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Anybody know whether tea is bad for cats??

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  • Anybody know whether tea is bad for cats??

    I mean plain ordinary everyday black tea made from a teabag, with some sugar and milk in it. Because I've spent most of the evening chasing one of my cats away from my cuppa.
    Finally I broke down, upended another cup, and put maybe half a teaspoonful on the base of the cup, which Strange Kitty promptly slurped up (scattering little droplets all over the place in the process).

    But seriously ... tea?? Is this a part of the average cat's life of which humans are totally ignorant?
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  • #2
    I googled it, and there seem to be a number of sites that say tea can be bad for cats, although a few laps shouldn't harm them. Apparently the caffeine can be toxic. It's probably not a good idea to let him or her keep drinking it.

    It might be the dairy that's attracting your cat. Technically, cow's milk is not something they need, but we all know cats who love milk, cheese, and/or butter!
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    • #3
      Thanks, MoonCat. He only got a very little bit and I certainly won't make a habit out of this.
      What a weird animal.
      Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
      ~ Mr Hero

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      • #4
        Quoth Pixelated View Post
        What a weird animal.
        He's a cat. Weird is one of their defining characteristics.
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        • #5
          MC is correct -- Caffeine is normally bad mojo for cats (and dogs), so avoid giving them more than that tiny amount; thus, also avoid letting them have stuff like chocolate or raisins. Also, keep in mind that adult cats are generally lactose intolerant. They may *enjoy* the taste of the milk, but they can't process it.
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          "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
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          • #6
            I will sometimes pour a few drops of half and half on the counter when I'm making my coffee. Mister Kitteh appreciates it a lot (and he does a darn good job cleaning it up!) and just those few drops isn't enough to cause him gastrointestinal upset. He's sampled my coffee once or twice, but he doesn't want the creamer badly enough to put up with the flavor of coffee.
            You're only delaying the inevitable, you run at your own expense. The repo man gets paid to chase you. ~Argabarga

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            • #7
              I got ya beat my cat LOVES asparagus, to the point of stealing it off your plate. Go figure that one out.
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              • #8
                Agree that kitty is probably attracted to the milk fat. Cats are carnivores and naturally drawn towards animal fats. Caffeine can be toxic to them tough, at least in large amounts. There are lactose-free milks made for cats so you might try those if you want to give him a treat.
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                • #9
                  Isn't there caffeine free tea? Or does all tea have trace amounts of caffeine in it?
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                  • #10
                    Caffeine free tea exists -- check the label and and maker's site. This is distinct from "decaffeinated" tea, which just means that enough of the caf has been removed to drop it below 3% of the total volume (possibly weight); I think the same applies to coffee -- decaf means it's been filtered out, not that it as never there to begin with.
                    Last edited by EricKei; 10-25-2017, 03:03 PM.
                    "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
                    "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
                    "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
                    "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
                    "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
                    "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
                    Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
                    "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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                    • #11
                      Herbal teas tend to be caffeine free. Catnip tea is a thing, even. For humans it tends to act as a mild sedative. Tastes awful and sweetening it only makes it worse.
                      You're only delaying the inevitable, you run at your own expense. The repo man gets paid to chase you. ~Argabarga

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                      • #12
                        Mad scientist assignment: Caffeine(equivalent) for cats!
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                        • #13
                          Quoth EricKei View Post
                          Also, keep in mind that adult cats are generally lactose intolerant.
                          IIRC, most adult mammals are. Humans are weird in that most of us are not.
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                          • #14
                            Not all humans. A whole lot of 'em can't deal with lactose either. I pity those who cannot eat ice cream....
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                            • #15
                              I might die if I ever somehow became lactose intolerant...I don't mean metaphorically, I mean that I know myself well enough to know that a little thing like that is unlikely to prevent me from enjoying a pint of triple death by chocolate (with added bits of fudge) from time to time. (Yeah, yeah, I am very aware of the existence of LactAid).
                              "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
                              "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
                              "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
                              "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
                              "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
                              "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
                              Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
                              "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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