My husband caught Carbon going methodically through the unpacked shopping bags yesterday. "Carbon," he said in a mock-menacing tone of voice. "What are you looking for? What are you doing?" Carbon looked at him, gave him the "evil eye", and stalked off into the next room. By this time, I'd come out to see what was going on, and went to the refrigerator. Picking out something, I held it by Carbon's nose and asked him, "Is this what you were looking for, buddy?" He took one sniff, and looked like the proverbial cat caught in the act. No canary; this was a CHOCOLATE BAR!Pets can and will sniff out your chocolate and eat it. This goes for the candy bars out in plain sight, as well as the Passover or Easter treats you have hidden in a good spot until next week. Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs, causing seizures, lethargy, and death. Because of their smaller body mass, it is more toxic to cats, but they are more likely to sniff it out because of their investigative nature.
If you have chocolate around the house, keep it locked up: in the refrigerator, a child-proof cupboard, or a room that is kept totally closed-off from the cats (and not used while the candy is hidden there). Anywhere else is not cat-safe, as I have learned from my resident geniuses. They have opened cupboards, closets, and doors, sometimes even grouping together to mastermind the operation.
PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!!
Other Easter dangers are peanuts, baskets (can be chewed by dogs and swallowed), and basket grass. Basket grass is especially dangerous because it looks like string. It can wrap itself around the intestine, cutting the cat's internal organs! A safer alternative is raffia, which is harder for them to swallow but still comes in pastel colors.
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Spent Friday night in the pet emergency with Shelby my Maltese--don't know WHAT she ate, but 2 hours and $$$ later she is fine! Vet told me SIX raisins was enough to kill a dog her size--scary stuff! Thanks for the warnings!
ReplyDeleteThis was an excellent post! A good friend lost her small dog to a bowl of halloween candy! Our current cat never ate any 'people' food when he was young, but now that he's an old man he eats everything he can get his hands on! It's like having a toddler! Thanks for posting this...Nancy
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post. Our dogs do not get people food!! They are very picky about their treats.
ReplyDeleteGood advice. I know about chocolate from having to hide it from my dogs. And my two ate everything in site... string included.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Happy Foodie Friday...
Sheila :-)
Thanks for the reminder! Something I always try to heed whenever there is chocolate around (which is often).... Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this! The minute I took the photos for Tablescape Thursday, the chocolate bunnies went straight to the tall counter, because my Yorkies can easily climb from the bench to the table. (Mister stole my husband's steak one night--ate the whole thing before my husband got off the phone and realized his food was gone.) Another time, he got into the trash (someone left open the door to the pantry), and he ate a chicken leg before I could stop him. This required a trip to the vet. Luckily , it had a happy ending, and Mister got to eat boiled rice for a few days.
ReplyDeleteMy vet told me to get down on all fours and look at my house through a dog's eyes, the way you'd do for a toddler. He also said that sugar free chewing gum has killed many dogs, as it's deadly. Grapes are toxic, as well. It can be very scary when you think about it.
Thanks for another GREAT post!
I appreciate the reminders, too. My pups will eat just about anything. If they see people eating it, they figure it's good for them, too. :-/ I just heard recently that grapes were toxic. It is scary!
ReplyDeleteAgain, thanks for the reminder that what we feed our four-legged babies is as important to Foodie Fridays as feeding humanoids!