Caffeine and Cats

ScottM

ScottM

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iBazinga!
The new addition to my household has decided that she REALLY likes coffee. I have never seen any animal seek out coffee. But the new one, Dee is her name BTW, has taken to eating the coffee grounds out of the garbage and as of this morning has managed to stick her face into several cups of coffee and drunk away. FRUSTRATING! But is the caffeine a drug that can do any harm to a feline?

Anyone know?
 
Well, first they'll do this


And then when you don't give them more...


Finally, they're psycho enough that you take them to the shelter, and...

 
According to a link above, the lethal dose of caffeine is the same for cats, dogs and humanz - 150 mg/kg. For a 6KG cat that puts the limit at about three tall Starbucks brewed coffees. I think the cat would be dead if it drank that much water.

I can haz starbukz?

http://cheezburger.com/View/2259413760
 
When we were kids we had a Chihuahau (named Bambi) who LOVED
coffee. Every morning when my mother had hers she had to pour some
in a saucer for Bambi or the dog wouldn't leave her alone.

P.S. Guess it didn't hurt her any. She lived to be 21 years old
which is longest that I personally have ever heard of ANY
dog living.
 
OffCenter said:
When we were kids we had a Chihuahau (named Bambi) who LOVED
coffee. Every morning when my mother had hers she had to pour some
in a saucer for Bambi or the dog wouldn't leave her alone.

P.S. Guess it didn't hurt her any. She lived to be 21 years old
which is longest that I personally have ever heard of ANY
dog living.
Click to expand...
Crikey! Probably died with her eyes wide open. :D
 
rottydaddy said:
Crikey! Probably died with her eyes wide open. :D
Click to expand...

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

She was a loveable little thing....and big for a Chihuahua, seven pounds of fury in a fur coat. She would back my uncle's
german shepherd into the corner and keep it there!!
Funny as all hell!
 
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Many things in life are like this - you can get away with the cat eating a bit of coffee for years then all of a sudden bam you are in the vet clinic with a kitty fighting for its life and a thousand dollar vet bill with no guarantee of a favorable outcome.

Probably wiser to keep the trash in a (well-)covered container and deny the cat this particular beverage.
 
Like you would know anything about that. What are your credentials?
:rofl:
Click to expand...

A person can tell from the way he is asking that he already knows the answer! No credentials required!
But, if pressed, I can reveal the particular popcorn box my certificate came out of.
 
I have no doubt my dogs would drink coffee if:

a) they saw me drink it
b) I let them get ahold of any

They like beer well enough.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Many things in life are like this - you can get away with the cat eating a bit of coffee for years then all of a sudden bam you are in the vet clinic with a kitty fighting for its life and a thousand dollar vet bill with no guarantee of a favorable outcome.

Probably wiser to keep the trash in a (well-)covered container and deny the cat this particular beverage.
Click to expand...


Ya know, I love animals, cats included, but a $1000 vet bill? Sorry kitty, I'll let you live as long as you don't appear to be suffering until your natural conclusion. There are a ton of healthy kitties and dogs and whatever else at animal shelters that will be put down if someone doesn't pick them up. I think it's better to let an unhealthy animal pass and rescue a new one.

If I have a cat that loves coffee, it's welcome to some, I'll even share a cup. Cats are short lived creatures anyway, might as well let them enjoy life until they die.
 
Do you happen to know if there's a parallel for humans and single-malt Scotch?

Let'sgoflying! said:
Many things in life are like this - you can get away with the cat eating a bit of coffee for years then all of a sudden bam you are in the vet clinic with a kitty fighting for its life and a thousand dollar vet bill with no guarantee of a favorable outcome.

Probably wiser to keep the trash in a (well-)covered container and deny the cat this particular beverage.
Click to expand...
 
My cat turned 21 in March. He gets to eat just about whatever he wants that makes him happy these days.

He's diabetic so we avoid carbs, but if he really wants something we just give it to him in moderation. (He's a total freak for french fries, and if you're not watching, he'll steal them.)

What really sends him into complete freak-out "I want it NOW" mode is sliced smoked deli turkey breast.

If I make it to over 100, feed me whatever the heck I want, too.
 
Henning said:
Ya know, I love animals, cats included, but a $1000 vet bill? Sorry kitty, I'll let you live as long as you don't appear to be suffering until your natural conclusion. There are a ton of healthy kitties and dogs and whatever else at animal shelters that will be put down if someone doesn't pick them up. I think it's better to let an unhealthy animal pass and rescue a new one.

