You might get tempted to share a piece of your meal with your little ball of fur. You might even find their beautiful eyes irresistibly pushy. But before you extend your loving hand with a piece of whatever you are eating, make sure that it is not toxic for them. After all, not all human foods are suitable for our feline companions.

Your cat’s health and safety rely on the food she eats. And the way to keep your cat safe is by feeding them a balanced nutritious diet and keeping toxic foods out of their way.

Below are some of these human foods dangerous to your cats.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee might help you start your day better, but don’t think it will do the same for your furry little friend. Coffee can be toxic to your cat because it contains a methylxanthine called caffeine.

When cats consume large amounts of coffee, the caffeine can lead to hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, and urinary inconsistency. [1]

Be extra careful with tea, energy drinks, and other caffeine-containing food items as well.

Chocolate

Chocolate is something we like sharing with our loved ones. But you can’t give it to your feline companion because chocolate can be lethal to them.

The main toxic component in chocolate is a methylxanthine named theobromine.

Chocolate ingestion can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, hyperactivity, heart failure, and even death in cats. Your cat can be seriously affected by just 70 grams of unsweetened baker’s chocolate or 200 grams of sweet dark chocolate. [2]

Dark and unsweetened chocolates are more dangerous than white chocolate because of their higher theobromine content.

Dairy

You might think you’re doing your cat good when you offer them a bowl of milk. Milk will do your cat more harm than good.

Cats are lactose-intolerant. Their digestive system lacks lactase, an enzyme required to break down lactose. As a result, dairy products can leave your cat with abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. [3]

Raw Eggs

Raw eggs pose two threats to your cats.

First is infection from harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. This infection can give your cat diarrhea and vomiting.

The second is the presence of a protein called avidin, which interferes with the absorption of vitamin B7 (biotin). This interference can lead to different skin problems in your cats. [4]

Raw meat and raw fish

In their natural habitat, it is normal for cats to eat raw meat. So, you might think it’s a good idea to feed your cat raw meat.

Although it may be natural, feeding raw diets to your cats can have two drawbacks. Raw diets, commercial or homemade, do not contain all the essential nutrients your cat needs. If strictly adhered to, raw diets can cause malnutrition in cats. [5]

Raw meats can also expose your cats to contamination by harmful bacteria, just like raw eggs.

Alcohol

We all know how alcohol consumption ruined countless homes. Alcohol consumption can lead to severe short- and long-term health complications. And alcohol can take a serious toll on your cat’s health as their alcohol tolerance is even lower. Alcohol can cause a series of health problems in cats, including diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory distress, coma, hypothermia, and even death. [2]

Yeast dough

You don’t need to be a baker to know that yeast helps bread dough rise. If ingested, that is what uncooked yeast dough would do inside your cats’ stomach. The yeast will utilize the sugar in the flour and produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas buildup can obstruct your cat’s digestive system causing bloating and severe stomach pain. [6]

Onions, garlic, and chives

Many of us enjoy spicing up our plates with onions, garlic, and chives. These and other members of the genus Allium contain organosulfur compounds. These compounds convert to highly reactive oxidants that damage red blood cells, leading to Heinz body anemia in cats.

Cooked, raw, or dehydrated, you should refrain from giving these spices to your cat. Consumption of just 25 grams can push a 5-kilogram cat into onion toxicosis. [7]

Grapes, raisins, sultanas, currants

Grapes and raisins sure do serve as great snacks. However, feeding your cats grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure under extreme circumstances.

Consumption of grapes and raisins can cause your cats nausea, vomiting, hyperactivity, lethargy, diarrhea, anorexia, and dehydration. The substance in grapes and raisins responsible for these health problems is not yet identified. [8]

Avocado

Avocado leaves, fruit, pit, and bark are potentially poisonous to cats. The toxic property of avocado is associated with a fungal toxin called persin.

The lethal dose of avocado for cats is not yet known. But consumption of avocado can lead to the accumulation of fluid in the chest and lungs of cats. This fluid accumulation will lead to respiratory distress and death from oxygen deprivation. In addition, the high-fat content in avocado can lead to pancreatic inflammation. [2]

Tuna

Giving your cat a can of tuna now and then is not harmful. But keeping your cat on a steady tuna diet is a whole other story.

