What should we avoid feeding dogs and cats.?

Question

I know from comment sense poisonous things are a no no. Thats not what my question is about. What human food should we avoid feeding cats and dogs. I know chocolate is bad for at least dogs. What else can kill or harm a cat or a dog??

I know lots of fatty foods will over time harm or kill an animal but thats just common sense again. Again just to be clear I mean things that should never or very rarely be feed to a cat or a dog.

Answer 1

DOGS:

* Alcoholic beverages. Because alcohol can be fatal to dogs, no amount of alcoholic beverage is safe… yes; even beer should be off limits.
* Chocolate is toxic to canines. The darker the chocolate, the more harmful. The methylxanthines (caffeine and theobromine) in chocolate can cause a dog to vomit, have diarrhea, experience rapid, irregular heart beat, have increased urination, and experience muscle tremors and seizures. The effects can be serious. Death from chocolate toxicity can occur with 24 hours.
* Coffee, tea and cola are people-food. They contain caffeine, a methylxanthine also found in chocolate. The signs of toxicity include rapid heart beat, hyperexcitability, tremors, and seizures.
* Macadamia nuts can temporarily cause muscle weakness, often in the hind legs. Other signs include vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. The mechanism of the toxicity is unknown. Affected dogs recover with no treatment and no long-term effects.
* Onions and garlic have a chemical that damages red blood cells in dogs and can cause anemia. Even one small whole onion can cause death. So be particularly careful when disposing of left-overs that contain a significant amount of onions, such as pizza or Chinese take-out. The small amounts of onion and garlic powder used in pet foods is safe and well below the toxic levels.
* Raisins and grapes seem like fun toys to a dog. But they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney failure. The minimum safe amount is not known, so keep these foods well out of reach of curious muzzles.
* Sugarless gums and candies are certainly sweet, but the sugar substitute xylitol can cause a rapid drop in your dog's blood sugar.
* Moldy or spoiled food and garbage should stay safely in the trash. They can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting, diarrhea, and damage to internal organs.
* Yeast dough, like the kind used in making bread or desserts, is designed to expand. If swallowed by an unsuspecting canine, it can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possibly rupture of the stomach or intestines.
* Medications such as Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and Naproxen may give you some relief, but painkillers and other common medications can be deadly to your dog. Keep all prescription and over-the-counter drugs - including painkillers, ant-inflammatory drugs, cold medicines, diet pills, antidepressants, anti-cancer drugs, and vitamins - in closed cabinets out of your pets' reach. Never give your dog medication unless directed by a vet.
* Plants are pretty but possibly deadly for your dog. Many common yard and houseplants can be poisonous, including lily, daffodil, oleander, rhododendron, azalea, yew, foxglove, rhubarb leaves, and cycads.


CATS:

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.
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.
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.

Answer 2

It probably won't hurt, but cat food is formulated for cats, not dogs. Try mixing a little cat food with the dog food. Also, it will be a good idea to put away the cat food at dog feeding time. When the dog learns that dog food is what she gets, she will eat it.

Answer 3

Alcoholic beverages
Apple seeds
Apricot pits
Avocados—toxic to birds, mice, rabbits, horses, cattle, and dairy goats
Cherry pits
Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats, and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
Coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans)
Grapes
Hops (used in home beer brewing)
Macadamia nuts
Moldy foods
Mushroom plants
Mustard seeds
Onions and
onion powder
Peach pits
Potato leaves and stems (green parts)
Raisins
Rhubarb leaves
Salt
Tea (caffeine)
Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)
Walnuts
Yeast dough

For Pet food make sure it does not have:
Proylene Glycol
BHA and BHT
Ethoxoquin, or
Animal By-products

Answer 4

Well, as you said, any type of fatty foods or anything cooked in a lot of butter or oil is bad for them. Any type of food that is high in sodium such as canned foods, crackers, chips, pretzels, etc. is incredibly bad for them and can cause some major bladder and urinary track problems. Avocado is a no-no for any animal. Avoiding acidic fruits such as oranges, tangerines, etc. can cause gas, indigestion and other similar problems. Fresh veggies make a great treat for a pet, especially carrots. Some things that are considered vegetables are actually starch, such as corn and peas which should be avoided. Too much starch makes for a fat dog or cat. So does anything high in carbohydrates or calories. Cheese on occasion is a decent treat, so is fresh, uncooked, lean meat such as chicken breast, bits of steak, turkey breast, white fish, etc. The key to giving your pet these types of treats is moderation. As much as we want to spoil our babies, we're not doing them any favors by doing so. The best thing for your dog or cat is to stick with food and treats made for them and again, all in moderation. You don't want to give your dog or cat a handful of treats in a day. One or two a day, if that, is more than enough.

Answer 5

Dogs Shouldn't Have:
Onions (in any form)
Added salt (most prepared foods are salted)
Nitrates, which is in most processed meats
Mono-sodium glutamate, which is in SO many of our food items.
Chocolate, or candy of any kind.
Raisins or grapes
Fruit seeds/pits, and most tree nuts are harmful.
Turkey fat/skin can be devastating, causing pancreas disease.
No cooked bones..
No corn or soy (found in most dog foods)
No fresh milk products, at all..
Nothing containing caffeine, such as coffee, cola or tea.
Nothing with excess fat, and ONLY low fat cheese
Nothing with hops (beer or near beer)
Easy on the organ meats (liver, etc) and easy on the cabbages and tomatoes.
Cats shouldn't have 'people' canned tuna.


SO, if one can remember all the "dont's" then you can create a healthy dog diet from 'human' food items.

Answer 6

Onions and garlic are not good for cats. Some places will sell garlic tablets for cats to help with flea problems. Do not get those!
Cow's milk, although a common treat for cats, is actually too rich for the cat's system and can cause long-term problems.

Answer 7

Onion and Chocolate are both top things on the list not to feed cats and dogs

Answer 8

Dry food made by a good food company is best for both animals. Both are carnivores and vegetables and junk food and carbohydrates while eaten by them are not good because their stomachs lack the acid that breaks down that type of food.

Cats if fed cheap food can be prone to kidney stones believe it or not. Also, while not known by many cats are lactose intolerant even though they love milk. It gives them the runs.

Answer 9

The Paleo Diet is an effort to eat like we used to back in the day, way back in the day. If a caveman couldn’t eat it, neither can you. Read more https://tr.im/paleoguide

This means anything we could hunt or find meats, fish, nuts, leafy greens, regional veggies, and seeds. Sorry, the pasta, cereal, and candy will have to go! Instead, you’ll be making things like chicken stir fry and paleo spaghetti.

Answer 10

Diabetes is usually treated through a combination of diet (low sugar), exercise and medications/insulin. Read here https://tr.im/axLWC
Milder cases can be controlled with just diet an/or exercise while more severe cases require meds or insulin as well.

Answer 11

Odds are you're eating too fast. Try holding a conversation with a meal so you're not necessarily gulping down more than it is advisable to feel full.