It is time to break the myths attached with a few “cat-friendly” foods.
What’s suitable for us, isn’t suitable for the felines or canids.
It is of utmost importance that we pay close attention to what we feed cats.
As cat parents, we can’t just give them something off our plates.
For the purpose of increasing awareness, we bring to you a list of 22 food items that are fatal to our cats.
1. Onions & Garlic
Why It’s Deadly: Onions, garlic, leeks, and chives contain thiosulfate, which destroys red blood cells, leading to anemia, lethargy, and even organ failure. Even small amounts—whether raw, cooked, powdered, or dehydrated—can be toxic.
Symptoms include vomiting, weakness, difficulty breathing, and pale gums. Cats who eat onions or garlic regularly may develop Heinz body anemia, which can be fatal if untreated.
2. Chocolate
Why It’s Deadly: Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which are highly toxic to cats. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are especially dangerous.
Even small amounts can lead to hyperactivity, tremors, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and sudden de@th. Symptoms may not appear immediately, which makes it even more dangerous, as the toxins can accumulate in the system over time.
3. Alcohol
Why It’s Deadly: Alcohol, even in tiny amounts, can depress the nervous system, leading to vomiting, diarrhea, loss of coordination, breathing difficulties, coma, and de@th.
A cat’s liver is not equipped to process alcohol, meaning even a small sip of wine, beer, or liquor can be instantly life-threatening. Foods containing alcohol, such as desserts and sauces, are just as dangerous.
4. Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Energy Drinks)
Why It’s Deadly: Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, high blood pressure, and seizures in cats. It affects their central nervous system, making them hyperactive before their body starts shutting down.
Even a tiny amount from coffee grounds, tea bags, energy drinks, or sodas can be lethal.
5. Raw Fish & Seafood
Why It’s Deadly: Raw fish contains thiaminase, an enzyme that destroys vitamin B1 (thiamine), leading to neurological damage, seizures, and de@th.
It also carries bacteria like Salmonella and parasites that can cause food poisoning, resulting in vomiting, fever, and organ failure. Over time, regular consumption of raw fish can lead to severe malnutrition.
6. Grapes & Raisins
Why It’s Deadly: Even a single grape or raisin can cause acute kidney failure in cats. The exact toxin is unknown, but symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, dehydration, and extreme thirst can develop within hours.
In some cases, de@th can occur within 48 hours if the kidneys fail completely.
7. Dairy Products (Milk, Cheese, Ice Cream)
Why It’s Dangerous: Despite the classic image of cats drinking milk, most adult cats are lactose intolerant. Dairy products can cause severe diarrhea, bloating, and stomach pain, leading to dehydration.
Repeated exposure can result in chronic digestive disorders and malnutrition.
8. Xylitol (Sugar-Free Sweeteners, Gum, Candy)
Why It’s Deadly: Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener, triggers a dangerous insulin spike, leading to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), seizures, liver failure, and de@th. Even small amounts found in sugar-free peanut butter, gum, or candies can be rapidly fatal.
9. Raw Eggs
Why It’s Dangerous: Raw eggs carry Salmonella and E. coli, which can cause severe food poisoning in cats. They also contain avidin, an enzyme that blocks the absorption of biotin (a B-vitamin), leading to skin issues, hair loss, and weakness.
10. Bones (Cooked & Raw)
Why It’s Deadly: Bones, especially cooked ones, can splinter inside a cat’s digestive tract, leading to choking, internal bleeding, blockages, and de@th. Even raw bones can be dangerous if swallowed improperly.
11. Avocado
Why It’s Deadly: Avocados contain persin, a toxin that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, and heart failure in cats. The high-fat content can also lead to pancreatitis, a painful and potentially fatal condition.
12. Fat Trimmings & Greasy Foods
Why It’s Dangerous: Fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis, a life-threatening inflammatory condition. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and extreme abdominal pain.
13. Nuts (Macadamia, Walnuts, Almonds)
Why It’s Deadly: Nuts contain high amounts of fats and toxins that cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and seizures. Macadamia nuts can cause paralysis, muscle weakness, and tremors within hours.
14. Tomatoes
Why It’s Dangerous: Unripe tomatoes and their leaves contain solanine, which can cause stomach pain, drooling, and nervous system damage.
15. Mushrooms
Why It’s Deadly: Certain wild mushrooms contain neurotoxins that can cause seizures, coma, and fatal liver failure.
16. Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Lemons, Limes)
Why It’s Dangerous: Citrus fruits contain essential oils and citric acid, which can cause severe vomiting, depression, and nervous system issues in cats.
17. Spicy Foods
Why It’s Dangerous: Capsaicin, found in spicy foods, burns a cat’s throat and stomach, leading to severe pain, vomiting, and digestive distress.
18. Yeast Dough
Why It’s Deadly: Yeast dough expands inside a cat’s stomach, causing severe bloating, internal ruptures, and alcohol poisoning from fermentation.
19. Salt & Salty Snacks
Why It’s Deadly: Too much salt causes sodium ion poisoning, leading to tremors, kidney damage, seizures, and de@th.
20. Liver (Excessive Amounts)
Why It’s Dangerous: Too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity, leading to bone deformities, arthritis, and organ failure.
21. Dog Food
Why It’s Dangerous: While dog food isn’t immediately toxic to cats, it lacks taurine, an essential amino acid that cats need to survive. Taurine deficiency can lead to blindness, heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy), and a weakened immune system.
Dog food also contains lower protein levels, meaning a cat that eats dog food regularly could suffer from malnutrition, weight loss, and muscle weakness.
22. Raw Potatoes & Green Peels
Why It’s Deadly: Uncooked potatoes contain solanine, a toxic chemical that can cause severe digestive upset, lethargy, and nervous system issues in cats. Green potato peels are even more toxic, as they contain higher levels of solanine.
Cooking destroys solanine, but raw or undercooked potatoes should never be given to cats.
23. Tuna (Too Much Can Be Deadly)
Why It’s Dangerous: While cats love tuna, eating too much can cause mercury poisoning, nutritional deficiencies, and severe health problems.
Tuna is also high in unsaturated fats, which can lead to steatitis (inflammation of body fat), weight gain, and organ damage over time.
See Also:
Sometimes what we assume to be safe for our tabbies, can be really lethal.
Everything is safe unless consumed in exorbitant amounts.
Keep yourself updated!!
