Pet experts indicate that this is not advisable to share human foods with cats as it may lead to feline toxicity, obesity, and sometimes allergies. In particular, you need to make sure that you don’t feed your cat any of the human foods discussed below:
1. Raw eggs
Raw eggs are not the best for cats. They contain very many bacteria, such as Salmonella and others, which could be fatal to your pet. The presence of protein avidin in raw eggs makes it hard for cats to absorb essential nutrients and vitamins from food. To be on the safe side, you can consider boiling the egg before feeding your kittens to absolve them from any harm.
2. Raw meat and bones
Just like most of the raw foods, raw meat can harbor very many living organisms, which can be harmful to your cat. You should prepare the meat thoroughly so that it can be safe for your cat. Additionally, raw meat is not the best, either. Excessive consumption of raw bones by cats has shown increased cases of constipation. However, giving one or two raw bones a week is not fatal.
3. Onions and garlic
Garlic and onions are hazardous food products and they should not be fed to both dogs and cats. In fact, increased exposure of garlic to cats can lead to fatal health conditions such as secondary renal damage, Heinz body anemia, and gastrointestinal upset, among others. Studies show that cats have proved to be more sensitive to garlic and onion than any other species out there in the world.
4. Grapes and raisins
Veterinary experts advise against feeding grapes and raisins to cats. It has been demonstrated that even the smallest units of these human fruits can lead to serious illnesses among cats. One of the most common illnesses to cats that have consumed grapes and raisins is the drastic development of kidney failure. You can easily detect whether your cat has eaten grapes through vomiting, which occurs twelve hours after ingestion.
5. Chocolate and caffeinated drinks
Chocolate and caffeinated drinks, like coffee and tea, contain methylxanthines compounds, which is very dangerous to cats. It usually causes seizures, increased thirst, high body temperature, abdominal discomfort, abnormal heart rhythm, and diarrhea, among other severe health complications. As a rule of thumb, you should make sure that your cat never feeds on chocolate and caffeinated drinks because it can succumb to the resulting symptoms.
6. Milk and dairy products
Although cats seem to enjoy milk and other dairy products, you should manage the quantities they consume. Most of the cats have shown severe diarrhea and stomach upsets after drinking excessive milk and dairy products. Experts indicate that cats have difficulties digesting lactose, which may lead to health complications. For kittens, always make sure that they feed their mother’s milk to avoid lactose upsets.
Having cats as special pets is a common practice for most of the people. When you have a cat as your pet, you will always be tempted to offer special treats to keep her happy. However, bear in mind that most of the human foods can lead to feline toxicity, so it is advisable to stick to cat-approved foods and treats only.
