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We as humans frequently forget that our cat or dog does not have the same dietary requirements as we do. In actual fact, there are everyday foods you would consider safe that can seriously hurt or even kill your fur-buddy.
Therefore, saving your four-legged friend from issues and you from heartache, let’s take a look at five foods you should never feed to your cat or dog.
5 foods you should never feed your cat.
• Garlic and onions. Onions, garlic, shallots, and scallions, believe it or not, can cause anaemia in your cat’s red blood cells. According to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, even concentrated forms of onion or garlic, such as onion soup mix or garlic powder, can be toxic to your feline companion.
Cats exhibiting symptoms such as lethargy, weakness, decreased appetite, pale gums, and orange to dark red urine should be taken to the vet as soon as possible.
• Uncooked eggs and raw meat. While cats are predators by nature, it is essential to note that, like humans, cats can become ill from salmonella or E. coli poisoning if they consume raw eggs or raw meat.
According to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, symptoms of the illness vary but can include vomiting, diarrhoea, and lethargy.
• Raisins and grapes. As strange as it may sound, even a tiny amount of grapes and raisins can make your cat sick. In fact, they can hasten the development of kidney failure. Vomiting can occur within 12 hours of ingestion. Lethargy, diarrhoea, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, decreased urination, and abdominal pain are other symptoms that can appear within 24 hours.
• Dog Food. While dog food is not harmful to cats, your cat requires a different set of nutrients than a dog. Vitamin A, taurine, arachidonic acid, and protein should all be abundant in cat food. These nutrients are much lower in dog food. Cats cannot survive with low levels of vitamin A and protein, whereas dogs can. Although dogs can produce taurine and arachidonic acid, cats must consume these acids. Cats that do not get enough taurine can develop heart disease, vision problems, and dental problems.
BONUS TIP: Poor quality or cheap cat food lacks many of the vitamins needed. Thus you cannot cheap out if you want a pet.
5 foods you should never feed your dog.
• Macadamia nuts. According to Battersea.org, macadamia nuts contain a toxin that can affect your dog’s muscles and nervous system. This can cause fatigue, swollen limbs, and panting.
• Avocado. While avocado is a healthy fruit for humans, it is poisonous to dogs. This is due to the presence of persin in avocados, which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
• Chocolate. This is probably something you’ve heard before, but chocolate is exceptionally harmful to dogs. While theobromine is not detrimental to humans, it is the most toxic component of chocolate to dogs. It can be found in all types of chocolate, but it is especially prevalent in dark chocolate and baking chocolate. According to Dogtime.com, chocolate can cause a dog to vomit, have diarrhoea, and become excessively thirsty. On the extreme, it can result in abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, tremors, and death.
• Bacon and other fatty foods. That’s right, bacon and other fatty foods are bad for dogs. High-fat foods, such as bacon, ham, or meat trimmings, can cause pancreatitis in dogs. Furthermore, because these meats are frequently high in salt content, they can cause upset stomachs and, in extreme cases, induce dogs to drink too much water, resulting in bloat, which can be fatal.
• Dairy products such as milk, cheese, ice cream, and yoghurt.
Dogs are not designed to process cow milk products. They lack the enzyme required to break down milk sugar (Lactose). While some dogs can tolerate dairy better than others, many dogs are lactose intolerant. As a result, dairy can cause dogs to vomit, have diarrhoea, or develop gastrointestinal diseases.
As with fatty meats, the high-fat content can cause pancreatitis.
Keeping this in mind, avoid feeding your pets human food. In the long run, it is in their best interests.
Remember to Google your pets needs as they are your furbabies at the end of the day!
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