So, you have a cat. Although it’s great to shop for an automatic pet feeder, a cat tree, a cat water fountain and the works, you need to do more than that. You need to make sure that you have the necessary knowledge when it comes to a cat’s diet.
Cats have sensitive stomachs as you may know by now. It’s not unusual for your cat’s digestive system to go into a full somersault if it consumes something that it should not be eating. This is the main reason why you need to be careful with what you are feeding your cats.
What food should you be giving cats? For one, those felines need a lot of protein in their diet. However, that’s not all, they need a whole set of vitamins and minerals particularly taurine to stay healthy. If you are concerned about human foods that your babies should not consume, here’s a quick list of the most harmful foods for your kitty:
1. Alcoholic Drinks
If you are going through a rough patch in your life, you can talk to your cat as much as you want and grab a bottle of beer or whatever your drink of choice may be. But never let your feline get a sip of wine or anything that contains alcohol or you might be planning your pet’s funeral next. Alcohol, even in small amounts, may cause irreversible damage to your pet.
When your pet gets a drink, they may be intoxicated which is the least of your worries. They could also go into a coma or worse, die. However, alcoholic drinks are not the only way that your pets come in contact with alcohol, cleaning products, perfume, mouthwash and many other harmless substances around the house contains alcohol and your pets should never lick the bottles of anything that contains them.
2. Dog Food
When you have a cat and a dog, you might think that your cats can eat what your dog does –this is wrong and it can put your cat’s life at risk. Of course, it’s possible that you will make mistakes in feeding kitty with the wrong food but you should make sure that you won’t commit that error over and over again.
Giving dog food to cats can cause a serious case of malnutrition. Aside from that, it may cause a wide array of heart problems when fed repeatedly.
3. Marijuana
Smoking pot may have health benefits for you, but this is not necessarily true for your feline. This is just like alcohol, you can do it but don’t involve your pet when indulging in it. Cats have a negative reaction to marijuana and it may cause vomiting.
Aside from that, this can also cause some damage to their nervous system and their cardiovascular system. You might notice an increase in heart rate when you give it to your cat.
4. Garlic and Onions
Onion rings, fried garlic, and a wide array of dishes containing these two may be tasty to us humans but they may not be good for cats. If you are into giving your cat whatever you are having for dinner or lunch, you should stop doing it, especially if it contains either garlic or onion. Of the two, garlic is the lesser evil but you still need to be careful with everything you give to cats.
These two spices can cause damage to your pet’s red blood cells. If this happens, they might have anemia which can be life-threatening to cats.
5. Raw Eggs
Cats need protein -that’s a fact. However, a raw egg might not be the best way to support that nutritional requirement. Giving raw eggs to your cat is a bad idea on many levels. Eggs contain an enzyme which will decrease the absorption of biotin in cats.
In some cases, raw eggs can cause have salmonella which could make your cats sick. Aside from that, giving raw eggs to your cat may lead to hair and coat problems.
6. Yeast Dough
This may seem to be a friendly food item but it’s not when it comes to cats. You should stay away from this because it can make your cat gassy. It could also make the digestive system expand.
In serious cases, eating this may cause the stomach and the intestines to rupture.
Having a cat is a big responsibility. As the cat owner, you need to make sure that your cat is safe and healthy. If you want your feline to have optimum health, you need to pay attention to its food to make sure that it is eating properly. This is just a short list of food items that cats should never eat. What food items make your cat sick? Tell us all about it in the comments section and be sure to hit share to let your friends know what not to give their cat.
About the author:
My name is Diana Hutchinson. I am the founder of Tinpaw.com. I have more than 10-years’ experience in nurturing and caring dog & cats. I love them. Since long ago they had been become important members of my family.
