Cat Food Ingredients to Avoid
When feeding your cat, there are actually certain food substances that are
potentially hazardous to your cat. Many pet owners aren’t aware that certain human
foods are actually toxic to animals, even though they can be consumed by humans.
Cats are particularly sensitive to some substances, which can cause serious adverse
health reactions. As a cat owner, it is very important to be familiar with all of the
potentially hazardous ingredients that can cause health problems in a cat, since it is
your responsibility as a pet owner to look out for your cat’s overall well-being.
Though there are many different ingredients that may cause medical symptoms in a
cat, and it is an important part of pet care to be familiar with them. Here are some
of the most common.
CHOCOLATE
Most pet owners are familiar with the fact that chocolate is bad for dogs, but it is
actually fairly harmful for cats as well, although its effects on each cat vary in
intensity. Chocolate can cause health symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, loss of
fluids (due to chocolate being a diuretic), gastrointestinal problems (such as
diarrhea, gas, and vomiting). In more severe cases, it can cause damage to the
nervous system. These symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of a caffeine
overdose in humans. The active ingredient in chocolate harmful to cats is a
methylxanthine called theobromine. Though consumption of chocolate is not always
fatal to a cat, it can still be very harmful to a cat’s health. If you are aware that your
cat has ingested chocolate or caffeine-containing substances, it’s very important to
seek veterinary attention immediately. Failure to do so could be very dangerous to
your cat’s health.
GARLIC/ONIONS
The fact that garlic and onions contain substances that are potentially harmful to
cats is not very well-known among pet owners. Onions are slightly more toxic than
garlic, though both garlic and onions present a serious health hazard to cats.
Although dogs are sometimes affected by consuming garlic or onions, cats are much
more susceptible to experiencing serious health problems from these substances. It’s
very important to keep your cat from consuming onions, which is all the more true if
you are feeding your cat a raw-food diet. Some pet owners will use onions or garlic
when preparing a raw food meal for their cat, which can have serious adverse health
reactions. The toxic substance contained in both garlic and onions is called
methylcysteine sulfoxide. Once ingested, this substance causes symptoms such as
asthma attacks, vomiting, diarrhea, general weakness, and anemia.
CITRIS OILS
Another cat food ingredient to avoid is citrus oils, commonly found in insecticidal
treatments, shampoos, fragrances, and some food additives. It is particularly
important that you never use dog products on cats with citrus oils, because there
can be enough in the dosage to cause serious harm to your cat. The active
ingredients include Limonene and Linalool, and can cause trembling, drooling,
depression, general weakness, and may be accompanied by a strong citrus smell. If
your cat comes into contact with any citrus oils via the skin, bathe the pet
immediately with liquid dish soap and warm water. Be sure to dry your cat well, and
do not let them become cold. Afterwards, or in the event of an oral exposure,
immediately take your cat to the veterinarian.
"This advice we are giving is not our own, it is copied from othersites, we are not
vets, we are just sharing advice"