Cats are curious creatures and sometimes their inquisitiveness can lead them to nibble on things they shouldn’t. As responsible cat owners, it’s crucial to know What Can Cats Not Eat to protect them from potential health hazards. While a loss of appetite in cats can be a sign of underlying health issues, understanding dietary restrictions is equally important to prevent emergencies in the first place. This guide will walk you through foods that are toxic or harmful to cats, ensuring your feline friend stays healthy and safe.
Foods Toxic to Cats
It’s essential to be aware of common household foods that are perfectly safe for humans but can be dangerous, even fatal, for cats. Accidental ingestion of these items can lead to serious health complications requiring immediate veterinary attention.
1. Chocolate and Caffeine
Chocolate is a well-known toxin for dogs, but it’s equally harmful to cats. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, specifically theobromine and caffeine, which are stimulants. Cats are more sensitive to these substances than humans. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are the most dangerous due to their higher concentrations of methylxanthines.
Why it’s harmful: Methylxanthines can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, rapid heart rate, and even death in cats. Even small amounts, especially of dark chocolate, can be toxic.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning: Restlessness, hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, excessive urination, muscle tremors, seizures, and elevated heart rate.
Caffeine, found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and even some medications, also contains methylxanthines and poses similar risks to cats as chocolate.
Prevention: Keep chocolate and caffeinated products out of reach of your cat. This includes cocoa powder, coffee beans, tea bags, and caffeinated beverages. Be mindful of desserts or baked goods containing chocolate.
2. Onions and Garlic
Onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives, all members of the Allium family, are toxic to cats whether they are cooked, raw, dried, or powdered. These vegetables contain thiosulphates, which damage red blood cells in cats, leading to hemolytic anemia.
Why it’s harmful: Thiosulphates cause oxidative damage to red blood cells, making them rupture. This reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, leading to anemia.
Symptoms of onion and garlic poisoning: Lethargy, weakness, decreased appetite, pale gums, vomiting, diarrhea, and dark-colored urine. Symptoms may not appear immediately and can be delayed for several days.
Prevention: Avoid feeding your cat any foods containing onions or garlic. This includes many human foods like soups, sauces, gravies, and seasoned snacks. Be cautious with baby food as some varieties contain onion or garlic powder.
3. Grapes and Raisins
Grapes and raisins, even in small amounts, can cause kidney failure in cats. The exact toxic substance in grapes and raisins is still unknown, but it is consistently linked to kidney damage in felines.
Why it’s harmful: Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in cats. Kidney failure can lead to a buildup of toxins in the body and can be life-threatening.
Symptoms of grape and raisin poisoning: Vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, dehydration, increased thirst and urination initially, followed by decreased urination as kidney failure progresses.
Prevention: Never give grapes or raisins to your cat. Keep these fruits out of reach, especially if you have them on countertops or in fruit bowls. Be aware that some baked goods and snacks may contain raisins.
4. Alcohol
Alcohol, found in alcoholic beverages and some food products, is extremely toxic to cats. Cats are much smaller than humans, and their systems cannot process alcohol effectively.
Why it’s harmful: Alcohol can depress the central nervous system, leading to a range of symptoms from incoordination to coma and respiratory failure. It can also cause liver and brain damage.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning: Vomiting, diarrhea, incoordination, disorientation, tremors, difficulty breathing, decreased body temperature, coma, and death.
Prevention: Do not allow your cat to consume alcoholic beverages. Keep alcoholic drinks and food products containing alcohol away from your cat. Be cautious with cleaning products or mouthwashes that may contain alcohol.
5. Xylitol
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener found in sugar-free candies, gum, baked goods, toothpaste, and some peanut butters. It is highly toxic to dogs and also dangerous for cats, although less commonly reported as a feline toxin.
Why it’s harmful: Xylitol can cause a rapid release of insulin in cats, leading to a sudden drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). In dogs, it can also cause liver failure, but this effect is less documented in cats, though still a potential risk.
Symptoms of xylitol poisoning: Vomiting, lethargy, weakness, incoordination, seizures, and potentially liver failure.
Prevention: Check labels of sugar-free products for xylitol and keep them away from your cat. Be especially cautious with sugar-free gum, candies, and peanut butter.
