View Dog Food Hazards

Cats appear to be picky eaters, but many foods that they supposedly like can be detrimental to their health. Learn about the dangers that lie behind these foods and the potential harm they can have on your feline friend. Tuna Cats can be addicted to tuna whether the products are made for cats or humans. However, a steady diet of tuna prepared for humans can lead to malnutrition because it won't have all the nutrients a cat needs. Too much tuna can also cause mercury poisoning.

Onions, Garlic & Chives Powdered, raw, cooked or dehydrated onions can break down a cat's red blood cells, leading to anemia. This is true even for onion powder found in some baby foods. A small dose won't hurt but eating large quantities once or eating smaller amounts regularly can cause onion poisoning. Onions, garlic and chives can also cause gastrointestinal upset.

Milk & Other Dairy Products Although kittens are able to tolerate milk with their undeveloped digestive system, most adult cats cannot. Their digestive system is simply not designed to process rich dairy foods and the result can be digestive upset, leading to food allergies (itchiness is most common).

Dog Food Dog food is not a substitute for cat food. The ingredients are similar, but cat food is specially formulated for a cat's needs, with more protein, certain vitamins and fatty acids. A steady diet of dog food can severely malnourish your cat.

Liver Liver is healthy for cats if eaten in moderation. Eating too much liver can cause Vitamin A toxicity, a serious condition that can affect your cat's bones. Symptoms include deformed bones, elbow and spine bone growths, and osteoporosis. Vitamin A toxicity can also be deadly.

Sugary Foods & Drinks Too much sugar can lead to obesity, dental problems and even diabetes.

Yeast Dough Before it is baked, bread dough needs to rise. That's exactly what it would do in your cat's stomach if your cat ate it. As it swells inside, the dough can stretch the abdomen and cause severe pain. In addition, when the yeast ferments the dough to make it rise, it produces alcohol that can lead to alcohol poisoning.

Human Medicine Reacting to a drug prescribed for humans is one of the most common causes of poisoning in cats. Place all medicines where your cat can't get to them. Never give your cat any over-the-counter medicine unless advised by your vet. Ingredients such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are common in pain relievers and cold medicine; both can be deadly for your cat.

Kitchen Pantry Many items commonly found in kitchen shelves can harm your cat. Baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and other spices are highly toxic. Keep food items out of your cat's reach to help protect your cat from serious food-related illness.

Raw Meat & Fish Raw meat and raw fish may contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. An enzyme in raw fish destroys thiamine, an essential B vitamin in your cat. A lack of thiamine can cause serious neurological problems, leading to convulsions and coma. Raw Eggs The first problem of giving your cat raw eggs is the possibility of food poisoning from bacteria like Salmonella or E. coli. The second is an enzyme in raw eggs, avidin, that interferes with the absorption of the B vitamin, biotin. This can cause problems for your cat's skin and/or coat.

Avocados Avocados contain persin, an oily toxin that causes both cats and dogs to vomit and have diarrhea. All parts of the avocado are toxic to animals as the persin originates in the pit but its oil spreads to the fruit and skin of the food.

Chocolate Chocolate can be lethal for cats. Most cats won't eat it on their own, but can be coaxed into eating it by owners and others who think they are feeding cats treats. The toxic agent in chocolate is theobromine, found in all kinds of chocolate, even white chocolate. The most dangerous kinds are dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate. Eating chocolate can cause abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures and death.