Many people can’t imagine their morning without a cup of hot, scented tea. But can cats drink tea together with their owners?
Felines are curious creatures, and many try to get a taste of the hot beverage from the owner’s cup.
Cats are passionate about smelly herbs, and owners are often tempted to share some tea with their furry friends. However, every owner should be aware of the risks of caffeine for cats.
Some human foods and drinks pose no threat to cats, but tea is an exception. Giving cats tea is not recommended, even in small amounts.
However, the effects of tea on cats largely depend on the type of tea and add-ons, such as milk, sugar, artificial sweeteners, honey, or fruit.
Is Tea Safe for Cats?
Suppose your cat has licked up some tea from your mug. Should you be worried? Is tea safe for cats, and in what amounts? The answer depends on the type of tea you were drinking.
The main danger in tea for cats is caffeine. Caffeine is highly toxic for felines when ingested. If your cat drinks even a little bit of green, white, or black tea, you should monitor its behavior.
Black tea has the highest caffeine content of 40 to 70 milligrams per an eight-ounce serving, while green tea contains roughly 35 milligrams per an eight-ounce serving. For comparison, coffee contains about 95 to 20 milligrams of caffeine per eight ounces.
So, although tea isn’t as bad for cats as coffee, it still isn’t meant for feline consumption. The safety of a specific tea for a cat also depends on the herbs and add-ons it contains.
For example, some teas contain fruit. Most fruits are harmless for cats, but cherries, grapes, and citrus can be dangerous to your pet.
Large quantities of English and Roman chamomile, Saint John’s Wort, lemongrass, tarragon, and mint may cause stomach upset or ulcerative dermatitis.
Tea with milk is even worse for cats than plain tea because most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Although milk won’t kill a cat, it can cause severe stomach upset, which doesn’t help deal with caffeine toxicity.
Cats shouldn’t drink sweet tea either. Sugar isn’t particularly toxic to cats, but it’s a stimulant that can worsen the effects of caffeine and affect a cat’s cardiovascular system if ingested in large amounts.
Most sweeteners are safe for cats, except xylitol, which is toxic. Honey isn’t poisonous for cats, but it’s a common allergen.
What About Decaffeinated Tea?
If the primary offender in tea is caffeine, is decaffeinated tea safe for cats? For the most part, yes. Herbal tea doesn’t contain any caffeine unless herbs are mixed with the Camellia Sinensis plant, which we know as tea.
Herbal tea is known for its soothing effect, and many people drink it before going to sleep. Herbal tea’s effect on cats is similar – it won’t cause hyperactivity and restlessness but will calm a cat.
Cats can safely drink diluted peppermint, chamomile, valerian, and other herbal teas unless they contain herbs and fruit that are toxic to felines.
Always check the ingredient list on the tea pack before giving it to your cat. The tea may contain only a tiny bit of cherries unnoticeable in the tea bag, but the harm can be very real.
Note that some herbal teas, like ginger, can cause stomach upset if they aren’t diluted enough. If you prefer strong tea, add some water to it before giving it to your furry friend.
Remember that each cat is unique, and cats, like humans, can have food allergies. Peppermint may be safe for cats as species, but your cat as an individual may be allergic to the herb.
Therefore, avoid giving your cat too much tea the first time. Start with a small amount and monitor your cat’s behavior for signs of allergy or gastroenteric upset.
Avoid giving any tea to cats with gastroenteric problems, such as gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome.
Is Herbal Tea Healthy for Cats?
Herbal tea is generally harmless for cats, but “harmless” doesn’t yet equal “healthy.” The health benefits of herbal tea for cats are limited to a mild soothing effect of specific plants, such as chamomile and valerian.
Echinacea, calendula, and licorice root teas have anti-inflammatory properties and strengthen the immune system. However, if your cat has inflammation, it’s best to follow veterinary advice rather than treat the issue with tea.
