Tea safety in animals

[msurads06]

Ok, so this is definately a weird question, and no i dont feed tea to my dogs, however i have noticed that if some of my used tea leaves miss the trash can, my dogs will eat them. seem to really like them too. is this something i need to be concerned with?

[bsteele]

In large un-steeped quantities, I'd imagine it could be a concern (the caffeine + theobromine). But some won't do any damage.

Just as with chocolate, a little is not that big of a deal (especially milk chocolate... it's pretty far from being pure cocao).

Another factor would be the size of your dog. A big dog can handle more than a wee one.

Bottom line... ain't no thaaang. But of course, I'm no animal professional

[msurads06]

They are both fairly small, about 15 lbs, the thing that has me a little worried is that my younger dog has apparently developed a taste for them and has started going in the trash for them (tipping over the can, tearing the bag, etc.). he never did this before i started drinking tea, no matter what was in the bag/can.

[Chip]

They are both fairly small, about 15 lbs, the thing that has me a little worried is that my younger dog has apparently developed a taste for them and has started going in the trash for them (tipping over the can, tearing the bag, etc.). he never did this before i started drinking tea, no matter what was in the bag/can.

Awww, that is priceless! Canine caffeine/tea addict!

Well, all the more reason to do multiple steeps. The more steeps you do, the less remaining components. After a few steeps, I doubt if there will be anything to worry about.

[Cinnamon Kitty]

One of my cats will eat any left over tea leaves that get stuck in the sink strainer. He's a bit of a mooch and steals whatever food (garlic, olive oil, peanut butter cookies, popcorn, cheese, etc.) he can get his paws on, so munching on tea leaves is no surprise at all.

[Shihali]

One year I roomed with a couple and their cats, and I left any mostly full cup of iced tea out at my own risk. One cat had a taste for it and would start lapping it up whenever she could reach the top of the tea!

That's not the strangest thing I've seen a cat consume, but it's high on the list.

[LauraW]

One of our cats gets into our roomate's polymer clay... I'm not sure if it's fang marks or claw marks that I see in it, but I find it strewn about the living room. But she hasn't gotten into tea... yet... I suspect it's because we tend to try to keep her away from food-bearing surfaces and for the most part it works. She's been sitting on my lap lately though, and trying to smell my tea - I suppose tasting it will be the next thing she'll try.

[JBaymore]

One of our cats gets into our roomate's polymer clay...

Read the MSDS on polymer "clay" (as a ceramist...I hate that unfortunate name. It is maleable plastic.... not clay.)..... and you'll likely stop the cat from eating it. Unless you hate the cat .

best,

...............john

[LauraW]

Read the MSDS on polymer "clay" (as a ceramist...I hate that unfortunate name. It is maleable plastic.... not clay.)..... and you'll likely stop the cat from eating it. Unless you hate the cat .

It doesn't look like she eats any of it.. i just find marks in it, but no pieces out of it. Makes me think she's using her claws, not teeth.

We try to keep her away from it, but cats will be cats... and my roomate tends to leave it unattended, sometimes uncovered (sometimes covered with a towel only), in a box on the floor or on her craft table in the living room. IMHO, she's asking for it. I'd put it in a drawer or close the box, but maybe that's just me being the neat-freak I am.