren’t the only effects of coffee on cats.

Apart from cardiovascular and central nervous system responses, a cat that has drunk coffee may experience adverse effects on the gastroenteric system.

Coffee can trigger bowel movements even in humans. Doctors don’t recommend coffee to people with acid reflux and other gastroenteric issues. Now, imagine how this hot beverage would affect a cat’s tiny, delicate stomach.

Coffee may cause diarrhea, vomiting, and other symptoms of food poisoning in cats.

Such symptoms often manifest alone, without any response from the respiratory or cardiovascular system, if a cat drinks small amounts of coffee.

Sometimes, cats that have drunk coffee also begin sneezing, wheezing, and coughing – these are common symptoms of food allergy in cats.

Coffee toxicity and coffee allergy in cats are not related – a cat as an individual can be allergic to chemicals that aren’t toxic to cats as species.

What to Do If Your Cat Drank Coffee

Now, assume that you’ve researched the question too late and your cat has already consumed some coffee. First, try to identify how much coffee your cat has drunk and how much caffeine the coffee contains.

If your cat only made a few sips, don’t stress it. Your pet is very unlikely to experience severe coffee toxicity symptoms like seizures or diarrhea, but it may become more playful and refuse to lie still.

Still, you should monitor your cat’s behavior and note any abnormalities. Watch out for hyperactivity, dilated pupils, rapid breathing, excessive vocalization, and tummy upset.

Unfortunately, there’s no antidote for coffee toxicity in cats, so all you can do is keep an eye on your furry friend.

If you notice any signs of toxicity, call your vet immediately and consult with them about whether an urgent examination is necessary.

If the symptoms aren’t severe, the vet may advise you to treat specific symptoms at home. For example, if a cat has a mild tummy upset, the vet may recommend administering over-the-counter medications or probiotics.

However, severe symptoms require urgent treatment. Every minute counts if a cat has drunk a dangerous amount of coffee.

The vet will start by assessing the cat for cardiac abnormalities and may try to induce vomiting or flush the cat’s stomach to get the coffee out. Sometimes, vets use steroid injections to trigger the immune system’s response.

If the poisoning happened a while ago and caused severe vomiting or diarrhea, the cat may need to be administered fluids via a drip.

Afterward, all the hope is on the cat’s immune system because there’s no magical pill against caffeine poisoning.

Will My Cat Be Ok After Coffee Poisoning?

Severe caffeine poisoning in cats can have lasting effects, particularly on the cardiovascular and gastroenteric systems.

Heartrate abnormalities are the most common consequences of caffeine toxicity, significantly reducing a cat’s lifespan without proper treatment.

The symptoms of heart problems in cats include lethargy, difficulty with exercise, shortness of breath, chronic coughing, and regularly elevated heart rate.

The owner should monitor their pet’s health state for months after coffee poisoning to avoid missing these symptoms.

Sometimes, coffee poisoning causes acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and other chronic gastroenteric issues that may manifest with constipation, diarrhea, weight loss, changes in appetite, flatulence, and burping.

However, mild cases of coffee poisoning usually have no lasting consequences. With correct and timely treatment, a cat that drank coffee should be perfectly fine.

An occasional sip or two out of the owner’s cup may not even cause any symptoms of toxicity.

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