Food for thought: Foods to avoid for your cat

Dogs aren't the only family members at risk when it comes to consuming tasty tidbits from the table. Below are some foods to avoid for our feline friends:

Alcoholic Beverages: Can cause intoxication, coma and death.

Baby food: Can contain onion powder, which may be toxic to dogs. Can result in nutritional deficiencies if fed in large amounts.

Bones from poultry, fish or other meat sources: Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system

Canned tuna (for human consumption): Can lead to malnutrition as it lacks the proper levels of vitamins and minerals.

Dog Food: If fed repeatedly may result in malnutrition and heart disease.

Chocolate, coffee, tea and other caffeine: Contain caffeine, theobromine which can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous system.

Citrus Oil Extracts: Can cause vomiting.

Fat Trimmings: Can lead to pancreatitis.

Grapes and Raisins: Contain an unknown toxin which may lead to kidney damage.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron: Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Liver: Large amounts can cause Vitamin A toxicity which affects muscles and bones.

Macadamia Nuts: Contain an unknown toxin which can affect digestive and nervous systems and muscle. Can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs.

Milk and other dairy products: Some adult cats are lactose intolerant. Diarrhea may result if ingested. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.

Moldy or spoiled food: Can contain multiple toxins causing vomiting, diarrhea and can affect other organs.

Mushrooms: Certain species of mushrooms can contain toxins which may affect multiple systems in the body causing shock and resulting in death.

Onions and Garlic (raw, cooked or powder): Can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Potato, rhubarb & tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems: Can affect the digestive, nervous and urinary systems. More of a problem in livestock.

Raw eggs: Decrease the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin) which can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Also may contain Salmonella.

Raw fish: Can result in a thiamine deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures and in severe cases, death. More common if fed regularly.

Salt: In large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalance.

Sugary Foods: Can lead to obesity, dental problems and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Table Scraps in large quantities: Not nutritionally balanced and may contain onion, garlic, mushrooms (see above).

Yeast dough: Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.