PetCatHealth

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Your cat should be eating a good quality food formulated for his age (kitten food for kittens, senior food for older cats, etc.).   There are certain vitamins and amino acids that must be added to cat food by the manufacturer because the cat’s body can not make them for himself.   If we tried to have our cat live off of regular tuna like we eat, he would develop severe vitamin deficiencies and become very ill.   Mindy Bough, veterinary technician for the ASPCA Pet Nutrition and Science Advisory Service, says this: “An occasional tuna treat for your cat is generally harmless.  However, if a large part of the cat’s diet consists of tuna–or if the cat is fed tuna exclusively–some problems are likely to arise.”   She added, “I recommend premium commercial food for domestic cats.  These foods are formulated to meet all of a cat’s dietary needs. Then you can feed an occasional tuna treat for your pet’s enjoyment. And remember, no more than five to ten percent of a cat’s diet should ever be table food.”

We’ll discuss food and feeding some more later, but for now I’ll say that cats should not eat dog food – they are obligate carnivores and must have a high percentage of meat.  Likewise they must have the right vitamins yet not dangerous quantities of vitamins like they might get if given the wrong foods (such as the Vitamin A overdose they can get from too much  liver) or supplements.   So a good quality commercial cat food is likely to provide what your cat needs each day.

We all want to give our kitty a special snack once in a while though, and it’s important that the snack be safe as well as tasty.    Remember that the snacks should be small, no more than five to ten percent of the diet, and that if your cat is older or has a medical problem you should check with your vet before giving him any treats.   Also remember that if you add extra food each day you will make your cat fatter, so limit the table food to special times.  

Safe snacks include commercial cat treats, cheese, small bits of cooked meat or cooked eggs, cooked poultry, and liquid from water-packed meats and fish.   If you give him any meat or poultry or eggs, be sure they are cooked; cats can get food poisoning from the bacteria present in uncooked meats and eggs just like humans do.   Be sure not to give him bones, especially small bones from poultry.  They could splinter and puncture his intestine.   Yes, cats in the wild eat their prey whole, bones and all, but those cats are not going to live as long as we hope our pet cats will. 

Here’s a list of people foods to especially avoid for pets, compiled by the nutrition experts at the ASPCA:

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine
These items contain compounds called methylxanthines. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. The darker the chocolate the more methylxanthines will be present. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Avocado
The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestions may even be fatal. Cats were not mentioned with this one, but I don’t believe it would be worth finding out!

Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts are used in desserts. However, these nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours. Once again, cats were not mentioned, but why would we want to give nuts to a cat!? Cats are carnivores. Give him a tiny bit of turkey instead.

Grapes & Raisins
Currently we don’t know exactly what the toxic compound is in grapes and raisins, but these fruits can cause kidney failure. In pets who already have health problems, the effects will be worse than in healthy pets.

Yeast Dough
Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate, which can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Once the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones
Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets. In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.

Xylitol
Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.

Onions, Garlic, Chives
These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage in cats. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but the ASPCA recommends that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods.

Milk
Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset. One of my own cats can drink milk and the other can’t, without diarrhea. Special kitty milk is available at the pet store if you’d like to give your cat a treat of milk.

Salt
Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death. There is no reason at all to feed your pet salty snacks.

The book How to Raise a Sane and Healthy Cat mentions many of the above plus adds a warning about raw potatoes, coconut, and coconut oil.

My two spayed females are really fat enough just eating their commercial cat food each day, but when I cook a turkey I do mince up tiny amounts of juicy turkey meat and put it in their bowls. Remember if you do give your cat any table food to be sure that it does not contain onion or garlic or any of the other substances above. Cats’ blood and other functions are so different from ours, so many things that seem harmless to us, like garlic or artificial sweetener, could make your kitty really ill. Also, scientists are still discovering the effects that some foods and other substances have on cats’ bodies, so what we know today may not be complete as far as what foods to avoid. If you are curious about a certain item, be sure to check this list of items that the ASPCA Poison Control Center has answered. Each item is clickable and has the answer, yes, or no, about whether the item is harmful.
 

References:
How to Raise a Sane and Healthy Cat, by Sean Hammond and Carolyn Usrey, Macmillan Publishing Company 1994
ASPCA Warning About Feeding Your Cat Tuna
People Food to Avoid Feeding your Pets