WHAT CATS CANNOT EAT?
- Onions
- Garlic
- Raw Eggs
- Alcohol
- Yeast Dough
- Raw Fish
- Green tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Chocolate
- Milk products
- Caffeine
- Xylitol
You love your cat and he is part of your family. He gets the “royal treatment” whenever you can give it to him. However, you better watch your plate and not intend on treating him with any human food because many of these “people foods” can be dangerous for his health. Here is a list of the most common toxic and poisonous foods for cats that you should never give:
1. ONIONS AND GARLIC
CAN CATS EAT ONIONS OR GARLIC?
Cats should not eat raw onions and garlic. But not only these! Cats better stay away from all forms of onions and garlic: cooked, dehydrated and powdered. Why is that? Garlic and onions contain sulfoxides and disulphides which can poison your cat by breaking down his red blood cells, which can lead to anemia, lethargy, weight loss and gastrointestinal problems.
2. RAW EGGS
CAN CATS EAT RAW EGGS?
Feeding your cat raw eggs is not a good idea. For the same reasons we humans don’t eat raw eggs, your cat shouldn’t eat them as well. Eating raw eggs can lead to salmonella. The symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. But that’s not the only reason why you shouldn’t feed your cat raw eggs. Uncooked eggs contain an enzyme called avidin. This enzyme can decrease the absorption of a B vitamin called biotin. This can cause some hair coat and skin problems to your cat.
3. ALCOHOL
CAN CATS DRINK ALCOHOL?
Giving your cat alcoholic beverages can be extremely dangerous. It can cause intoxication, coma and death. A small amount of alcohol can damage your cat’s liver and brain. For example, if your five pound cat ingests a small quantity of whisky as little as two teaspoons, it can cause coma. More than that, it can lead to death. Alcohol is very toxic for cats because it is absorbed very quickly by the body. So it’s important that you don’t hesitate to contact a veterinarian if you suspect your cat has been poisoned by alcohol.
4. YEAST DOUGH
CAN CATS EAT YEAST DOUGH?
Cats can’t eat yeast dough and here is why: if you’ve ever made your own bread or pizza dough, you know that the dough needs to rise. If your cat eats the dough, it will rise in his stomach. This is really not a good thing. It will expand in his stomach which will cause him pain, stretch his stomach and could even result in the rupture of the stomach and intestines. Not only will the dough stretch in your cat’s stomach, but when it is fermenting, the yeast releases alcohol. Like you read in the previous point, alcohol is also very dangerous for cats. It is very important to call your vet as soon as possible when you see your cat has ingested yeast dough.
5. RAW FISH
CAN CATS EAT RAW FISH?
Many cats love fish, but it is unsafe to feed your cat raw fish. It can cause gastrointestinal upset in cats or even poisoning because of the bacteria that raw fish carries. It can also destroy a vitamin that’s essential to cats: thiamine. When this vitamin is missing, it can cause neurological problems in your cat. It can also lead to loss of appetite, seizures and death.
6. GREEN TOMATOES OR POTATOES
CAN CATS EAT GREEN TOMATOES OF POTATOES?
Green tomatoes and potatoes contain poisonous alkaloid called Glycoalkaloid Solanine. It is very toxic and it can lead to lower gastrointestinal problems. Some pet foods contain tomatoes, but they are in very small quantity and are ripe, so they don’t represent a problem.
7. CHOCOLATE
CAN CATS EAT CHOCOLATE?
Cats should never eat chocolate. This is a more common people’s food you maybe know shouldn’t be given to pets. But why can’t you give this sweet food to your cat ? There is a toxic substance in chocolate called theobromine in chocolate. Chocolate toxicity can lead to tremors, irregular heart rhythm, seizures and death. All types of chocolate are dangerous for your cat. Even white chocolate. But the worst type is baking chocolate. After that, dark chocolate. Then milk chocolate, and the less dangerous one is white chocolate.
8. MILK PRODUCTS
CAN CATS DRINK MILK?
Surprisingly cats can’t drink milk. Cats and a saucer of milk go hand in hand, right? Not exactly. For kittens, it can be ok to give them milk, but for adult cats, it’s not a good idea. Adult cats are lactose intolerant. They have a difficult time processing dairy products since they don’t have a sufficient amount of the lactase enzyme which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in an upset stomach and diarrhea. If you really want to give milk to your cat, you can buy at your local pet store lactose-free milk. This way, your kitty can have his milk without the downsides.
9. CAFFEINE
CAN CATS DRINK COFFEE OR TEA?
Caffeine found in coffee, tea, chocolate, colas and even cold medicines can be very dangerous for your feline friend. Cats should never drink coffee or tea. A small dose of caffeine can cause restlessness, rapid breathing, tremors and heart palpitations. A large amount of caffeine can be fatal and lead to death.
10. XYLITOL
CAN CATS EAT CHEWING GUM?
It contains Xylitol that can be found in many other products: candy, toothpaste, diet foods and baked foods. If your cat ingests xylitol, it can lead to liver failure. It will increase your cat’s insulin levels which will lower his sugar levels. The first signs of xylitol intoxication are vomiting, loss of coordination and lethargy. The symptoms can increase to a seizure and eventually resulting liver failure.
Original article: https://www.homeoanimal.com/blogs/blog-pet-health/toxic-foods-for-cats