If I have a cat that loves coffee, it's welcome to some, I'll even share a cup. Cats are short lived creatures anyway, might as well let them enjoy life until they die.
Click to expand...

Henning, between Scott and me, you would probably be appalled at what we spend on vet bills. A routine cardio checkup for my one kitty (2x a year) runs close to 800 bucks. I say routine but she actually has heart issues and we are trying to stay on top of them. With the uber-care she has lived two comfortable years and counting since her initial diagnosis.
 
Ya know, I love animals, cats included, but a $1000 vet bill?
Click to expand...

Everyone has different priorities in life for their hard-earned money.
Some will drop a grand on a weekend trip and that is a priority to them; some spend multiples of that on a boat/airplane upgrade, and it's amazing how many spend more than a grand on cigarettes or booze over a year.

Others think that pets give them fine companionship and bring considerable enjoyment to their lives and so will budget their money in that direction.

We have all seen folks that think pets are a disposable entity and if it means spending money on it - sorry kitty, time for a new one.
 
I would never have done that for my cat, but would do so for my dog in a heartbeat. However, there are numerous caveats for me. For example, I'd sooner let an old dog go its way than try and keep it alive and uncomfortable. I dislike going to the doctor intensely, I can only imagine what its like for an animal.
 
I'd sooner let an old dog go its way than try and keep it alive and uncomfortable. I dislike going to the doctor intensely, I can only imagine what its like for an animal.
Click to expand...

The difficulty there is, how do you know if your dog has something that will end up being long term, painful, and expensive?

So many times I hear about animals that are suffering at home from a simply-fixed thing because the owner has a fear of what a dog might have.

At least get a diagnosis (where possible) and find out the options available to provide your animal with either a resolution, or some means of pain control til the time comes....or euthanasia if that is the option you choose.
 
Vet prices vary significantly too. Hmm....

If an Aviation Monetary Unit (AMU) is $1000.00 US, perhaps a
Pet Monetary Unit (PMU) could be $100.00 US.

A typical vet "checkup" for my two cats is about 1.8 PMUs, depending on if they need shots or not. They're healthy and indoor so pretty low maintenance. On the other hand, when one ate some paper ribbon at Christmas the cost for the overnight, X-Ray, SubQ fluids came to about 1 AMU.

I'm fine spending several or even 10-20 PMUs if the animal will be returned to a healthy and happy state. I'm not willing to spend PMUs to keep a dying animal alive and in pain, "just a little longer", for my own comfort. I feel I have a duty to end the pain and suffering.

Edit: I fully concur with Dave's comment above about paying for the diagnosis so that I can make an informed decision.
 
Our dog will mug you for your coffee (don't set your mug down and walk away or you will hear slurping sounds)... Problem is, then he bounces around like a Wham-O Super Ball for hours...
We don't allow him to have caffeine, or chocolate - or half of your ham sandwich - but he is always coiled and ready to strike if you goof (even when he looks like he is sleeping)...

denny-o
 
woodstock said:
Henning, between Scott and me, you would probably be appalled at what we spend on vet bills. A routine cardio checkup for my one kitty (2x a year) runs close to 800 bucks. I say routine but she actually has heart issues and we are trying to stay on top of them. With the uber-care she has lived two comfortable years and counting since her initial diagnosis.
Click to expand...
Henning would be freaked out about what I have spent on Dee. Who in the first week I knew her had vet bills in the thousands. She came to me as a stray in my back yard. She was starving to death and moved into a window well under the deck. I opened a window and she crawled in and wanted to be held and petted. A few hours later she was at the vet and we found out her pelvis was broken in three spots. Treatment options were discussed, including euthanasia, We stayed with her well past the vets closing time as a search for surgeons that could repair her pelvis were looked for. We found one and an $1200 bill for that, plus a $300 vet bill for the exam, another $200 for follow ups and another surgery for spaying and declaw that I have yet to see a bill for and we have a very sweat new member of our family. Yet this is nothing compared to what I have spent on other cats who have had kidney issues, cancer, fractured leg, etc. It is all worth it IMHO.
 
Just to be clear, I would never judge anyone harshly because they would not spend $1000 (or any specific amount) on their pet.
I realize that a) some folks can barely pay for their own expenses and b) what you spend money on is a very personal decision.
 
leah's cat acts like it is on caffeine all the time. i'd be afraid of what would happen if it actually got into the stuff
 
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