6. Raw Dough
Raw dough, especially yeast dough, is dangerous for cats if ingested.
Why it’s harmful: Raw dough containing yeast can rise in the warm, moist environment of a cat’s stomach. This can cause the dough to expand, leading to gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), a life-threatening condition where the stomach twists and bloats. Additionally, as the yeast ferments, it produces ethanol, leading to alcohol poisoning.
Symptoms of raw dough ingestion: Vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, lethargy, weakness, incoordination, and signs of alcohol poisoning.
Prevention: Do not leave raw dough unattended where your cat can access it. Ensure rising dough is in a secure location.
7. Bones
Cooked bones, especially from poultry and fish, are brittle and can splinter easily when chewed by cats.
Why it’s harmful: Splintered bones can cause choking, lacerations in the mouth and throat, intestinal blockages, or punctures in the digestive tract.
Symptoms of bone ingestion: Choking, gagging, coughing, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, decreased appetite, and straining to defecate.
Prevention: Never give cooked bones to your cat. Dispose of bones properly in a secure bin. Raw bones also pose a risk of bacterial contamination and are generally not recommended.
8. Dairy Products (Lactose Intolerance)
While many cats enjoy milk, most adult cats are lactose intolerant.
Why it’s harmful: Cats lack significant amounts of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Undigested lactose can ferment in the colon, leading to gastrointestinal upset.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance: Diarrhea, vomiting, gas, and abdominal discomfort.
Prevention: Avoid giving cow’s milk and other dairy products to your adult cat. Lactose-free milk or specially formulated cat milk are safer alternatives in small amounts, but water should always be the primary hydration source.
9. Tuna (in excess)
Tuna is often a favorite treat for cats, but excessive tuna consumption can lead to health problems.
Why it’s harmful: Tuna, especially certain types like albacore, can contain high levels of mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal that can accumulate in a cat’s system over time, leading to mercury poisoning. Additionally, a diet overly reliant on tuna can be deficient in other essential nutrients.
Symptoms of mercury poisoning: Incoordination, tremors, vision problems, and behavioral changes.
Prevention: Offer tuna as an occasional treat, not as a staple food. Opt for cat foods that provide balanced nutrition.
10. Liver (in excess)
Liver is rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for cats in moderate amounts. However, excessive liver consumption can lead to Vitamin A toxicity.
Why it’s harmful: Vitamin A toxicity, or hypervitaminosis A, can cause bone deformities, joint pain, and liver damage.
Symptoms of Vitamin A toxicity: Bone spurs, stiffness, lameness, reluctance to move, constipation, and weight loss.
Prevention: Limit liver intake. Liver can be a small part of a balanced diet, but it should not be a significant portion.
11. Dog Food
While not toxic, dog food is not nutritionally balanced for cats and should be avoided as a regular food source.
Why it’s harmful: Cats have different nutritional needs than dogs. They require higher levels of protein, taurine, arachidonic acid, and vitamin A, which are adequately provided in cat food but may be deficient in dog food. Taurine deficiency, for example, can lead to serious heart problems in cats.
Symptoms of nutritional deficiencies (long-term dog food consumption): Heart problems, vision problems, and poor coat quality.
Prevention: Ensure your cat is fed cat-specific food that meets their unique nutritional requirements. If you have both cats and dogs, feed them separately to prevent cross-consumption of food.
Protecting Your Cat
Knowing what cats can not eat is a significant step in ensuring their well-being. Always read labels carefully and be mindful of the ingredients in human foods you share your home with. When in doubt about whether a food is safe for your cat, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and avoid giving it to them.
If you suspect your cat has ingested something toxic, contact your veterinarian immediately. Early intervention can significantly improve the prognosis and help your feline friend recover quickly. Keeping toxic foods out of reach and being informed are your best defenses in maintaining a healthy and safe environment for your beloved cat.
When to Contact Your Vet:
Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat has eaten any of these toxic foods or if you observe any of the symptoms mentioned above. Prompt veterinary care can make a significant difference in your cat’s recovery.
By being vigilant and informed about what cats can not eat, you can prevent potential health crises and ensure your cat lives a long, healthy, and happy life.
