Join(http://www.catster.

com/register/) LogIn

(http://www.catster.com/)

Home(/)Lifestyle(http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/)

CATSTERTIPS

6EverydayFoodsThatAreToxictoCats
Youmightknowabouttoxicplants,butdidyouknowthesehuman
foodscanpoisonyourcat?

JaneAKelley(http://www.catster.com/author/janeakelley/)|Mar
16th2015

(http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?
(https://plus.google.com/share?
u=http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/foods
url=http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/foods
toxicto
toxictocats)
cats&t=6+Everyday+Foods+That+Are+Toxic+to+Cats)

Throughmanyyearsofcatcaretaking,mostofusknownevertohavelilies,poinsettias,irises,andhollyin
ourhomes.And,ofcourse,lotsofusknowthathumanmedicationsaretheNo.1causeofcatpoisoning
andifyoudidnt,considerthisyourwakeupcallforthiscathealthissue.ItsPoisonAwarenessMonth,
afterall.

Butdidyouknowsomeofthefoodsyoueatcanalsobeharmfulorevenfataltoyourcat?Herearesixof
them.
 Catsittingnexttoonions(http://www.shutterstock.com/pic4377460/stockphototheimageofacatand
bulbs.html)byShutterstock

1.Onionsandalltheirspicylittlerelatives
AlloftheplantsintheAlliumfamilyonions,leeks,chives,garlic,shallots,andrampscontaina
substancecalledNpropyldisulphide,whichdestroysacatsredbloodcellsandcausesfatalanemia.
Somepureedbabyfoodscontainonions,soifyouneedtofeedyourcatbabyfoodduetoahealthcrisis,
readtheingredientlistandmakesureitdoesnotcontainanyonionsoronionpowder.Onionsalsoappear
inmanyrecipesforThanksgivingDay(http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cathealththanksgivingfoodscats
safeaskavet)andotherholidays,sothosearetimestobeespeciallywatchfulofwhatyourcatgetsinto.

2.Candyandgum
Theartificialsweetenerxylitol,whichisfoundintoothpasteandinmanysugarfreecandiesandgums,can
causeadangerousdropinyourcatsbloodsugarandevenleadtoliverfailure.Xylitolpoisoningsymptoms
includevomiting,lethargy,lackofcoordination,andseizures.ReadmoreaboutxylitolinthisAskaVet
column(http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cathealthsugarlessgumxylitoltoxicharmfulcatsaskavet)from
Dr.EricBarchas.
 Kitteneatingafish(http://www.shutterstock.com/pic116639458/stockphototwokittenseatfreshfish.html)by
Shutterstock

3.Tuna(andrawfish)
Youprobablyknowthatyourfelinefriendshouldntbeeatingtunacatfoodregularly.Butdidyouknowthat
evenhumangradecannedtunacanbetoxictocats?First,tunapreparedforhumansdoesnthaveallthe
nutrientsacatneedstostayhealthy.Ifyourefeedingherrawtunainsteadofcanned,beawarethatraw
tuna,likeallrawfish,containsenzymesthatdestroythiamine,aBvitamincrucialtoyourcatsneurological
health,whichcanleadtoseizuresorcoma.Addtothatthefactthattunaisoneofthemostmercury
contaminatedfishswimmingintheoceantoday,anditsjustbettertoskipit.

4.Alcoholicbeverages
Alcoholhasthesameeffectonyourcatsliverasitdoesonyours,butsincecatsaresomuchsmaller,a
ridiculouslytinyamountcanresultinacriticalslowingoftherespirationandheartrate.Justtwoteaspoons
ofhardliquorlikevodkaorwhiskeycanputafivepoundcatintoacoma.Alcoholalsochangestheblood
chemistryandmakesittooacidic,whichcandamageyourcatskidneys.Wineandbeer
(http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cathealthcatsnationaldrinkwinedaybeeralcoholtoxichopsgrapes)
areasdangerousashardliquor.

5.Grapesandraisins
Althoughscientistsarentsureexactlywhatmakesgrapesandraisinstoxictocats,thefactremainsthat
theyare.Ifacateatsthesefruits,kidneyfailurewillresult.Evenasmallamountwillmakeyourcatsick.
 Thiskindofchocolateisfineforcats.Thekindyoueat,notsomuch.ChocolateLabpuppy
(http://www.shutterstock.com/pic106055672/stockphotochocolatelabpuppylookingsleepywhilesurrounded
bystuffedanimals.html)byShutterstock

6.Chocolate
Chocolatecontainstheobromine,whichcausesabnormalheartbeat,tremors,seizures,anddeath.
Theobromineisineverykindofchocolate,evenwhitechocolate,butdarkchocolateandunsweetened
bakerschocolatearethemostdangerous.

