Here's Why Human Food Isn't Safe For Your Cat
Sharing morsels of your dinner with your cat might seem like a sweet thing to do, but it could have unintended consequences. Human food often isn't safe for cats to eat for a wide variety of reasons. Here are the three most common ones.
Spices
Spice is everywhere in food. It's used to add flavor, after all, but it doesn't serve much of a purpose otherwise. While the taste might be enticing to your cat, that doesn't mean that it's good for them.
There are a large number of ingredients that are toxic for cats to eat. For example, cocoa powder, onions, and garlic are all toxic to cats. They should never eat those things, but unfortunately, onion and garlic are used as flavorings in many foods.
Salt Content
Salt content is another big problem with sharing your food with your cat.
Too many humans are eating an excess of salt these days, but the same could be said of your cat if you share your food with them. A cat needs considerably less sodium than a human does, so feeding them your food can push them past their limit for the day quite easily.
If that weren't enough, an excess of salt could potentially raise their blood pressure or hurt their kidneys. Both of these are dangers to your cat's life and should be avoided at all costs.
Imbalanced Nutrition
Finally, most human food simply isn't balanced or good for your cat. An excess of protein can be difficult for the kidneys to break down and absorb properly, while an excess of fat could upset your cat's stomach and trigger vomiting or diarrhea. In either case, you'd have a very unhappy cat on your hands and potentially a big mess to clean up.
What to Share Instead
If you want to give your cat a treat, there's nothing wrong with that. However, you should probably stick to treats that are certified for pets. Store-bought treats come in a wide variety these days, so you can surely find something that will be appealing to your cat without carrying the risk of harming them.
If you're really determined to share your food with your cat, you'll need to specially prepare it. Leave out the salt and spices completely and make sure to cook it thoroughly. Raw food isn't safe for cats, as it can carry parasites and other dangerous bacterial substances in it.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to make your cat happy, but there are wrong ways to go about it. Talk to a veterinarian if you have concerns that you may have fed some of these things to your cat. For more information, contact companies like Clovis Veterinary Hospital P A.