1. Onions
A staple in almost any kitchen and most recipes is a toxic food for cats! Onions are dangerous for cats if ingested therefore, it is best to keep onions in your kitchen in a secured container and out of reach of your cats.
2. Garlic
My vet told me that garlic can break down the red blood cells so it can lead to anemia in cats. Be mindful that garlic is 5x more potent than onions, so it is not really good to get this ingested by your cats.
3. Raw foods like eggs
It is never a good idea to give your cat a raw food unless prescribed by your vet. One example is the egg- since they can catch the bacteria called salmonella or E.coli from eating them raw. Also, the protein called avidin found in egg whites blocks the absorption of biotin, which is very important in making her coat healthy and shiny.
4. Chocolate
As much as you want to share a delicious treat to your cats, do note that chocolate is not for them! It is because theobromine is present in all kinds of chocolates and considered as a toxic agent for cats. It can give them seizures, tremors, rapid heartbeat or worst, death.
5. Coffee
Caffeine poisoning can happen in your cats when given in large amount. You know that drinking coffee can cause palpitation, restlessness, and tremors so expect that this is more fatal in our feline buddy!
6. Alcoholic beverages
Don’t make fun of your cats when you think they look cute when tipsy! Any beverage with alcohol content has a bad effect on their liver or brain as it does on human. With just 2 teaspoons of whisky, you can put your cat into a comma, and one more can cause him to die.
7. Dairy products
If you think that a little bit of cheese or milk will not hurt your cat’s stomach, you are wrong! If your cat has lactose-intolerant, any dairy product can upset his digestive tract so even if you’re tempted to share it as a treat, don’t ever give it.
8. Grapes and raisins
Once taken, your cats will vomit and will make them ill. Even if grapes are nutritious for humans, feeding your cat with it can cause them kidney failure and health problems.
9. Dog food
If you have a dog in the house and ran out of cat food, it is not a good idea to substitute a dog food for their meal! The content of your cat’s food is different and specially formulated to meet their nutritional needs so giving them your dog food can make them underweight and unhealthy.
10. Human medicines
Giving your cat your prescribed medicine can poison him. If you think that your cat is ill, do not get tempted to cure him with human medicine as it can kill him or cause even more serious problems.
11. Indoor and outdoor plants
Some houseplants can be very toxic for your cats once ingested. If you love plants or flowers, there is a tendency that your cat can eat it since naturally, they love eating outdoor grasses. When you have asthmatic cats, the pollen that they can eat can trigger allergies or failure in their system so keep your plants away and out of reach!
12. Insecticides and other chemicals
If your cat loves to roam around the house and try to sniff or taste anything, then keep your household pesticides away. These are poisonous and can cause sudden death to your cats.
13. Tuna
Our cats love tuna very much but giving them too much of it can cause them mercury poisoning. So if you have cats who love to loiter in your kitchen sink, make sure to throw away a leftover or an empty can!
14. Fat trimmings
One of our common table scraps, fat trimmings can upset your cat’s stomach, whether cooked or uncooked. It can cause him diarrhea or vomiting so never give them any of this and dispose leftovers that your cat can snatch on the table.
15. Liver
Not that it’s not good but too much consumption of it can cause Vitamin A toxicity. You can give your cat a little amount once in a while but making it a part of their diet is a no-no.
16. Yeast dough
If your cat accidentally eats it, the yeast dough will cause pain since the dough swells inside the stomach. The yeast also produces alcohol that can cause bad effects on liver and brain so avoid having them a taste of it.
17. Energy drinks
Heard that phrase “like a cat on a hot tin roof”? You’ll make your cat anxious and restless when you have them try a small shot. So don’t give them or let them taste even a small amount!
18. Nuts
This includes almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other types of nuts. It contains oils and fats in high amount and once ingested, can cause pancreatitis. Other symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.
19. Salt
When cats ingest too much of salt or salty food, it can lead to sodium poisoning that starts with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, high body temperature, tremors, or seizures. Be mindful of the food you give to them and check the salt content.
20. Mushrooms
When your cat ingested a large amount of mushroom, it can cause mild to severe symptoms such as vomiting, upset stomach, hallucinations, excitability, liver problem, comatose or death. Never give them any type of it.
21. Avocado
This delicious fruit can upset your cat’s stomach that will trigger continuous vomiting and diarrhea. They can die of lethargy when not given an immediate or proper treatment.
22. Coconut and coconut oil
No matter how healthy this fruit is when eaten by humans, it is toxic for cats. When eaten, it can cause loose stool and diarrhea. Even the coconut water contains high amount of potassium, so it is not advisable to be given to your cat.
23. Citrus
If you give the fruit in a small amount, it will not cause too much problem aside from an upset stomach but the stem, leaves, or the peels can cause irritation or nervous system depression because of high amount of citric acid.
24. Caffeinated drinks (soda, tea)
Your cats can become restless and develop rapid heart breathing when you give him a soda or tea. It is not really good to give them colored drinks since it’s not meant for pets. Save yourself from a vet checkup and couple of worries!
25. Chives
It has the same effect as onion and garlic so keep them away from your cats! It can cause vomiting and make their digestive track upset if they have eaten even a small portion of it
26. Xylitol( found in gums and candies)
This artificial sweetener can cause your cat to vomit , lethargy or seizures. The symptoms can happen in as fast as 30 minutes up to 12 hours. So don’t give them candies or sweets.
27. Chicken bones
Listen cat owners- be cautious about this because it can break into small pieces that can cause choking or block the throat or intestines of your cat. It can cause immediate death so never give them this!
28. Sultanas
A handful of it can cause a cat to die. Some snack bars contain sultanas. If you want them to give a treat, just stick with anything cat-friendly and don’t give them your fave snack.
29. Fruit stones and pits
The stones or pits of fruits are harmful to your cats because it can weaken them, cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pains, collapsing or lethargy. It obstructs their digestive system so don’t give any of it to them.
30. Corn cobs
Corn cob cannot replace the regular meal of your cat because it is not sufficient to meet the nutritional value that your pet needs. Too much of it leads to decreased absorption of vital nutrients that they need. Do not buy a cat food with corn as a filler.
31. Tomatoes
Keep the tomatoes away (especially the green ones) on your cat’s diet because of a chemical present in it called Glycoalkaloid Solanine that can cause poisoning. It can lead to serious problems of the gastrointestinal system, so it is considered toxic for your cats.
Resources:
https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/nutrition-feeding/toxic-foods-for-cats
https://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/top-10-cat-poisons
https://pets.webmd.com/cats/ss/slideshow-foods-your-cat-should-never-eat
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/foods-can-be-poisonous-pets
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/cat-care-advice/toxic-items-cats
https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/09/11/what-foods-cant-dogs-and-cats-eat_a_23203711/
