what types of human food are bad for cats can certain foods be lethal?

Question

a pet lover woried about food, my friend feed's my cat

Answer 1

HI there...Some foods which are edible for humans can pose hazards for cats because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death. The following common food items should not be fed (intentionally or unintentionally) to cats. This list is, of course, incomplete because please not not all can not possibly list everything your cat should not eat.:
http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1276&articleid=1029

Alcoholic beverages: Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Baby food: Can contain onion powder, which can be toxic to cats. (Please see onion below.) Can also result in nutritional deficiencies, if fed in large amounts.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources: Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Canned tuna (for human consumption): Large amounts can cause malnutrition, since it lacks proper levels of vitamins and minerals. (see more details below)

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine: Contain caffeine, theobromine, or theophylline, which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous system.

Citrus oil extracts: Can cause vomiting.

Dog food: If accidental ingestion, will not cause a problem; if fed repeatedly, may result in malnutrition and diseases affecting the heart.

Fat trimmings: Can cause pancreatitis.

Grapes and raisins: Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron: Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Large amounts of liver: Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.

Macadamia nuts: Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Marijuana: Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

Milk and other dairy products: Some adult cats and dogs do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for cats.

Moldy or spoiled food, garbage: Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting and diarrhea and can also affect other organs.

Mushrooms: Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder): Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Persimmons: Seeds can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.

Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems: Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock.

Raw eggs: Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

Raw fish: Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.

Salt: If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

String: Can become trapped in the digestive system; called a "string foreign body."

Sugary foods: Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table scraps (in large amounts)Table scraps are not nutritionally balanced. They should never be more than 10% of the diet. Fat should be trimmed from meat; bones should not be fed. (see more details below)

Tobacco: Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough: Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

TUNA:
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"

Here's another answer by a veterinarian just recently about the dangers of tuna: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnXV7g3jq309q2QXly7n9WLsy6IX?qid=20061018194725AAzYqfz


A Veterinarian Answered:
...
I've had to treat numerous cats over the years for pretty severe enteritis resulting from eating tuna meat. One of my own babies got so ill from it when someone else left it sitting out on the counter for 5 minutes while he turned his back to take a phone call, that I had to put her on IV fluids for 2 days, in addition to intestinal medications.

How many cats do you know who go swimming in the ocean to catch tuna and eat it as part of their natural diet???

Tuna-FLAVORED food....okay. Tuna meat.....bad.

I 'love' brownies....but that doesn't mean they're good for me. Cats also 'love' antifreeze....but we all know what it will do to them. :-/

The most you should do is to use the water that is drained off from the can of tuna (not the oil...for another reason), and drizzle it over their dry cat food once or twice a month. They'll think they died and went to cat heaven!....but without the danger.

Save the tuna meat for your sandwiches.
Source(s):
I'm a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with 20 yrs exp in private practice (27 total years in the profession.)

TABLE SCRAPS
Additionally, table scraps are recommended because it can turn consistent eating in to finicky eating habits. Here's more on this as well.

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

Answer 2

Lethal - onion, tomato plant and tomatoes. garlic is also in this nightshade family and not considered good by many.

Large quantities of chocolate. Cats don't usually eat enough of this for it to be fatal. Dogs frequently are severely poisoned by it.

Human canned tuna - causes vitamin B deficiences and a condition called steatitis. Tuna in cat food is OK and not recommended by many veterinarians.

Human snack foods - chips, dips etc. Meat such as luncheon meat or jerky - highly processed and preserved.

Cats can eat pieces of roasted meat - chicken, beef, lamb, etc. Pork is not recommended. NO COOKED bones such as pieces of KFC etc.

Many cats can't tolerate cow's milk - can cause serious intestinal upset in any quantity for some cats - especially young kittens who can die from the diarrhea it may cause.

Just buy the cat food. It's much easier that way.

Answer 3

Although a common mistake, dairy products are not good for kitties. Cats can not process cow’s milk and end up being sick from it. There is a treat called Cat Sip that is a milk like product that is good for cats. Be extra careful this time of year because human sweets such as chocolate are really bad for cats. Really, you shouldn’t be feeding your cat any human foods but we all know that we slip Fluffy a few bites under the table. I stick with meats and the occasion nibble of cheese for my cats.

Answer 4

huan food does not have the necessary nutrients cats need for their heart, eyes, coat and lungs--keep plenty off the good cat food handy so your friend feeds that instead of human food to kitty. a little fish is ok, a little bit of veggies--if kitty will eat--he should have his grass and food andd water in his own space--and should be discouraged from begging for human food tidbits.
i make my kitties lie down, be patient and wait for ma to finish my dinner, then they may lick the plate for their reward and treat.

Answer 5

NEVER feed human food to any pet!! Check out Purina's Dog website on Yahoo.

Answer 6

I looked at that page linked to in the first answer, but one thing I didn't find there was caffeine, which can be highly poisonous to cats. To lap at your coffee or tea once or twice probably won't be harmful, but if it becomes a habit it's not a good idea, and could actually be fatal. =/

Answer 7

cats shouldn't eat certain houseplants, sugary foods, onion and garlic.

Here is a list of toxic things to cats:
http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/humanfood.htm

Answer 8

onions & chocolate