Thesearenttheonlyfoodsthataretoxictocats,buttheyarethemostdangerous.Beforeyoufeedyour
kittyanypeoplefoods,werecommendyoucheckwithyourvetandtakealookattheASPCAPoison
ControlCenters(http://www.aspca.org/Petcare/asktheexpert/asktheexpertpoisoncontrol)websitefor
moreinformation.

Readmoreaboutcatsandtoxicsubstances:

PlantsandFoodsthatarePoisonoustoCats(http://www.catster.com/cathealthcare/plantsfood
poisonoustocats)
15CommonHouseholdHazardsforCats(http://www.catster.com/catfood/householdhazardsforcats)
FourIngestibleHazardsforCats(http://www.catster.com/catfood/fouringestiblehazardsforcats)

AboutJaneAKelley:Punkrockcatmom,sciencenerd,animalrescuevolunteerandallaroundgeekwith
apassionforbadpuns,intelligentconversation,androleplayadventuregames.Shegratefullyand
gracefullyacceptsherstatusaschiefcatslaveforherfamilyoffelinebloggers,whohavebeenwritingtheir
awardwinningcatadviceblog,PawsandEffect(http://www.pawsandeffect.com/),since2003.
 (http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?
(https://plus.google.com/share?
u=http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/foods
url=http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/foods
toxicto
toxictocats)
cats&t=6+Everyday+Foods+That+Are+Toxic+to+Cats)

PostedinCatsterTips(/topic/catstertips/),GoodAdvice(/topic/goodadvice/),Health&Care
(/topic/healthcare/),

Recommended

5TipsforControllingCatLitterTrackingandScattering
(http://www.catster.com/catsandcleaning/5tipscontrolcatlitterscattertracking)
CarolineGolon(http://www.catster.com/author/carolinegolon/)|
10WaystoKeepCatsCoolinSummerHeat
(http://www.catster.com/thescoop/10waystohelpyourcatbeatthesummerheat)
JaneAKelley(http://www.catster.com/author/janeakelley/)|

HowMuchShouldIFeedMyCat?
(http://www.catster.com/catfood/howmuchshouldifeedmycat)
CatsterHQ(http://www.catster.com/author/catsterhq/)|
LimeCrimeKittyBundlesCosmeticsLaunchesLipsticksThatGiveBack
(http://www.catster.com/thescoop/limecrimekittybundlescosmeticslauncheslipsticksthatgiveback)
AnnieButlerShirreffs(http://www.catster.com/author/abutler/)|

Contributions
Tip:Creatingaprofileandavatar(http://disqus.com/profile/signup/)takesjustaminuteandisagreatway
toparticipateinCatster'scommunityofpeoplewhoarepassionateaboutcats.
1Comment Catster
1 Login

SortbyNewest
Recommend Share

Jointhediscussion

LOGINWITH

ORSIGNUPWITHDISQUS ?

Name

NJtoTXayearago
"Youprobablyknowthatyourfelinefriendshouldntbeeatingtunacatfoodregularly."No.I
don't.Whyaresomanycatfoodstunabased,then?
2 Reply Share

ALSOONCATSTER

IsThereSuchaThingasInappropriateCat
Behavior?
46comments3monthsago
PhyllisCheckoutHolisticat.com.Thisisa
naturalhealthforumandtheyhavesomany
wonderfulsuggestions.Also,youshouldhaveat
leastabasic
Meatwad,Missing2Legsand1Ear,Isa
BlurofWhiteFluff
3comments2monthsago
KathleenMykittyPhoenixwasbornwithout
backpaws.Shewaddleslikeapenguin.Her
bottomlegshaveextrapaddingandfur.And
shecanbefastwhenshe
Subscribe d AddDisqustoyoursiteAddDisqusAdd
MunstertheWerewolfCatStalks,Leaps
andNaps
5comments3monthsago
Priorities_straightAndyetyoulinktoan
articleabouthowunfortunatethesecatsare.
Whichistrue?
FelixIsaRailwayCatWhoWatchesBirds,
HelpsHumans
3comments3monthsago
TJFBeautifulcatandsweetstory,butIget
verynervousseeingthispoorcatoutwandering
aroundsoclosetothetrains.Ok,IknowthatI
amakilljoy.
Privacy