Having a pet has become a norm in many households, and we treat them as part of the family. Truth is whenever we are traveling, we search for someone to take care of them just like we would our children. However, with all the love we show them, have you ever considered you might be poisoning your beloved cat by feeding it on foods cats can’t eat?
It might shock you, but some of the foods we keep feeding our four-legged friends are not good for them so today, let’s take a look at some of them.
1. Milk and Dairy Products
Everyone believes milk is the best food for a cat, but surprisingly enough it might make your cat sick. While a kitten may be used to the mother’s milk, it nurses for a short while, so the digestive system does not grow accustomed to digesting milk.
When cats grow older, they become lactose-intolerant, which can lead to bouts of diarrhea. Adult cats have insufficient lactose enzymes that are responsible for digesting the lactose in milk hence the intolerance. Therefore, the best way to ensure your cat enjoys their milk is feeding them on lactose-free milk, which is available in pet stores.
2. Raw Fish
Fish has amazing nutritional benefits, but when uncooked, it is poisonous to your cat just as it is to you. Raw fish has bacteria that can poison your cat or sicken it.
Raw fish breaks down and destroys a Vitamin B component known as thiamine in your cat. As a result, your cat will experience neurological problems, seizures and sometimes even death. Besides, raw fish can cause stomach upset and loss of appetite, leaving you with a weak and lazy cat.
3. Alcohol
If you are having a party and decide to involve your pet in the fun, you might as well prepare the backyard for a funeral.
The smallest amount of alcohol can prove fatal for the cat because it will be absorbed very quickly into the bloodstream. At first, it will cause intoxication and the more it takes, the more adverse consequences.
A higher amount of alcohol will lead to your cat slipping into a coma and in the unfortunate incident, it will die due to liver and brain damage.
4. Chocolate
It is Valentine’s Day, and you have decided to treat yourself to a bar of chocolate, but the cat keeps eyeing you with sad eyes, so you offer it some. The minute your cat eats chocolate, it signs its death sentence because whichever chocolate you give it, all are toxic.
Although baking chocolate is the most toxic, all types of chocolate contain theobromine that leads to tremors, seizures, irregular heart rhythm and death.
5. Caffeine
If you need a dose of caffeine to kick-start your day, be sure to leave the cat out if your daily coffee schedule.
The caffeine found in energy drinks and most beverages like chocolate, tea and coffee is enough to keep you pumped up with energy however for your pet, it will cause it to become restless and experience heart palpitations and muscle tremors. If it consumes a large amount of caffeine, then death is inevitable.
What To Do When Your Pet Eats Foods Cats Can’t Eat
If you notice your pet has consumed any of the above foods, get it away from the area and ensure that any other cats you might have do not join in the emergency by taking them away safely from the toxic food.
By doing so, you will prevent the victim from consuming more if the food and worsen the situation. You can then call the vet who will advise you in the best action to take.
Keep Your Cat Safe
No matter how much you love your cat and want to prove it to them by letting them enjoy the foods you think are the best expression of love, some of them are not good for them.
Now that you know foods cats can’t eat, the possibility of landing in a food poisoning situation has gone down. Let us keep our feline friends safe and they will return the favor by keeping your home safe from pests.
