Food-loving cats are often quick to munch on leftover food and crumbs that fall under the kitchen table. Maybe you even give the cat luxurious human food such as fish, liver pate or meatballs? However, some foods are less good for our four-legged friends.
Chocolate
Many people know that chocolate is toxic to dogs, but even cats are extra sensitive to theobromine, the substance in cocoa that the animals react to. A benchmark is that the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains.
The symptoms often appear after 4–24 hours and manifest themselves as vomiting, lethargy, thirst, incontinence, profuse salivation and palpitations. Fortunately, however, it is unusual for cats to ingest such amounts of chocolate that they become poisoned, but should the cat show signs of poisoning, contact a veterinarian.
Onions and garlic
Onions and garlic contain the substance allicin which is toxic to cats.
The substance can cause damage to the liver and other organs.
Both raw and cooked onions contain the substance, so the danger is not over just because the onion has been fried on the stove.
Grapes and raisins
Both fresh grapes and dried, ie raisins, can be toxic to the cat’s kidneys.
The symptoms usually appear within six hours and can be diffuse.
They can manifest themselves as diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, abdominal pain or the cat urinating poorly.
Spicy, sweet and salty food
We humans love to salty, sweet and in other ways spice up our food, but the cat is not as fond of your Indian stew or salty pizza and can get sick to his stomach. Unlike dogs, cats are strict carnivores.
They do not need a lot of carbohydrates or vegetables, but they should have fatty and protein-rich food from animal sources.
An occasional food residue from time to time is no danger, but too much food intended for humans or other pets can make it difficult for the cat to get the nutrients that the body needs.
Milk
Many cats do not actually tolerate lactose and contrary to many people’s beliefs, cow’s milk is not the best treat for cats.
Instead, there is special “cat milk” with less lactose that you can give your cat. See it more as a treat – cats should drink water. For lactating kittens, you can buy a special milk substitute adapted to their specific needs.
Fish bones and bird carcass
Many cats are crazy about fish and it is not uncommon for cat owners to give away a small piece of cod or salmon as a luxury meal. Clean the bones in the fish to avoid the risk of a fish bone getting stuck in the throat, intestines or damaging the mucous membranes.
The same applies to bird carcasses from, for example, chicken. Also be careful about giving the cat raw fish, as some fish species contain an enzyme that prevents the cat from absorbing B vitamins. But cooked, cleaned fish – yummy!