10 Foods You Should Never, Ever Feed Your Cat

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There is some sort of misconception about cats. I cannot tell you how many times I hear people say that they like cats because cats don’t beg for food. Okay; I’ll give them that. However, as someone who has been a cat owner my entire life (except now that our darling and beloved cat escaped our home and became dinner for a coyote), I know that this is not exactly true. Sure, cats do not beg. They are far too dignified for that. Furthermore, cats are far sneakier about their desire to consume your dinner than a dog might be.

While a dog might sit at your feet, drooling all over your Choos and begging for food with a ridiculous expression on its face that all but screams, “Please, please, please, please, please, please gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, oh it smells so good, please, please please,” a cat will not do the same. So while I can see why you might think that your cat is not looking to help itself to dinner; it’s not true.

My cat used to stealthy sneak up to the table and try to grab food right off the kids’ plates when he thought we were not looking. Or he’d wait until we’d turn around in the kitchen and see if he could use lightning speed to grab food off a plate or a tray, or right out of the pan. Sneaky, sneaky; but we always caught him. He eventually found his way into the laundry room where he was banned from spending time with the family until mealtime was over and all food was put away. *sigh*

Cats might not beg for food, but that doesn’t mean they need to eat all the food that we have at home. There are 10 foods that are toxic, harmful and very dangerous for your cat. Learn them, know them and live by the motto that your cat needs to eat only food that is marketed for cats. These 10 items could cause serious health issues, including death, for your feline friend.

Dog Food

All right, so dog food is not going to kill your cat. However, it might not be a good idea to allow your cat too much access to dog food. The reason is very simple. Cats and dogs need different things in life. This means that the food your dog eats, while intriguing to his feline companions, is not going to provide the cat with the type of nutrition he or she needs to survive. So, while it won’t hurt him, per say, it also won’t help him.

Onions

We love them and use them all the time in our house, but they can have a very negative effect on the health of your cat. When eaten, the different sulfoxides in the onions can cause your cat to develop anemia, which can lead to even more serious health issues.

Garlic

Much like onion, garlic is very bad for your kitty. Filled with things called sulfoxides and disulfides, this is something that is considered highly dangerous to your cat. It can cause your cat to die, and it might be something that you have to find a way to deal with on a long-term basis.

Milk

I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t blame you. Don’t kittens drink milk? Yes, they do. However, as cats age, they begin to develop an intolerance to milk and it can make them very sick. Do not feed your cat milk once the kitten stage is over. It’s water all the time; milk can hurt your cat in ways I’m certain you cannot even imagine.

Milk-Based Products

Like we said just a second ago, cats develop lactose intolerance as they age. This your cats need to lay off the cookie dough and yogurt and they certainly do not need to spend time with ice cream. Even after   bad break up, your cat is going to need to find some other way to drown his or her sorrows. Ice cream might kill him.

Chocolate

Filled with caffeine, chocolate is not a good idea for either cats or dogs. It can kill both, though it takes very small doses of chocolate to cause major health problems with your cat. Do yourself a favor and keep the cat away from the candy dish and the ice cream bowls. It’s for his health; but he’s going to think it’s because you are selfish and not very giving when it comes to his desires. He’ll have to get over that, though.

Alcohol

If you’re like me, you’re thinking that sharing alcohol with a cat seems a bit like alcohol abuse. I know you wouldn’t offer your cat a glass of wine at the end of the day, but be sure he’s not helping himself to yours when you are not looking. Alcohol of any type can easily render your cat very ill. Make sure you have an eye on that glass and that your cat isn’t letting curiosity get the best of him in this particular situation.

Candy

Have you heard of something called xylitol? Me either. However, it’s found in many candies and other sweet foods, which means your cats need to steer clear. It’s a sweetener that, if ingested, can cause your cat’s liver to fail and even cause your cat to experience dangerous seizures.

Grapes/Raisins

Filled with so many amazing things for us, grapes and raisins have toxins in them that can cause your cat to die. If not death, your cat could suffer from kidney damage or even just vomiting and diarrhea. However, I know you don’t want to take that chance – or deal with the clean-up associated with this kind of thing that your cat might deal with.

Salt

It’s not that good for us, so why would we assume it’s good for our cats? Salt causes some serious health issues in cats, including potential dehydration. If you don’t want your cat to become sick or even die, you want to keep him or her away from the salt and out of the premenstrual snacks you keep hidden around the house.

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