With the popularity of cat food that resembles human food, you might be tempted to give your kitty a taste of her own medicine. But before you do so, keep in mind that not all human foods are safe for felines. In fact, some can even be dangerous—even fatal—to your pet feline! So before you start feeding Fido and Fluffy every treat under the sun, get up to speed on what kinds of foods are unsafe for them. In this article, we’ll cover what to avoid and what’s safe for cats.
1. Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol.
If you’re the type of person who likes to enjoy a glass of wine with their meal, it’s important to remember that cats don’t share that love. Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is toxic to cats and can cause them to become intoxicated.
If your cat does eat alcoholic foods, you may see signs such as dilated pupils (like when humans drink), unsteady walking and stumbling around. In extreme cases, your cat could start acting like he or she is drunk—that means they’ll be uncoordinated and stagger around aimlessly. If this happens, take your cat straight to an emergency veterinarian!
The most serious risk of feeding your cat alcohol-based products is death from alcohol poisoning; drinking large amounts can cause liver failure or blood disorders in cats.
2. Chocolate and foods containing chocolate.
Theobromine, a compound found in chocolate, is toxic to cats. In fact, dogs and humans also cannot tolerate large amounts of theobromine.
Caffeine is also problematic because it can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats. While caffeine is not toxic to humans or dogs, over time it can cause gastrointestinal distress or other health problems such as anxiety or insomnia.
If you suspect your cat has ingested chocolate or a food containing chocolate (including cacao), contact your veterinarian immediately!
3. Coffee and products containing caffeine.
Coffee and products containing caffeine, such as tea and chocolate, are harmful to cats. Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause hyperactivity, nervousness, vomiting and diarrhea. It may also lead to sleeplessness in your cat.
Cats can become dependent on caffeine just like people do. If you feed your cat coffee or any product containing caffeine (such as chocolate), it will become addicted to the substance and take it even if it doesn’t have food in its stomach. The withdrawal symptoms are similar to those experienced by humans when they quit drinking alcohol: irritability, restlessness, loss of appetite and depression.
4. Fat trimmings and raw meat (raw eggs are also risky).
- Raw eggs, fat trimmings and raw meat.
If you have a cat that enjoys eating cooked egg whites, consider feeding them hardboiled instead (the yolk can cause salmonella poisoning). Fat trimmings and raw meat can also cause pancreatitis in cats—and even if your cat doesn’t get sick right away, too much of these foods can increase the risk of developing diabetes later on in life.
Lastly but not leastly: If you don’t want to feed your kitty some sort of raw meat (because it’s gross or whatever), no problem! Just make sure it’s cooked through so that they don’t get toxoplasmosis (a parasite found on uncooked meats).
5. Grapes and raisins—around one ounce per pound of body weight can lead to kidney failure in cats and dogs, so just a few grapes can cause serious problems for your kitty!
Grapes and raisins—around one ounce per pound of body weight can lead to kidney failure in cats and dogs, so just a few grapes can cause serious problems for your kitty!
Cats should not eat chocolate or any food containing chocolate because it contains theobromine, which is toxic to cats. Dogs usually aren’t affected by chocolate when fed an occasional M&M or other small amount of milk chocolate.
6. Onions, garlic and chives—these can cause anemia in cats (and Dogs).
- Onions, garlic and chives—these can cause anemia in cats (and Dogs).
- Cats are more susceptible to anemia than humans.
- Dogs are more sensitive to the effects of anemia than humans.
- Cats and dogs are less likely to have anemia than people
7. Raw or undercooked fish—raw fish may contain parasites that can be harmful to your cat, so only give fully cooked fish!
While cats may enjoy the taste of raw fish, it’s a risky choice because they can contain parasites. Healthy adult cats usually have no problem dealing with these parasites, but kittens and elderly cats may not be able to handle it. If you ever decide to give your cat raw fish, make sure you cook it first.
8. Salt—cats are sensitive to high levels of salt and too much might bring on sodium ion poisoning.
Salt is a common ingredient in many human foods, such as bread, cheese and crackers. While it isn’t usually harmful to cats on its own, too much salt can be fatal. Sodium ion poisoning (high levels of sodium ions) can occur when your cat consumes excessive amounts of salt over time.
Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea; tremors; seizures; lethargy; muscle twitches or weakness; weakness in legs or hindquarters (or all four legs); arching back with feet tucked under body; dilated pupils that cannot be contracted no matter how hard you try to force them closed with your fingers (try it!); difficulty breathing due to fluid accumulation in the lungs due to dehydration caused by vomiting and diarrhea.
9. Too much Sugary Food – There’s a lot of misinformation out there about feeding cats sugary foods, but the fact of the matter is that giving your cat marshmallows or other sugary foods can cause serious harm.
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about feeding cats sugary foods, but the fact of the matter is that giving your cat marshmallows or other sugary foods can cause serious harm.
There are several reasons why you shouldn’t feed your cat sugary foods, including:
- They can lead to diabetes and obesity in cats.
- They can lead to tooth decay in cats.
- They can cause kidney disease and liver problems in cats.
- They can cause your cat to have seizures.
Conclusion
If you want your cat to eat human food, keep it to a minimum and only give them small portions. If you’re worried about the health of your feline friend, it may be best to stick with cat food. That way you can be sure that they’re getting the nutrients they need from their diet without risking any harm.
