Pet Care Matters: 5 Human Foods That May Put Your Cat's Health At Risk

Some human foods are hazardous for cats. If your cats have eaten those "forbidden foods," they would become ill. Cats are different from dogs in which these canines can eat various foods and still remain healthy but not cats.

"Cats are... different from us and from dogs," Louise Murray, DVM, the vice-president of the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Anima Hospital in New York, said. "When it comes to nutrition, they are very inflexible, and owners must realize that."

According to WebMD, felines are carnivorous. "If we ate like cats, we'd have heart disease by age 20." "They are not all the same as humans and they are not little dogs," Murray explained.

It is then important to know which human foods are dangerous for cats. Pet MD shares the following types of foods that pose health risks for cats:

1.   Grapes and Raisins

If cats accidentally ate grapes or raisins, they would suffer from kidney failure. The symptoms include intense thirst and urination, diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy. It is treated with anti-nausea medication and fluid therapy.

2.  Garlic, Chives, Leeks and Onions

These types of foods have organic sulfur compounds that damage the cat's red blood cells. It may lead to a life-threatening anemia. The symptoms include yellowing of the skin, depression, deep breathing, dark urine, cold sensitivity, exercise tolerance, weakness, diarrhea and loss of appetite. The treatment involves supportive care, blood transfusions, oxygen therapy and administering activated charcoal to prevent absorption of the toxins.

3.  Chocolate

Chocolate has compounds such as Theobromine and caffeine that are harmful to cats. It leads to chocolate intoxication and may cause hyperexcitability, diarrhea and vomiting. Treatment options for this condition are intravenous fluid therapy, symptomatic care and activated charcoal absorption.

4.  Milk and Dairy Products

Most dairy products are high energy-yielding food products. These include milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream, casein and frozen custard. The digestive system of cats cannot process these foods because they are lactose-intolerant. The outcome when a cat is fed with dairy products is digestive upset with diarrhea.

5.   Tuna

If cats see an open can of tuna on your kitchen counter, they would eat it. They can also be addicted to it. However, regular intake of tuna can cause malnutrition because it lacks proper minerals and vitamins. It may also cause thiamine deficiency and mercury poisoning. Tuna that is sold for human consumption causes the inflammation of the body's fat and digestive upset when fed to cats regularly.