What Not to Feed your Dog and Cat

Your pets are your children. Having them in your life will be a very fulfilling experience, but it also comes with the responsibility of their well-being. Whether you like it or not, you are accountable for your dog’s or cat’s health. 

This is not something to worry, instead something to be mindful about. Before becoming a pet parent, you should gather enough information about your pet and its nutritional needs. It is crucial to know the foods that you should never let your pet have. 

Both cats and dogs need a protein-rich diet. While cats are obligate carnivores, dogs have a versatile palate. After going through the ingredients, you can use packed/canned dog or cat food. However, some common human foods should NEVER be given to their pets. 

This article has enlisted such food items that your dogs and cats should never have. 

15 Foods You Should Avoid Giving Your Pet

1. Grapes and Raisins

Even in modest amounts, grapes and their dried product equivalents, raisins, can cause renal failure in dogs. The specific cause of this is yet unknown to the scientific community. To be on the safe side, avoid feeding it to your pet.

2. Garlic and Onion

Pets can be poisoned by anything in the Allium family, including garlic, leeks, onions, and chives. The thiosulfate in these foods is safe for people, but it causes red blood cell destruction in pets, resulting in anaemia. Although rarely fatal, these foods, especially uncooked, can cause significant gastrointestinal problems.

3. Avocado

Avocado contains Persin, a poisonous principle. They can potentially be highly toxic to your pets,  causing vomiting, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal distress.

4. Chocolate

Almost all pet parents know that chocolate is toxic to pets. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a diuretic and cardiac stimulant. It should be avoided at all costs.

5. Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin that can harm dogs’ digestive, neurological, and muscular systems. This has resulted in paralysis. This can be caused by a tiny amount of nuts and even butter.

6. Stale Raw Meat

Although raw meat is not toxic in and of itself, if it is past its expiration date or comes from an untrustworthy source, it may include germs that can make your pet unwell. In general, veterinarians advise against feeding your pet any meat that you would not eat.

7. Yeast Dough

The yeast dough/uncooked bread dough may rise in your pet’s stomach, producing severe gastrointestinal distress, bloating, and indicators of alcohol toxicity.

8. Potato Peels and stale potatoes

Potatoes contain Solanine and alkaloids. If eaten in large quantities can produce severe gastrointestinal distress, including vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. They can also suppress nervous system activity, cause behavioural changes, and slow heart rate.

9. Baby Food

Some people tend to feed baby foods to their kittens and puppies. However, this should not become a regular practice. Prolonged periods of feeding baby food to kittens/puppies can make it toxic. Check out Kitten food Options from MyPetz

10. Marijuana

There are cases where people have given marijuana to their pets just to see what happens. But animals are not for your entertainment. Giving any kind of drug to your pets is a bad idea. The drug can slow down the nervous system and affects the heart rate negatively.

11. Mushroom

Another ingredient to avoid is mushrooms, which contain poisonous chemicals for cats. These poisons have the potential to disrupt various bodily systems and potentially cause death. While you may not give your cat mushrooms purposefully, many human foods contain mushrooms as an ingredient, so keep an eye out for these.

12. Raw Eggs

Raw eggs, like raw meat, can contain Salmonella, which is undoubtedly harmful to cats. They also have an enzyme known as avidin. This enzyme reduces the quantity of biotin absorbed by cells, which may then lead to the development of coat and skin issues.

13. Processed Foods

Processed foods are often harmful to pets like humans. These meals are frequently heavy in calories and salt; some may also be full of sugar. As a result of consuming too much sugary food, pets can get obese, suffer dental problems, and even develop diabetes. Salt is another issue because excessive salt consumption can result in electrolyte imbalances.

14. Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant, and its effect on cats is significantly stronger than on humans due to their body size and metabolic activity. Too much caffeine can kill a cat, and there is no cure.

15. Bones and Fat trimming:

They may not be toxic to dogs but are to cats. For one thing, bones splinter easily. This can result in injuries or obstruction in the cat’s digestive system. Regardless, it can induce digestive discomfort in cats. Diarrhea and vomiting may occur.

These are some things that you should know regarding your pet’s diet. Some of these food items may cause allergic reactions, but others may cause slow poisoning and progress to seizures. If your pet shows signs of ingesting any of the above and acting differently, you should take them to the vet.