7 human foods that you should never give your cat

Cats want everything that's not theirs. Sometimes it's hard not to give in, especially when they're on your lap and pawing at your plate. 

Before you share, check out this list. Some of our favorite foods can be very dangerous to your little furry friend. 

1. Dark Chocolate

The caffeine in chocolate is problematic enough for cats. It causes rapid breathing, heart palpitations and tremors, but that’s not the only issue lurking inside this delectable treat. Dark chocolate and unsweetened bakers chocolate also contain theobromine. Even scarier than caffeine, this ingredient can cause heart arrhythmias and seizures.  Keep chocolate away from your healthy kitty! 

2. Dairy Foods

A cup of milk for a kitten may seem like a sweet gesture, but once they’re weaned from their mothers, kittens don’t need to start drinking cow’s milk. In fact, most cats are likely to be lactose intolerant. When a lactose-intolerant cat consumes milk, cheese or other dairy products, you can look forward to cleaning and caring for a sick cat, as these foods bring on vomiting and diarrhea. 

3. Raw Meat

If your little tiger was in the wild, it would likely be hunting and eating raw meat all day long. Based on that logic, it makes sense to sneak your cat a few bites of raw chicken or a bit of a T-bone as you cook, but unfortunately, it’s not a safe idea.  

According to the ASPCA, raw meat can contain salmonella and E. coli, which can make kitties (and humans) very sick indeed. Additionally, cats may choke on bone fragments or get splinters lodged in their digestive tract.  Some plain cooked meat (avoid salt & spices) is probably just as delightful – and a great deal safer – for kitty.  

4. Onions and Garlic

Onions, leeks, chives, shallots and their relatives as well as garlic are not good for cats. Besides stinky breath, your cat can get very sick. If your cat sneaks a bit of sauce containing these aromatics, there’s no need to worry unless you see symptoms.  

But a chunk of onion, or worse, garlic (which is more potent), can cause serious harm due to toxicity. These foods cause digestive problems in cats, including messy diarrhea. Eating onions can also give cats anemia or low iron levels, causing lethargy, discomfort, and worse. 

5. Alcohol

Stay away. As little as a tablespoon of liquor is harmful to a feline; a small amount more is toxic. Even a few splashes that may spill from a glass can cause harm. Alcohol has been reported to cause gastrointestinal issues, tremors, and brain damage in cats. 

Leave the booze to us humans. 

6. Grapes and Raisins

Scientists have yet to identify the exact toxins in raisins and grapes, but these foods can cause acute kidney failure in cats and dogs. Luckily, cats aren’t innately drawn to either of these foods, and there are no reports of any cats dying after an encounter with raisins, but it’s best to be safe than sorry.  

7. Canned Tuna 

This comes off as a bit surprising, but this is in moderation.

A can of tuna as a treat once in a while is fine, but it is not meant to be a daily part of your cat's diet. In most cases, it causes digestive issues, but in severe cases, it can cause inflammation of all of your cat’s fat, a painful condition called steatitis. 

The exception here of course is that there is canned tuna made specifically for cats. Stick to that if your kitty has a taste/need for tuna, for it's both safe and delicious!

via the animal rescue site