Tuna does not contain all the essential nutrients your cat needs to stay healthy and active. As a result, a steady tuna diet can make your cat malnourished. Too much tuna can also increase the risk of mercury poisoning. A constant tuna diet can also influence your cat’s behavior leading to reduced activity and vocalization. [9]

Dog food

It might be okay to give your cat an occasional bite of dog food. But that doesn’t mean you should go to a pet food store and carelessly pick whatever is close to you.

Cats have unique nutritional requirements. And dog food doesn’t necessarily contain all the nutrients your cat needs to stay healthy and grow, especially protein, taurine, vitamin A, and arachidonic acid. Although it might not be fatal short term, a steady dog food diet can malnourish your cat.

Liver

You might think it’s okay to provide your cat with a steady supply of raw liver, considering their predatory nature. This assumption is wrong as too much liver can lead to vitamin A toxicity in your cat. Excess vitamin A intake leads to deformed bones, bone growths, osteoporosis, and in extreme cases, death. [10]

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, clementine, and grapefruits all contain essential oils and citric acid. These compounds can irritate your cat’s digestive system.

Citrus fruits also contain a compound called psoralen, which is toxic to cats. A small amount of these fruits may not cause serious problems to your feline friend. However, you should avoid giving excess to your cats. Excess intake can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, photosensitivity, and depression. [11]

Bones

Bones will not poison your cats. However, you should refrain from giving bones to your cat. Although not poisonous, bones can splinter and cause lacerations to your cat’s digestive system. Bones can also obstruct your cat’s digestive system and cause serious injuries.

If you decide to give your cat a meaty treat with a bone, remove the bone first to keep your feline friend safe.

Mushrooms

Not all mushrooms are toxic. But considering the seriousness of mushroom poisoning, it might be best to exclude mushrooms from your cat’s diet.

Mushrooms contain cyclopeptides like amanatins that are hepatotoxic. Cat’s will not show clinical symptoms up to 6 hours post poisoning. After 6 hours, cats may exhibit vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and anorexia. In 12 to 48 hours, mushroom poisoning can lead to death from kidney and liver failure. [12]

Since the chances of early mushroom poisoning diagnosis are minimal, you should ensure your cat’s diet remains mushroom-free.

Peaches

Peaches and other members of the Rosaceae family, like plums and apricot, can be toxic to cats. These fruits contain cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide when chewed or digested. [13]

Cats exhibit symptoms including dilated pupils, respiratory distress, and shock after ingestion of cyanide compounds. Compared to the flesh of the peach, the stem, leaves, and seeds are more toxic.

Although peaches and plums can be a delicious treat, it would be advisable not to give them to your cats.

Raw potatoes

When cooked, potatoes can make an addition to your cat’s snack list. Conversely, raw potatoes can be toxic to your feline companions. Raw potatoes contain glycoalkaloids like solanine and chaconine. These substances are more concentrated in potato sprouts.

Glycoalkaloids can cause digestive distress, headaches, diarrhea, and cramps. [14] As a result, you should exclude raw potatoes from your cat’s meal plan.

Unripe tomatoes

Tomatoes are grouped in the Solanaceae family together with potatoes. And just like potatoes, unripe tomatoes and the green part of the plant also contain glycoalkaloids. Unripe tomatoes can cause hypersalivation, anorexia, depression, severe gastrointestinal upset, and slow heart rate. [15]

In addition, tomatoes contain a toxic substance called tomatine. Tomatine may not be as dangerous as solanine but can still upset your cat’s stomach.

Ripe tomatoes, however, are not toxic to your cat.

Parsley

From salad to soup and from pasta to stew, you may love to add chopped parsley for flavor and garnish. But make sure parsley is nowhere near your cat’s diet.

Parsley contains furocoumarins which can cause sun allergy, dermatitis, and eye toxicity in cats. [16]

What should you do if your cat ingests one of these foods?

As a cat parent, you do all you can to keep your furry little bundle of joy safe and healthy. And now that you know these foods can be toxic to them, you can take extra precautions in feeding your cat. But cats are curious creatures. And no matter how cautious you are, they may still ingest something they shouldn’t.

Avoid leaving food on the kitchen counter to prevent accidental ingestion. And refrain from feeding your cat table scraps.

If your cat ingests one of these foods, try not to panic. You can either take your feline friend to the nearest vet or call an animal poison control center in your region to get help. If you have access, take the food you think poisoned your cat along with the vomit or stool when you take your cat to the vet.