Cats are true carnivores, which means they rarely prefer something different other than meat, milk and products containing these. Conversely, unlike cats, dogs are omnivores (just like us humans!), which means that besides meat, dogs also eat eggs, vegetables and fruits for a balanced diet. There are a number of common foods that dogs and cats should never eat no matter how cute they are staring at you when you are eating – Some of the human foods that dogs cant’t eat include the following:
1. Chocolate
All types of chocolate, such as white, milk or dark all contain Theobromine (cardiac stimulant and diuretic), which is toxic for both cats and dogs.
According to https://checkmember.com, dark chocolate is a healthy option for humans but is actually the most toxic type of chocolate for cats and dogs.
Clinical Signs
The clinical signs, which indicate a cat or dog has consumed chocolate can include:
- Initial excitation
- Increased need for water
- Increased urination
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
If the amount of chocolate ingested was high, you may see an increased heart rate followed by arrhythmia, seizure, and in the most severe cases, even death caused by cardiac arrest.
2. Coffee
Besides chocolate, coffee is also harmful to dogs & cats. Coffee contains caffeine and dangerous components, such as xanthines, which can damage the nervous and the urinary system of your pet.
Caffeine can also be found in a number of other products, to name a few: tea, energy drinks, fizzy drinks, caffeine pills, chocolate, some prescribed medication and even some breakfast cereals.
Clinical Signs
The signs of caffeine poisoning in dogs and cats include hyperactivity, restlessness, vomiting and an increased heart rate causing arrhythmia, tremors, seizure and in the most severe cases, even death due to cardiac arrest.
3. Alcoholic beverages
These products are often sweet and will be highly attractive to dogs and cats, but if you let them consume any items containing caffeine, due to lack of care or simply because you did not know that they can harm your pet, sadly you can cause serious or fatal intoxication.
Clinical Signs
Some of the clinical signs will include in-coordination/ataxia (a neurological sign showing a lack of voluntary coordination of the muscles), excitement (due to the sugar in these products), depression, a slowed breathing rate, and in serious cases even cardiac arrest and death.
4. Avocado
Avocado fruits, leaves, seeds and bark contain Persin (a fungicidal toxin).
Due to the presence of this toxin, all avocado fruits are considered toxic for dogs and cats (the Guatemalan variety is even more dangerous for pets).
Clinical Signs
Eating avocados can cause vomiting and diarrhoea to your four-legged friend.
5. Fatty Foods
If your dog or cat prefers to eat the food that you eat, and your diet is mostly based on fatty foods, after a short while your pet will start to gain weight, becoming malnourished and cause various health issues.
Clinical Signs
Stomach upset and in some worse cases even Pancreatitis. After a long period of the diet based on fatty foods your cat or dog can become obese and can die due to a very high level of cholesterol in its blood.
6. Mouldy or Spoiled Foods
It is extremely important to ensure that you can afford the upkeep of a dog or cat, which includes being able to buy the correct cat or dog food for your four-legged friend.
It is also important not to treat your pet as a trash can, so instead of feeding your dog or cat with leftovers from your plate, you should throw the food away.
Never leave food waste in a bin within the reach of your cat or dog as they may be tempted to eat out of it. If your cat or dog ate mouldy or spoiled food by mistake, you may see several signs of food poisoning.
Clinical Signs
The common signs include vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle tremors, in-coordination (ataxia), increased body temperature, excessive salivation and even liver damage.
7. Onions
Onions contain thiosulphate, which dogs and cats cannot fully digest.
8. Raisins and Grapes
Raisins and grapes are very dangerous for dogs and cats. Dogs and cats are more sensitive than us, and they could even die after eating grapes or raisins.
9. Apples, Apricots, Cherries, Peaches and Plums
All these fruits contain cyanide, which is not toxic for humans in small quantities, however, they can sadly be deadly for dogs and cats.
Clinical Signs
Besides the fruits, the seeds, leaves and stems also contain cyanide, and if your dog or cat ate or even just licked them, you may see the following signs of cyanide poisoning: apprehension, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation and shock.
10. Potato peelings and green potatoes
These plants contain a substance called solanine and other toxic alkaloids that could poison your dog or cat (in large amounts).
Clinical Signs
The clinical signs of poisoning with solanine or other toxic alkaloids contained by green potatoes and their peelings include: severe gastrointestinal upset (vomiting and diarrhoea), drooling, drowsiness, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, weakness, confusion, changed behavior, dilated pupils and low hearth rate.
What to Do in the Event of Food Poisoning?
If your cat or dog has eaten any of the food listed above, and you see any of the clinical signs listed, it is extremely important to call your vet right away. It is also critical to know, that If you can get your cat or dog to vomit, you can help prevent the problem from becoming severe before getting to your vet.
