Girl discovers ‘weird tasting’ chocolate advent calendar she had been eating was meant for cats

Despite the unusual taste of the chocolates in the £1.99 Garfield advent calendar her mother had bought her, nine-year-old Alissa Davies-Evans soldiered on.

But after four days, she decided enough was enough and, from then on in, didn’t open any more of the doors.

It was another week later before she told her mother, Jess Evans, that she did not like the green-tinged treats and hadn’t been eating them.

Upon turning the calendar over to check the ingredients, the 26-year-old learned the morsels behind each door did not contain “apple-flavoured chocolate” – as she had apparently concluded – but were in fact made up of yoghurt and catnip treats for cats.

Ms Evans, from Oswestry, Shropshire, said: “I was in shock and felt like the worst mother ever when I realised I’d bought her a calendar for cats.

“Alissa had said they looked a bit green but I thought they were probably just apple-flavoured ones and didn’t think anything of it.

“She said they tasted a bit strange, but hadn’t said they were horrible, so I just forgot about it.

“Alissa hadn’t been eating them for a few days and when I asked why she brought the box over to me.

“I remember thinking they did look a funny shade of green and didn’t have a chocolatey smell.

“When I turned the calendar over and read that it was yoghurt and catnip flavour I couldn’t believe it – and that it had taken 11 days for us to notice.”

Ms Evans had picked up the advent calendar while out shopping with Alissa and her younger sisters Alexis Davies-Evans, three, and 11-month-old Aurora in their local branch of B&M.

Assuming that the advent calendars on display were all for children she quickly scanned the shelves, picked up the Garfield one and added it to the trolley after getting Alissa’s nod of approval.

“I was rushing around at the last minute with all three of them Christmas shopping and went into B&M where all the advent calendars were and picked it up without reading it,” said Ms Evans.

“When she opened it and had the first one she mentioned it tasted a bit strange but I just thought she was being picky.

“When I looked at the box I couldn’t believe it. I have a degree in English literature and creative writing but still couldn’t read a calendar and it had taken me 11 days to realise.

“Once she got over the shock she found the funny side of it. Thankfully she’s absolutely fine and I’ve checked online that she will be OK.”

Ms Evans vowed to get another advent calendar for Alissa, and said she would take 27-year-old lawn specialist fiancé Sean Davies along to ensure she snapped up a chocolate one.

“I’ll definitely be getting Sean to come with me to get one, otherwise knowing my luck I’ll end up buying one for dogs this time,” she said.