10 Foods Your Cat Eat: Which Can Be Dangerous for Your Cat and Why

Most people understand the digestive system of humans and cats are very different. The result of your cat eating dangerous foods and can range from an upset stomach, illness to even death. It's important to keep your pet safe. Below is a list of some of the most common dangerous foods that are harmful to cats to eat and why.

Onions and garlic

It doesn't matter if they're raw, powdered or uncooked, onions and garlic are harmful to your cat. They damage red blood cells. This causes anemia, which will make your pet pale and lethargic.

Baby food

Even though it's great for human babies, it can be quite dangerous for cats. Often baby food contains onion powder (see above). Not only is that, but the nutritional needs of a cat very different from humans. Your cat may suffer from malnutrition as a result of eating it.

Chocolate

Its common knowledge that it's bad for dogs; however, chocolate is just as harmful to cats. A chemical called theobromine is contained in chocolate. While humans digest it just fine, both dogs and cats digest it much more slowly. Even small amounts of this chemical can be deadly.

Coffee

It's not good to give your cat caffeine. It only takes eight teaspoons for it to become deadly.

Grapes and raisins

It hasn't been determined exactly why they're harmful; however, studies have shown that cats who have eaten large amounts of grapes and raisins suffer kidney failure.

Spinach

While it's hasn't been determined exactly how harmful spinach is to cats, it does contain small amounts of calcium oxalates. This could lead to crystals in the urine. Urinary problems could be the result if your cat is allowed to eat too much spinach.

Unripe tomatoes

Tomatoes are part of the nightshade plant family. They contain a poisonous substance called solanine. While it is harmful to humans too, we have to eat large amounts for it to hurt us. On the other hand, it only takes small amounts of solanine to be harmful to a cat. Because of this, unripe tomatoes should never be given to cats.

Raw eggs and raw meat

Like humans, consumption of raw eggs or raw meat can lead in cats to salmonella or E. coli. Symptoms of the illness can include vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Salmonella and E. coli can also be transmitted to humans, so be careful to properly wash your hands after cooking and keep your cat away from these raw foods.

Dairy

Dairy is an absolute no for both cats and dogs alike. Sure that ice cream is delicious, but it's not worth sharing. Consuming dairy products such as milk, whipped cream, ice cream, and yogurt causes digestive problems, most notably diarrhea. Dairy has also been known to cause food-based allergies that are often seen as itchiness.

Leftover table scraps

The problem with feeding your best friend food made for people is they tend to contain too much sugar, salt, and fat; all of which leads to a variety of diseases, such as diabetes, indigestion and liver malfunction.

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The best prevention is simply to keep your food out of reach of your cat. If you choose to give your cat human food, please research properly beforehand to ensure they are safe to consume.