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When it comes to the holiday season, it’s all about rich and tasty meals! But be careful, if your cat is sharing the celebrations with you and is a bit of a foodie or even a thief, some of the delicious foods that are safe for us can be toxic to our feline friends.
If your cat ingests a toxic food, you should call your veterinarian or the emergency vet immediately.
Here is a list of 10 holiday foods that are dangerous for your cat.
#1 Chocolate
Chocolate is particularly toxic to our furry companions. The toxic substance in cocoa is theobromine. The amount of theobromine varies depending on the type of chocolate. Theobromine poisoning can lead to digestive issues, neurological problems, heart problems, and even death.
To prevent poisoning in our kitties, we’ll keep the chocolate box in the cupboard (we’ll keep it all to ourselves!).
#2 Fatty Foods in General
The food you give your cat on a daily basis is enough to meet their nutritional needs, so it’s not recommended to give them leftovers, for example. Additionally, fatty foods can cause inflammation of the pancreas, which can be dangerous for our cats.
#3 Desserts
For dessert, forget about the log cake for your kitties, and instead, give them their favorite wet food. Besides often containing chocolate, desserts are very sugary and can cause insulin spikes or, in the long term, dental issues.
#4 Raw Potatoes
The presence of solanine in raw potatoes makes them particularly toxic to our furry friends. It is also harmful to humans. You can easily spot it: it’s the green spots on the raw potato.
#5 Onions
The toxicity of onions is linked to the sulfur compounds that destroy red blood cells in cats. Eating onions can limit the oxygen transport in the blood and cause diarrhea and/or vomiting, as well as discolored urine in your cat.
#6 Garlic
Belonging to the Liliaceae family, just like onions, garlic can cause serious poisoning in our animals, even when cooked. The symptoms are the same as those of onion poisoning: discolored urine, diarrhea, and/or vomiting. So, we don’t feed our kitties with dishes or table scraps containing garlic.
#7 Poultry Bones
Turkey, capon, or chicken — what’s dangerous in poultry are the bones, especially cooked bones. They can cause choking or blockages by obstructing the intestines. And if the bones break, they can cause tearing in the digestive tract.
#8 Grapes
Certain molecules found in grapes make them toxic to our cats. When swallowed and digested, grapes cause severe kidney damage. Our cats can no longer filter waste that would naturally be expelled in their urine.
#9 Alcohol
You probably already know this, but alcohol is highly toxic to our cats. Even a small amount can cause severe damage to the liver and brain, potentially leading to coma or death. Yes to the champagne glass for you and your guests, but your cat sticks to water!
#10 Coffee
The toxicity of coffee is due to caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. Coffee poisoning symptoms are similar to those of chocolate poisoning: digestive issues, neurological problems, or heart problems.
Enjoy the holidays and take care of yourself and your cat!
