September is National Happy, Healthy Cat Month! One of the ways you can help keep your kitty happy and healthy is by providing it with appropriate food. Cats can be quite selective when it comes to eating. But there are certain foods that your feline friend should avoid, even if it piques their interest. Here’s a list of what you should never feed to your cat.

Dairy products

Most cats are lactose intolerant and cannot process dairy foods. Give your cat too much milk, and she may have an upset stomach and diarrhea.

Tuna

A cat fed a steady diet of tuna prepared for humans can become malnourished because the tuna doesn’t provide all the nutrients a cat needs. Additionally, too much tuna can cause mercury poisoning.

Raw meat

Raw meats, including fish, can contain dangerous bacteria that can cause food poisoning in cats (and can also be hazardous for the humans in the house).

Onions, garlic, chives

Onions, garlic, and chives can all cause stomach upset in cats. And, regardless of the form of onion (powdered, raw, cooked, or dehydrated), it can break down your cat’s red blood cells, leading to anemia.

Grapes

Both grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in cats, which will sometimes reveal itself early on in the forms of vomiting and hyperactivity.

Caffeine

In large enough quantities, caffeine can be fatal for a cat, and there is no antidote. You’ll notice restlessness, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and muscle tremors if your cat has been poisoned by caffeine.

Alcohol

Alcohol has the same effect on a cat’s liver and brain that it has on humans. Just three teaspoons of whiskey could kill a 5-pound cat.

Chocolate

All kinds of chocolate, but especially dark, contain theobromine, which is toxic to cats.

Candy

The artificial sweetener xylitol can be found in candy, gum, toothpaste, baked goods, and some diet foods. In cats, it can cause a decrease in blood sugar and liver failure.

If you have questions or concerns about what you should or should not feed your cat, contact us.