I am the proud owner of two mischievous house cats. A better statement of that fact may be that my house cats are the proud owners of me. Like many cat owners, I sometimes indulge my cats with the occasional cat treat. On the rarest of occasions I might even spoil them with a taste of table food in their diet.
In small amounts table food is not usually harmful. However, there are some foods meant for human consumption that are harmful to cats and a few that are even deadly. Some of these taboo foods might be a bit surprising.
Tuna Fish
Tuna Fish is a favorite among many cats but lacks the vitamins and nutrients to keep our cat friends happy and provide a healthy diet. The Tuna Fish meant for human consumption lacks Vitamin E making this an unhealthy and sometimes dangerous food choice. Vitamin E deficiency can cause serious health conditions such as Yellow Fat Disease.
Even if dietary supplements are given to counteract the negative nutritional value, Tuna Fish is still a poor choice because of the Mercury that it contains. Tuna is also believed to cause allergic conditions and reactions in cats. If your cat is a Tuna lover it is best to buy a fortified canned cat food in Tuna flavor to make sure they are meeting their vitamins and mineral requirements.
Cows milk and dairy products
Most everyone would agree that cats love drinking a bit of milk. While this is true, it does not mean that milk is healthy for them. Many cats are lactose intolerant because they lack the enzyme lactase. Without this enzyme, their bodies have a difficult time breaking down and digesting milk and dairy food products. This upset to the system can cause diarrhea and skin irritation. If your cat loves milk do not despair, there are several companies such as Whiskas that sell lactose free milk products that are designed with a cats digestive system in mind.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine which are types of stimulants. Both caffeine and theobromine could be fatal to your cat if ingested. Medical attention is important to a cats survival if they have ingested even a small amount of chocolate. Symptoms of ingestion include an increased heart rate and panting. Many times this will also be accompanied with vomiting and diarrhea. Because this also affects the nervous system, shaking or tremors may also present as a symptom of ingestion.
Yeast dough
The ingestion of yeast dough by cats is strongly discouraged. Yeast has a tendency to inflate and in a cats stomach or intestines this could be a fatal condition. The extra gas produced by the yeast could distend the stomach to the point of rupture causing extreme pain or death. Yeast also has a tendency to produce alcohol when rising. Alcohol poisoning in cats can result in coma or death.
Dog food
Cats have very different dietary requirements than mans best friend. A cats diet requires taurine which is a type of an amino acid. Dogs actually make their own taurine eliminating the need for this added as a supplement to their packaged food. If a cats diet did not contain the needed amounts of taurine it could lead to forms of malnutrition and heart related illness and disease.
It is important to remember that a cats diet and nutritional needs are very different from our own or other animals. What may seem harmless might be fatal, even if given in small amounts. A good quality cat food that is fortified and designed for a cats unique diet is always best to keep our finicky friends bright eyed and healthy for years to come. If you have questions about foods that should not be included in your cats diet check with your local veterinarian for a more complete list and recommendations.
Resources include:
Dog Food For Cats?
www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat;=1276&articleid;=1165
Which foods could be dangerous to my pet: www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat;=1399&articleid;=1029′
Stop! Don’t give your cat that Chocolate…By Larry Chamberlain:
www.petcaretips.net/cat-chocolate-poisoning.html
Connolly Animal Clinic: Why is tuna fish bad for cats?
www.connollyac.com/showpracfaq.cfm?FAQID=168&Private;=0
Lenawee Humane Society :
www.lenhumanesoc.org/Tips/ASPCA-Tuna.htm
