Nine Eatables That are TOXIC for The Felines

Our cats are purr-fect in many ways, so, it is essential to give them a happy dose more often. We have always kept our furballs over the top of the moon, consider them no less than a human. But do you expect them to go out for work, prepare food for the family or pay their monthly phone recharges? So, why feed them human food?

Their dietary supplements have all the essential nutrients that keep them healthy. Moreover, it is crucial to feed them their prescribed diet and avoid human food. We have curated a list of toxic products that are not only harmful but deadly, so, always make sure to keep your furballs away from them:

1. Tuna

Well, this might come as a surprise to all the pet parents, but tuna lacks various nutritional requirements. Feed your kitty the right amount of formulated cat food which has limited tuna and a bunch of other nutrients. Cats often develop a craving for tuna, but a few are allergic. It cannot be a complete diet for your cat, use the small chunks to feed.

Why is it harmful?

Tuna is high in mercury because it is on a higher stage of the food chain. Small fishes, however, have just a few traces of it. It can increase the risk of mercury poisoning in your kitty. Apart from that, tuna has high amount of unsaturated fat content, thus cats can develop a deficiency of Vitamin E and a condition called Steatitis a.k.a. Yellow Fat.

2. Milk

Here’s the second surprise for you & this is going to hit you even harder. Cats and milk make the best duo, we know this fact since the beginning, but experts say that cats are born with lactose intolerance. Therefore, it is essential to keep your cats away from dairy products.

If your cat loves to drink milk and rubs your leg while seeing you pull the carton for them, then you may check with your Vet, they might not be allergic to dairy. 

3. Chocolate

We understand that you can’t stop eating chocolates but don’t leave it on the table or anywhere where your furball can reach.

4. Eggs and other Raw Diets

If you are considering giving your cat a raw diet in terms of eggs, tuna, bones & other proteins, then don’t. Uncooked food, if not balanced by the experts, can lead your cat to various bacterial infections as per a study because of the presence of different pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. Moreover, feeding your cat with the uncooked bones may lead to several blockages like gastrointestinal obstructions, oral injuries etc.

Feeding your kitty with the specially prescribed raw food that has crushed bones will not harm your furry at all. So, before feeding, always seek advice from the Vet.

5. Onion and Garlic

Onion and garlic add a great flavour to our food but keep your cats away from it. If you prepare food for your fur ball at home, make sure to skip these, because any amount of consumption can be deadly.

These contain a substance called thiosulphate that extracts oxygen from the red blood cells and causes anaemia. If your cat shows any symptoms of lethargy, pale gums, weakness and loss of appetite, consult the Vet instantly so that they can start the treatment.

6. Raisins and Grapes

If your cat is already going through kidney diseases, never feed them raisins and grapes.

7. Green Tomatoes and Potatoes

Both potatoes and tomatoes are a threat to a cat if we talk about their health. These contain an alkaloid that when consumed, affects the stomach severely. Both potatoes and tomatoes belong to a family of plants called Solanaceae or Nightshades that are poisonous to cats. The impact of feeding these raw to your cats can be gastrointestinal distress. However, it also depends on your cat’s pre-existing health conditions about how much acid intake they can handle.

8. Liver

Chicken Liver is one of the healthy meals for your cat, but it has a few cons as well. Feeding too much liver will affect your cat by causing Vitamin A Hypervitaminosis and can even cause death. There have been many confusions and different points of views when we talk about feeding a cat raw liver. But that’s a risk & your cat can suffer from food-borne illness.

As advised, you must always seek your Vet before feeding your kitty any raw food. They will help in balancing the raw diet that will help in your cat’s healthier growth. 

9. Dog Food

Petting a cat and a dog often isn’t an easy job because each has its own nutritional needs. Pet parents sometimes end-up serving their kitty from the bowl of furries. That’s a severe issue because a dog and a cat have a different metabolism.

Serving your kitty with the dog treat is fine, but when it becomes steady, it makes their health critical because the dog food has less amount of arachidonic acid, vitamin A, taurine and protein. It isn’t toxic food, but it doesn’t fulfil the nutritional needs of a cat.

Feeding your cat a healthy diet will help them grow happy and fit. Always make sure to give your cat a balanced meal so that you don’t have to run to the Vet regularly. To make sure that they consume healthy meals daily, keep the toxic food out of their reach and consider installing cat-proof locks on the cabinets. It is even more crucial to keep a tab on what they are consuming when outside during vacations.

Happy Pet-Parenting