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by Denyse Lessard February 19, 2020 5 min read
18 CommentsYou 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Gums contain 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. Your cat can't eat gum our other product containing Xylitol. 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.
These are only some “people foods” to watch out for. Make sure you inform yourself carefully before giving anything to your cat. Remember that nutritious cat foods have been made to really meet all of your cat’s nutritional needs. Feeding your cat something off your plate once in a while may not cause any harm, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you’d like more info on how to detox your pet naturally, (it is highly recommended especially if your cat ate one of these toxic food), feel free to contact zumalka.com for more information. If you think your cat has been poisoned, don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA National Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435.
Are there any other human foods you can think of that may be toxic for your cat?
April 26, 2021
How about powdered Reiki in broth?
March 15, 2021
My 3 month old kitten eats potato chips, and loves to nibble on my plate. I am Sicilian and cook everything with olive oil, garlic, onion and scallion and still she loves my food. She is 3 lbs and so very healthy. No diarrhea and no problems. I think that in small amounts it’s okay.
July 13, 2020
Hi Theresa,
Thank you for your comment and we are very sorry to hear about your cat’s food allergy!! We are sure we can help with that!!
We have sent you a private email to help you and your cat more!
Regards,
Homeoanimal
July 13, 2020
All cat food gives my cat an extreme running nose
January 23, 2020
Hi Suzanne, We are so sorry to hear about your cat’s stomatitis! We have sent you a personal email in order for us to help your cat in a more personalized way. We look forward to helping more!
January 23, 2020
Our cat “Zilla”, has stomatitas. we’re feeding him anything from baby food (only meat) to fancy feast. Is there anything we can give him otherwise? he has surgery in 2 weeks and we’re trying to keep his heath up. He’s on a medication as well.
October 02, 2019
Hi Mrs. Bacon, Thank you for your question! We have contacted you directly to help you with your kitty :)
October 02, 2019
My cat loves to catch, torture and eventually eat cockroaches. Gross indeed, but will it hurt her?
August 30, 2019
I have an senior cat from the SPCA. She appears to have food allergies. I am now giving her only chicken-based food without the animal byproducts. It does not appear that her scratching has minimized. How long does it take before you can actually see a decrease in the amount your cat is scratching from the allergy. It has been several weeks she has been on this new diet?
July 26, 2019
Dear Amy,
Thank you for your message. Sadly we never heard back from the Glass family in order to help them more. As for your question, I believe we have already contacted you by email directly about this so we can help you in a more personal way to find help for your son’s kitty. We hope his cat feels much better soon!
July 26, 2019
Dear Trudy A Blows,
To answer your question about your cat and the snail, there should be no issues there. True snails can be toxic to cats and dogs but after even eating ONE there should be no issues. So if you don’t see any symptoms pop up in your cat’s health after this incident there most likely won’t be any. Your cat will probably be just fine.
July 19, 2019
I was curious as to what the follow-up was with the Glass Family and their cat. My kitten decided to eat my son’s potato salad before I could stop her, and now I am worried.
July 05, 2019
My cat plays with snails, if her paw touches the actual flesh and she licks her paw, will it make her ill? Thanks!
May 02, 2019
Hello Glass Family.
I’m Alex from homeoanimal.
I transfered your comment to our Health Advisor and they will contact you shortly to give you tips and advice about the issue you mentionned.
Have a nice day
May 02, 2019
Hello Dr Lesser
Please advise our cat Majon Boo yesterday has eaten potatoe peels and was vomiting . It subsided today but he is refusing food today . The humaine society advised I bring him in to put him down . I can’t stand to kill our kitty . My children will be devastated , as well as myself .
Is there anyway of possibly reversing this , any home remedies for soothing the gastrointestinal tract ? We are in dire straits and sheer sadness and desperation .
Please advise , thank you so much for your help and efforts .
December 09, 2015
Thank you Carole for your comment. You bring up a good point. It’s true that homeopathic remedies contain alcohol and maybe some other substances that can be toxic. Although some homeopathic solutions contain toxic substances for cats , they are typically thought to be present in amounts too small to present any danger. As for your unresponded email, please accept our apologies. We will look into that and respond to your email. Have a nice day. Homeopetcare.
December 09, 2015
It always makes me wonder why it is alright to give cats Garlic or onion in a Homeopathic remedy (I have a remedy from you with it in)Also many of the remedies are ‘in’ Alcohol.Many recipes for kitten food include raw egg yolk,I have used it many times,with no problems. I would like to know how long the remedies are good for?? Should I put in fridge,I would like to suggest a remedy could be put in smaller amount,after paying 60.00 for one I have over half a bottle left,maybe you could have two sizes,I hope I do not have to use it again.I did leave a message re my kitten last week but did not get a reply. Carole.
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April 26, 2021
Hi Jan, Reishi is an excellent medicinal mushroom, so it can be excellent added to the food to protect the liver and also has great anti-tumor properties!!