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I have a kitten who the Vet said was 15 weeks old. I think he is older but i am not a Vet. He loves to eat what my husband and I are eating. Salsa, Bread, Tomatoe things of anykind. I was just curious to know if this is Ok for him to eat. This is my first Kitten. I am use to dags. I dont want to do anything to hurt my Kitten.

2006-11-11 06:22:30 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets Cats

21 answers

HI Amy...it's generally recommended not to feed cats any table scraps as it some of the food contains ingredients which can be toxic to their system as well as contribtue to obesity. Any vet can simply confirm these two facts.


Articles about why table scraps are bad for kittens/cats and how it causes obesity:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1399&articleid=833
Table scraps are the quickest route to weight problems.

Many times scraps are nothing more than empty calories. And since you probably save that hunk of fat or sweet morsel you know your cat will like, she gets all the wrong food for a trim waistline. Overweight pets, besides not looking their best, have a higher risk of many health problems.

Table scraps are a leading cause of digestive disorders.

The rich foods we eat can wreak havoc on your cat's digestive tract. A simple, consistent diet keeps their system functioning as it should. Throw in your very different foods and spices and do not be surprised if your cat has bad gas, bad breath, loose stools, etc.

You could end up with a finicky eater.

If your cat develops a taste for your food, she may stop eating her own. After all, which would you prefer, dry cat food or juicy steak and hamburger every night?

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-78.htm
http://cats.about.com/od/catfoodandnutrition/f/tablescraps.htm

Foods cats should avoid eating: http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1276&articleid=1029

Here's a web article about Tuna and how it is toxic to cats (again any vet can confirm this fact as well): http://www.lenhumanesoc.org/Tips/ASPCA-Tuna.htm

"TUNA FOR CATS? NO!
Tuna can be fatal to cats and is not something to be fed to them...The human variety of tuna fish contains an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 (thiamine). Cats who regularly eat tuna can develop a vitamin B1 deficiency, which results in neurological symptoms like dilated eyes, loss of equilibrium, seizures and death if this vitamin is not replaced. The scientific name of this disease is polioencephlomalacia.

Clearwater veterinarian Richard Brancato said that though most domestic cats do enjoy fish, feeding them a diet of only tuna can cause serious disorders.

Although it is high in protein, tuna lacks sufficient amounts of certain amino acids, mainly taurine, to maintain feline health. There is insufficient calcium to balance the phosphorus; the ratio in canned tuna is 1-to-14.8. This results in bone disease.

Many essential vitamins such as A and most B vitamins are also lacking, Brancato said. A common disease in cats fed a mainstay of canned tuna is steatitis, or yellow fat disease, an inflammation of the fat tissue in the body due to a deficiency of vitamin E.

Source: St. Petersburg Times, published May 14, 2000"

2006-11-11 06:34:17 · answer #1 · answered by ♪ Seattle ♫ 7 · 6 0

Do NOT feed your cat tomatoes or onions (in the salsa)!!!! They can kill him. Check the link below for more info.

Beyond the tomatoes, you really shouldn't feed your cat human food. There are a few exceptions - a little unseasoned (and even uncooked) chicken, fish or beef is fine. Some vegetables are okay. There is even a brand of cat food that you mix with water, raw meat and vegetables. For the most part, though, you're better off to stick to a good quality cat food. It is made for cats, so you know it's safe.

It's hard to do (although easier if you just have the one cat), but once your cat is about a year old, you should start measuring the food and giving it only what it needs for the day. Treats should be minimal. Most housecats are overweight, which leads to all sorts of health problems. I had a cat who was diabetic, so for six years I give him shots twice a day and restricted his diet. If I had kept him on a measured amount of food and not allowed him people food (milk left over from cereal, etc.) he probably would not have developed diabetes.

2006-11-11 06:59:08 · answer #2 · answered by swbiblio 6 · 0 0

No. Young cats have very sensitive insides and eating anything other than kitten food can be dangerous. Salsa is especially bad as it has spices (even the mild ones) that could irritate the stomach and throat of the kitten.

Most human food is never really safe for a cat to eat, but you shouldn't necessarily freak out every time you catch him sneaking some potato chips as he gets older. (Cats seem to LOVE salt...at least mine do.) Just say "No!" and take the food away. But, for now, it is extremely important that you do NOT let your cat eat human food.

2006-11-11 08:09:12 · answer #3 · answered by Esma 6 · 0 0

It's best to just feed him kitten food. You're not being cruel by not feeding him human food. You may end up with problems keeping him off your counters and out of your food when he gets older. My husband used to feed his cat human food and now she's constantly up on the counters and trying to get to our plates when we're eating. She's actually torn holes in bread bags and eaten some of the bread, thus ruining a whole loaf and making a huge mess. We have to be careful about leaving stuff out. And, if you keep this up, you could end up with an overweight cat. I think you should just stick to kitten/cat food.

2006-11-11 06:32:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

It's not ideal for a kitten to eat what you are eating as they have very weak stomaches and also are not used to foods as rich as the food you or i eat, how ever i am not a vet but i did ask my local pet store and they advised me as above. Hope that helps you.

2006-11-11 09:21:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Most human food is okay for cats, although not really good for them. You need to avoid giving kitty anything with onion or garlic in it, though, and you need to limit the amount pretty strictly. What doesn't seem like a lot on your plate is quite a bit for an animal as small as a kitten.

Cats are what are called "obligate carnivores." They need meat, not veggies or bread. Tomatos won't hurt him, but he can't really digest them properly either.

Consider the possibility of giving him a spoonful of tuna in his own dish when you're eating, it's better for him than the salsa and bread and he won't be sticking his butt in your face while you're trying to eat. Also consider getting him some cat grass, it gives him plenty of roughage to help his digestion and they like the way it tastes.

2006-11-11 06:35:45 · answer #6 · answered by triviatm 6 · 0 3

i have 3 cats and 1 being just recent, a kitten, i say it perfectly OK for them to eat some human foods, obviously not things that are spicy, and what not, but i feed my kitten when I'm eating meats, a little dash of it. sometimes they have sensitive stomachs, though so i thinks its best if u talk to the vet if u start noticing they have like blood and stuff in their "business". mine did and the doctor said it was just because he had a sensitive stomach.
but hen again my cat was a couple of months, just wait, dont give it now, if u r at all. it'll mess things up

2006-11-11 06:30:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 2

It depends on what you're eating. What you listed is not okay, but if you were eating salad and passed it a bit of greens that could be okay once in a while if it's not dressed because they eat greens to help them throw up hair balls. Also if you were eating steak tartar that would be okay and I'm sure your cat would think you were the best owner in the world. PS while dogs shouldn't eat raw meat it's okay for cats.

2006-11-11 06:59:00 · answer #8 · answered by tyreanpurple 4 · 0 0

Onion is very toxic to cats. That's in the salsa. Tomatoes are in the same nightshade family as the onion so they are a no-no too.

Small pieces of cooked meat are OK. Nothing spicey though.

My first kittens loved to sample my food - mashed potatoes with gravy, applesauce etc. I think they are just curious when they smell it or see you eat it. Mine never developed a taste for human food though.

2006-11-11 06:34:34 · answer #9 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 1 2

No, please do not feed kitty human food because it is going to mess up his digestion. Ask the Vet to recommend some foods you can give to Kitty. Go to Pet Smart or a good pet shop and get the Kittie some food formulated for kittens.

2006-11-11 06:26:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2 0

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