Although cats do not usually eat anything outside of the food that we offer them, there are some who do dare to try anything that we leave within their reach, without being aware of the possible risks.
In the natural diet of a human, something that we all have at home, there are many products / ingredients that can be toxic and even deadly for our cat.
Here we show you the 10 foods that you should never give your kitten:
1- Alcohol, coffee, or caffeine
It seems obvious, but cats cannot take these substances. It should never occur to you to give this to your cat or it could lead to serious problems. The symptoms that its ingestion produces appear quickly and include vomiting, diarrhea, difficulties in breathing or tremors.
2- Vegetables such as onion, garlic, potato, or tomato
In high and repeated doses, the thiosulfate in onion, garlic, leeks or chives can destroy red blood cells and cause anemia.
Although the potato itself is not harmful to cats, especially if it is cooked, the green shoots, leaves and stem can be toxic. This is due to a toxin called solanine, which is also harmful to humans. Luckily it disappears when the potatoes are boiled.
Tomato, which also shares a family (Solanaceae) with potatoes, also has solanine, although its main toxic component for cats is tomatine. This component is mainly found in green tomatoes, leaves and stems but decreases as the vegetable matures.
That said, vegetables are forbidden foods for cats since, unlike humans or other mammals, they have too short an intestinal tract to digest vegetables.
3- Milk
As strange as it may seem, milk is one of the prohibited foods for adult cats.
Cats begin to develop lactose intolerance as they grow older, so it is not advisable to give them the same milk that we consume. If you want to put a bowl of milk, it is best if it is lactose-free or one adapted for cats. Still, it has to be sporadic and in small amounts.
4- Salt and sugar
Excess salt can cause kidney problems and hypertension. Also, the fat in these foods can cause pancreatitis. In the case of sausages such as ham or turkey there would be no problem, although it is not good to abuse it either, since commercials usually contain sugars.
As for sweets and sugar, the usual complications are usually liver failure or excess insulin caused by xylitol. Sweets and sugar can also cause vomiting, loss of coordination, and lethargy.
5- Peanuts and walnuts
Nut poisoning will affect the nervous and muscular system and cause digestive symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain, as well as pale mucous membranes, tremors, weakness or paralysis.
6- Chocolate
Although the risk of poisoning will depend on the amount eaten and the purity of the chocolate, we must always be careful with this product. The higher the amount of cocoa, the more dangerous it will be.
The problem lies in the theobromine, capable of causing vomiting, incoordination, pain in the abdomen, nervousness, rapid breathing, tremors, seizures, thirst or an increase in the amount of urine emitted.
7- Foods with thorns or bones
With these remains we can cause choking, injuries and even perforations in the digestive system due to sharp or cutting edges. Small bones, such as chicken bones, can splinter, increasing the danger.
8- Grapes and raisins
Fresh or dried grapes can cause acute kidney damage if consumed in large quantities. To control them it is important to start treatment as soon as possible. Therefore, if the cat vomits, has diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain or lethargy, we must go to the vet immediately.
9- Dog food
It may seem obvious just like alcohol, but one of the forbidden foods for cats is dog food. This is because dog food lacks nutrients that felines need such as taurine or archidonic acid. Something that, consumed excessively, can cause a deficit of the same that generates serious health problems for the animal.
10- Citrus
Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, and grapefruits also cause diarrhea and an upset stomach. In the case of lemons, their essential oil is especially dangerous.
