Treats to Keep Away From Fluffy
Our feline friends deserve the best, and sometimes we misconstrue that. Pet parents often feed their fuzzy family table scraps, or they might even cook homemade meals—but people food isn’t necessarily safe for our furbabies. To avoid any heartache and costly vet bills, let’s dive into a few items you should always keep off the menu.
1. Chocolate
Chocolate is just as dangerous for cats as it is for dogs. Stimulants, like theobromine and caffeine, are often found in our favorite snack food, making them pretty dicey for cats. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are particularly dangerous due to the higher cocoa concentration.
2. Grapes
Grapes might be a healthy snack for us, but they’re anything but for your cat. Keep them and raisins away from your furry friend; ingestion can cause anything from vomiting and lethargy to kidney failure. Even small quantities can cause immediate reactions.
3. Caffeine
Your cat doesn’t need a pick-me-up, so never give them coffee. Even additional goodies, like chocolate or green tea, are a bad idea. At the very least, caffeine causes stomach upset, diarrhea, and vomiting. In the worst-case scenario, it can cause poisoning or even fatality.
4. Garlic
You may have heard about onions’ toxins, but did you know that garlic is five times as dangerous for cats? Their potency and a cat’s small stature don’t mix, causing a greater risk of toxicity. Small amounts can still result in pale gums, vomiting, and lethargy.
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5. Raw Fish
We hate to break it to you, but cartoons got it wrong: cats shouldn’t eat raw fish! Common bacteria remove any beneficial enzymes and vitamins you’d find in cooked fish, leaving your furry friend susceptible to E. coli and Salmonella.
