Ingredients Cats Cannot Eat
📝 Summary
New owners often ask what cats can eat. The answer: human food is best avoided, and even some dog-safe foods aren't cat-safe. Here are the absolute no-nos.
1 Overview
Before feeding something, know what’s absolutely forbidden, then check online! Here are common no-nos — new owners read more!
[Raw egg white]
Most cats like semi-cooked even raw yolks — OK, since cat stomach acid is strong, resisting Salmonella better than humans.
But always cook the white — raw white’s avidin binds biotin (a B vitamin), harming the cat.
[Uncooked fish]
Many cats like raw-fish taste, but some fish (esp. freshwater) have thiaminase
If eaten raw, it destroys vitamin B1; cats need B1 highly; deficiency causes fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, nerve issues. Cooking destroys thiaminase!
[Tuna]
Careful! Don’t overfeed tuna — its strong taste is addictive; cats may reject other food, unbalancing diet.
Tuna is high in the food chain, accumulating heavy metals; cat food with tuna has higher mercury. Human oil-packed tuna can cause yellow fat disease (steatitis) from too much unsaturated fat depleting vitamin E.
[Cooked bones]
Unlike dogs, cats less into bones, but some think bones clean teeth. Never give cooked bones (any animal) — they splinter and can pierce/block esophagus or gut. Only raw bones (poultry) properly handled under supervision.
[Onion and other alliums]
Onion aroma tempts humans and has antibacterial use, but for cats/dogs allium causes serious complications — disulfides oxidize red cells; some cats are so sensitive even tiny amounts cause weakness, anemia, pallor, rapid breathing.
[MSG]
Abroad, ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’ from MSG; some cats are MSG-sensitive, showing signs within 48 hours.
[Cured foods]
Sausage, ham, luncheon meat, etc. — high salt, nitrate, MSG, colors, preservatives; carcinogenic; avoid for cats.
[Chocolate]
Chocolate helps human heart/mood but is deadly to cats — theobromine is toxic; ~45 mg per lb can poison, even kill.
Keep all chocolate hidden; tell family/guests/kids about the danger.
[Coffee or tea]
Some cats love coffee/tea aroma and sneak sips; caffeine and theine are CNS stimulants — toxic to cats!
[Summary]
The most mentioned is vitamin B — very important.
Deficient cats: poor appetite, weakness, rough coat, arched back, emaciation, unsteady gait, then seizures. Caused by single-food diet, gut disease, or high excretion. Supplement B, especially for skin-disease cats!
About calcium deficiency
Cat calcium-deficiency symptoms
Early: unwilling to move/jump; touching hind legs causes moan, bite, avoid people. Untreated: constipation, can’t jump; worse: lumbar sags, semi-crouch walk, bigger belly, more urination but less eating. Severe: spine deforms, hind-limb paralysis, hard belly from constipation, can’t stand.
See how scary severe calcium deficiency is! Prevention beats treatment — no owner wants a once-lively cat reduced to illness!
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