Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Poisonous Food for Cats

Cats can be picky eaters. While that may be annoying for someone who puts a lot of effort into preparing their food, there is a serious reason for it. There are quite a lot of foods that are fine for humans but are not fine for cats. Some of the food we eat, that we sometimes feed our pet cats, is harmful, if not deadly, to them. That is right, we might be feeding our cat poison. To help all cat owners and lovers out there, here is a compiled list of common poisonous food for cats.

Cats are Carnivores

It is first imperative to enforce the act that cats are carnivores. They do not need anything other than meat. They do not need fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables may only be added to their diet as occasional treats, not part of their regular meals.

On the other side of the coin, not all meat is good for cats. There are certain restrictions that you should be aware of.

Raw Meat

Like humans, cats can contract salmonella from raw meat and bones. Raw meat did not go through means of killing off dangerous bacteria living on it.

Besides salmonella, consuming raw meat also increases the risk of E. coli poisoning in cats. Both diseases, salmonella and E. coli, can be transferred to humans.

Next time you finish preparing meat, wash your hands thoroughly after doing so. And for your sanity’s sake don’t let your cat near the uncooked meat.

Raw Egg

Raw egg, besides having both salmonella and E. coli, also has enzymes that can lead to skin and coat troubles for your cat.

If you do not want one big headache, do not even risk letting your cat get her furry paws on eggs.

Bones

Yes, bones are considered bad for cats. Though they are not exactly part of the poisonous food for cats list, you should still avoid feeding them to your cat nonetheless.

According to the ASPCA list of toxic foods for cats.

Bones impose the threat of being lodged in your cat’s throat and digestive tracts, and it may even puncture those parts. Domesticated cats do not have large passageways in their throats to allow easy passage of bones, so it is safer not to feed them that.

Chocolate

No matter how much we think our cats are missing out a lot because she does not want chocolate, we should not feed it to her.

Everybody knows that chocolate is bad for dogs, the same is true for cats. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea, increased body temperature, muscle tremors, discomfort in the abdominal area, irregular heartbeat, and increased thirst.

In short, chocolate is one poisonous food for cats.

Caffeine

Guess what else contains methylxanthines? Well if you read the subheading for this then you should have guessed right – caffeine.

All sorts of caffeinated drinks and food should be avoided being fed to cats. Besides the causes of methylxanthines, it has caffeine! Who wants an over-hyper cat?

Alcohol and Raw Dough

No, alcohol is not bad for your cat because it will make her drunk. Alcohol is bad because it causes vomiting, diarrhea, disorientation, problematic breathing, coma and death

Keeping your cat away from raw dough saves it from the dough expanding in its stomach and creating alcohol within her body.

Anything Dairy

Dairy products, like milk, butter, or cheese, at not good for cats. Though your little kitty might enjoy lapping milk, it is not necessarily good for her.

Cats can not properly digest the lactose found in milk. It causes diarrhea or an upset tummy.

Cats are only ever exposed to milk when they are mere kittens nursing from their mothers. From that point on, they are not exposed to milk, so their stomachs are not properly developed for milk ingestion.

While some cats might enjoy milk, not all of them do. Just to be sure, it is better to only feed your cat milk upon approval of a veterinarian.

Grapes and Raisins

Grapes are particularly bad for cats. Even a small amount can cause illness, which can lead to a rapid development of kidney failure.

After ingesting either grapes or raisins, a cat may suffer from vomiting within the first twelve hours. Within the same day, other symptoms may persist, such as diarrhea, lethargy, pain in the abdominal area, decreased appetite, and urination.

Onion and Garlic

Either onion or garlic is included in the list of poisonous food for cats. All sorts of these root crops can cause some sort of digestive upset, most likely gastrointestinal problems.

Continued ingestion of either garlic or onion can cause anemia in cats.

Preventing Cats from Eating Toxic Foods

Cats are curious by nature. They can not help but reach for that weird-looking food on the counter. So their safety entirely depends on you, their guardian, and their parent.

One important tip is that all foods should be stored somewhere your cat cannot get into. Sometimes, installing cat locks on cabinets might be good for the sake of your curious kitty.

Another important advice is to keep them away from the counter while you are cooking. You are distracted when cooking, and may not notice her putting the clove of garlic into her mouth.

Do not feed her table scraps. This is something that is commonly done in some parts of the world. But if you are truly concerned about her health and well-being, you will avoid doing this.

If you have noticed your cat displaying signs of distress, it is always safer to give your vet a call. It might be just nothing, but if it is something, it should be taken care of immediately.

Know the Food

Before introducing anything new into your cat’s diet, you should first check if it is good or bad for her. The assumption is dangerous.

As much as possible, stick to a full, balanced diet that will not only keep her from harm but will also make sure she stays active and strong.

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Serina Russow
Serina Russowhttp://smartcatlovers.org
Hey there, I'm Serina, your friendly feline fanatic! As the proud founder of "Smart cat lovers," I'm on a mission to share my passion for all things cat-related. With years of experience in cat behavior and health, I'm here to provide expert advice on nurturing happy, healthy kitties. When I'm not tapping away on my keyboard, you'll find me curled up with my four adorable furballs: Whiskers, Luna, Billy, and Charlie.

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