Dangerous Foods for Cats

While you may know that chewing on houseplants is bad for cats, you may be unsure whether feeding your cat a few table scraps is safe. If you are a cat owner, it's important to know which human foods are unhealthy or dangerous for cats and how to protect your feline friend from consuming dangerous foods.

Types

Types of foods that are dangerous for cats include alcohol, chocolate, chicken bones, grapes, raisins, green tomatoes, onions and garlic.

Effects

The effects of dangerous foods can range from heart and nervous system damage (chocolate), kidney damage (grapes and raisins), anemia (onions and garlic) and choking or perforation of the digestive system (splinters from bones). Too much alcohol or repeated exposure to dangerous foods can eventually lead to death in cats.

Size

Size is a factor when it comes to dangerous foods for pets. While a 50-lb. dog might get sick from eating an entire chocolate bar, it probably would not die; a 12-lb. cat could experience much more severe symptoms or even death from eating less than half the same candy bar.

Misconceptions

While it's been common practice in the past to feed saucers of milk to cats and kittens, dairy products are often not good for cats. Like some humans, many cats are lactose intolerant, and large amounts of dairy in the diet can cause diarrhea.

Warning

Items that don't have obvious chunks of dangerous foods may still be toxic to cats. For instance, chips or crackers that are flavored with onion powder or garlic powder may make your cat sick.

Prevention/Solution

If you believe your cat has eaten dangerous foods, contact your vet or the local veterinary hospital right away. Make notes about what foods were eaten and in what quantity to help assist your vet with risk assessment.