Top 10 Foods Not to Feed Your Feline

Our four-legged friends give us an endless source of joy and comfort – they’re also very funny to be around, with their boundless curiosity and naughtiness!

Unfortunately, their curiosity means that cats can sometimes wind up eating the wrong things.

It might be tempting to feed our feline friends table scraps and other human treats, but it can actually be really bad for them!

So, before you give your cat the ‘royal treatment’, consider what these treats might do to his insides.

To help you take better care of your cat, here is a list of the top 10 foods not to feed your cat, because they are toxic and cause health problems.

Onion and Garlic

You might not know this, but members of the Allium family, which includes garlic, onions, chives, and Chinese onions, are all toxic for cats.

“They contain sulfoxides and disulfides which can be absolutely lethal – in cooked, raw or dried forms, the toxicity remains the same.

Garlic is also 5 times more concentrated than onion, so as little as a pill of garlic consumed by cats can cause poisoning,” says Davie Hughes, a lifestyle blogger at 1day2write.com and Britstudent.com.

When poisoned by Alliums, the red blood cells in a cat’s body begin to break down, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, lethargy, weight loss and diseases of the red blood cell.

Raw Eggs

No, it’s not a good idea to let your cat clean up smashed eggs – nor is it a good idea to make a quick snack for them out of eggs!

Just like humans, cats can’t eat raw eggs due to salmonella and e. Coli bacteria.

When ingested, raw eggs can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration.

What’s more, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin.

This can decrease the ability of cats to absorb biotin, a vitamin essential for their coat and skin!

Dairy Products

This probably goes against everything we know about cats, but feeding them dairy – which includes milk, cheese, and cream – is actually bad for felines.

“Cats are lactose intolerant – this means it’s hard for them to process dairy products because they don’t have enough of the lactase enzyme which breaks down the lactose in milk.

Too much dairy given to a cat can result in gastrointestinal problems, upset stomachs, and diarrhea.

If you really want to stick to traditions and give your cat milk, ensure it is lactose-free!” Says Laura Ashley, a pet writer at Australia2write.com and Nextcoursework.com.

Xylitol

Xylitol is a very harmful artificial sweetener found in a range of products: chewing gum, toothpaste, cough medicine, chewable multi-vitamins, candy, and chocolates.

If ingested, it can lead to liver failure by increasing your cat’s insulin levels and lower a cat’s blood sugar levels.

Xylitol poisoning shows itself in symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination and lethargy.

Raw Fish

Another surprising food you should not feed to cats is raw fish (cooked is fine).

Raw fish can lead to digestive problems in cats, and can also result in thiamine deficiency, which can lead to neurological problems or seizures.

Alcohol

Okay, this might be an obvious one – but no pet should ever be given alcohol.

Alcohol is, after all, a toxin, and can lead to alcohol poisoning.

It can even be lethal to small cats and kittens.

Even small amounts of alcohol can lead to health complications – so next time your kitty dries to drink your spilled wine, think better of letting them!

Grapes and Raisins

Surprisingly, this fruit can cause kidney failure in animals.

Kidney failure is characterized by vomiting and hyperactivity, amongst other abnormal behaviors.

Ensure grapes and raisins are stored well out of the cat’s reach and don’t feed them to your cat as snacks!

Chocolate

Chocolate is just as dangerous for cats as it is for dogs – the chemical theobromine causes issues with pets’ bodies, and toxicosis caused by theobromine causes abnormal heart tremors, seizures, and death.

Be very careful about storing chocolate away from cats!

Yeast

If by some accident, your cat eats bread or pizza dough, the dough will rise in their stomach, causing a lot of abdominal pain.

In rare cases, it can result in the rupture of the stomach and intestines.

Caffeine

Caffeine, found in coffee, tea, sodas, sweet treats, and some medicines, can be very dangerous for animals. Caffeine causes restlessness, rapid breathing, tremors, and heart palpitations.

It can even lead to death!

About the author:
Michael DeHoyos is a content marketer and editor at PhD Kingdom and Academic brits. He assists companies in their marketing strategy concepts and sometimes contributes to numerous sites and publications. Also, he is a writer at Case Study Help.