Lastly, tea applied locally onto the cat’s skin can reduce itchiness and irritation and is suitable for cleaning the cat’s eyes. However, tea doesn’t have a nutritional value and doesn’t contain any vitamins or minerals.
Can Tea Kill a Cat?
Caffeine toxicity can be lethal for cats if left untreated. But how much tea can kill a cat?
Although each cat’s immune system response is different, caffeine toxicity symptoms start to occur after ingesting about nine milligrams of caffeine per pound of body weight in most cats.
Symptoms become severe after ingesting about 20 milligrams of caffeine per pound of body weight, and death occurs at 75-100 milligrams of caffeine per pound of body weight.
Now, we can do quick math. An average cat weighs approximately ten pounds. For symptoms to start showing, a cat would have to ingest 90 milligrams of caffeine, and for the symptoms to be severe about 200 milligrams.
Ingesting over 750 milligrams of caffeine would lead to seizures and death. Assuming that the average caffeine content in black tea is about 50 milligrams per standard cup, a cat would have to drink 15 cups to die from tea.
The result may be uplifting, but you should understand that a significantly smaller amount of caffeine can kill a cat if the symptoms are left untreated. The odds of lethality are also higher if the tea contains other ingredients toxic to cats.
Why Does My Cat Drink Tea?
One would assume that a cat wouldn’t drink anything dangerous for it, but the strong, pleasant smell of tea is way too appealing. That’s right – the primary factor attracting cats to tea is the smell.
Cat sense of smell is more developed than human, which, combined with curious feline nature, can create real tea obsession.
Some cats will lose interest in the owner’s mug after licking up a few drops, but others will like the taste and want more.
Sometimes, cats may be attracted to tea add-ons, such as milk. Lactose intolerance can’t eliminate a cat’s natural passion for milk, so a scented, creamy tea with milk works as a magnet for felines.
Caffeine Effects on Cats
The caffeine effects on cats are similar to caffeine effects on humans but multiplied by ten. Imagine how you would feel after drinking ten cups of coffee in a row – that’s how your kitty will feel after drinking a little bit of tea.
Symptoms of caffeine toxicity in cats usually start to occur within an hour from ingestion. However, you shouldn’t assume that your cat is safe if it behaves normally after an hour. Continue to monitor its behavior throughout the day.
The symptoms of caffeine poisoning in cats include restlessness, agitation, dilated pupils, rapid breathing, and increased heartbeat at the early stages.
Then, the symptoms may progress to vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, coma, and death. Vomiting is actually a helpful adverse effect because it helps to get rid of the toxin in the body.
Other Tea Side Effects on Cats
Even decaffeinated herbal tea may have unpleasant adverse effects on cats, causing intolerance or allergy.
The symptoms of food intolerance and allergy in cats are similar, but the former originate in the gastroenteric tract and the latter from the immune system’s response.
A cat that has ingested herbal tea may vomit, have diarrhea, gases, burp, or urinate frequently.
If a cat has a true allergy to tea, it may also have topical symptoms, such as skin rash and respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath and coughing.
What to Do If Your Cat Has Drunk Tea
Since caffeine is so dangerous for cats, every owner should know what to do if a cat ingests tea. First, the owner should try to identify how much tea the cat has drunk and how much caffeine it contains.
If the cat has only licked a few drops, it will most likely be fine, but the owner should monitor the pet’s behavior regardless. If the cat has drunk much tea, the owner should call a vet immediately.
Don’t try to treat your cat against caffeine toxicity at home. A cat’s survival odds are dependent on the owner’s quickness.
The later the condition is treated, the more toxin will absorb into the body, so early veterinary intervention is vital.
If a cat is experiencing symptoms of severe caffeine poisoning, a vet will induce vomiting in the cat to remove the remaining toxin and administer intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration.
Depending on the symptoms, a vet may also give the cat medications against tremors and seizures, high blood pressure, or irregular heartbeat.
Often, cats must stay in the hospital for several days because they need constant supervision.