A cat and swiss miss cocoa

First, I do not give cocoa to the cat.

My almost not a kitten is a glutton. She is still learning to not stick her nose in my plate. She is a challenge. All my prior cats understood very quickly, that you don't do certain things while Mommy and Daddy are awake to see.

My other cats had absolutley no interest in my cocoa. I could leave it unattended with no problems. This cat. GRRR! She'll jump up on forbidden surfaces to get in my drinks. I miss my peace of mind.

Chocolate Toxicity Levels in Cats
Type of Chocolate Minimum Amount That Can Be Toxic to an 8 lb. Cat
Milk 1.14 oz
Dark 0.5 oz
Semisweet 0.5 oz
Baking 0.2 oz
White Not a concern
webpage

She has not partaken in it for a week or so. She has never shown any symptoms. She is unlikely to get even half an ounce, and the chocolate is already diluted in my cocoa. So if she does not have any symptoms, all ought to be okay... Right? I'm thinking activated charcoal, if she starts acting wierd. Thoughts?

Seriously unlikely to do her any harm whatsoever. those numbers are the worst case scenario. When we make hot chocolate we use less than an ounce per cup. so unless she managed to drink  a good half cup plus I really wouldn't worry about it.

We have one that will jump anywhere and the other one insists on sharing daddies water, he's not shown any interest in chocolate but a glass of water will always have a head in it.

I have never had this problem.

I wonder, do you like coffee?  The reason I ask is that I don't care for coffee though I love mocha.

I use 1/2 cup of coffee and one heaping teaspoon (the one you eat with not the measuring kind) of the hot chocolate mix as you mentioned, Swiss Miss. After stirring the Swiss Miss into the hot coffee, I finish filling the cup with water.

I would imagine that 1 teaspoon of Swiss Miss is mostly dry milk or cream or whatever is in the mix and not much chocolate.

Maybe the cat won't like coffee?

I have a giant mug. This mug will hold 3 cups of cocoa. I like my cocoa. I also like mocha. So does the glutton cat.

Most beverages are put in a mason jar with a lid. My very hot cocoa would break a jar. I like to warm my hands with my mug. I like to smell it. Yum.

Yup, a way to keep the feline thief out of your cocoa would be wise... https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/conditions/chocolate-poisoning-in-cats-and-dogs

How about a tin foil cover?
Help keep it warm.

Of course fat cat could take it to the next level and remove said cup of cocoa from the table...

This glutton also enjoys watching the water surface in a jar jiggle around as she tips the jar over. Hence the lids on other beverages.

You can buy ceramic or stainless  steel coffee travel mugs, even some with silicone lids.
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/house-and-home/dipped-ceramic-on-the-go/882709626466-item.html

Even if you don't want to drink from the plastic, you could leave it on until you drink, and the ceramic wouldn't be as hot on the mouth as stainless steel, but would feel nice and warm in the hands.

Or, even more cat proof, an old Stanley thermos?

Weird thought, but I have heard of some cats who prefer to only drink from tall and narrow vessels. Could you put our a sacrificial really stable vase with water for her as a decoy? Or a mason jar?

Aren't cats wonderful?

Edit - just remembered I used to own a tall tea mug with a ceramic lid for keeping tea warm. Maybe too tippy for a cat though.

Swiss Miss - what percentage cocoa is it? I think it's made with more sugar and milk powder than cocoa, so chances are your cat would need to drink quite a bit of liquid hot chocolate for any toxicity.
I used to have a rescue cat who loved chocolate. We had to hide it, because even an unopened bar left within his reach would be ripped open and devoured. He had a special taste for Cadbury's Dairy Milk. Thankfully he didn't have any problems, despite my horror at going into the kitchen one morning to discover the remains of a half-eaten, chewed-open bar on the counter the first time he did this. Some pets are definitely more sensitive to the theobromines than others, and generally dogs are more sensitive than cats.
A covered travel mug sounds a good idea! Or a nice big ceramic mug with a lift off lid to avoid plastics.

My friend gave me a pair of these mugs. A cat could probably knock the lid off if it was a glutton cat, but at least she couldn't see it until you took the lid off. At least you can still warm up your hands and smell it while you hold it. Then you can put the lid back on.