HUMAN FOODS THAT ARE TOXIC
TO DOGS AND CATS
By: Door Buddy Editors | Published: 29 February, 2024
Do you ever feed your cat or doggo from the table? Or maybe your kids love sharing their meals with their “fur-siblings”. Whatever the case may be, it’s essential to note what is toxic to dogs and cats when it comes to human food.
With the rise in popularity of raw pet foods, the line between what is poisonous to dogs and cats may get a little blurry. Raw foods contain some healthy veggies and meat, but that doesn’t mean that every healthy ingredient is good for our “fur-babies”.
In this article, we take a closer look at what human food is toxic for dogs and cats. If there’s one thing we love at The Door Buddy, it’s keeping our pets safe! Let’s jump in.
TOXIC FOOD FOR DOGS
If you’re a dog owner, then you know how much they love to eat! Anything for a treat, right?
While our pups might want to tuck into what we’re eating, the truth is, what might be delicious and healthy for us is sometimes toxic to them.
Here is our list of human foods toxic to dogs that you need to be aware of:
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Grapes and Raisins
Can dogs eat grapes? The short answer is no. Raisins are essentially dried grapes so these are off the table too.
Although the toxic substance in this fruit is still unknown, it can cause kidney failure. Rather be safe than sorry and avoid this fruit altogether.
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Macadamia Nuts
It’s not the festive season without a macadamia nut-baked good! “Un-fur-tunately”, Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and can cause depression, weakness, tremors, and vomiting, and the symptoms usually show within 24-hours of consumption.
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Raw Bones
You would think that it would be natural for dogs to love bones, and in the wild, this might be true. However, feeding your dogs raw bones can be dangerous. While it might not be one of the things poisonous to dogs directly, it can lead to choking, damaged teeth, or a damaged digestive tract.
When it comes to feeding your canine pal, try this guide to feeding dogs to ensure a healthy, balanced diet.
HUMAN FOODS TOXIC TO CATS
In our experience, cats can actually be quite fussy eaters. This doesn’t mean that they won’t get stuck into our human food when they want to, though.
Make sure to check out our best homemade cat treats that you can use as an alternative snack for your “fur-baby”. Here are some human foods that are poisonous to cats that you’ll want to avoid feeding your furry pal:
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Onions and Garlic
Bet you didn’t think that these two common ingredients would be on our list of food poisonous to cats?
Turns out, onions and garlic can cause damage to your kitty’s red blood cells. In severe cases, this can then lead to anemia and other major “paw-blems”.
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Milk and Dairy Products
This is a strange one, seeing as you’ve probably noticed that your kitty LOVES milk. The truth is that milk is one of the human foods poisonous to cats. They have trouble digesting the lactose, which can lead to an upset stomach.
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Raw Fish
Another funny one - cats love fish, right?! Turns out it is a big no-no.
Raw fish can carry bacteria that can cause food poisoning, making it toxic to cats. Ever heard of toxoplasmosis? Here is what you need to know about toxoplasmosis and how you can keep you and your kitty safe.
HUMAN FOODS TOXIC TO DOGS AND CATS
There are some human foods that are poisonous to both our doggies and kitties. You may have heard of a few of them before:
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Alcohol
Under no circumstances should you give your pet alcohol. It can cause a number of dangerous health issues, and can even lead to death. Let’s keep our pets well clear of this one.
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Chocolate
We’ve all seen the Oreo advert where the mom says chocolate isn’t good for dogs. It’s true! It’s not good for cats either.
Chocolate, and especially dark chocolate, is one of the top things poisonous to dogs and cats and can cause an upset stomach, tremors, and seizures. Rather enjoy all the sweetness yourself!
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Citrus
Avoid the leaves, stems, peels, seeds, and fruit of citrus plants. The citric acid and essential oils found here can cause an upset stomach in your pets, and lead to more severe health issues if large quantities are consumed.
CONCLUSION: HUMAN FOODS THAT ARE TOXIC TO DOGS AND CATS
Now that we’ve shed a little more light on how many human foods can be toxic to your dogs and cats, you’ll be able to keep your “fur-babies” away from the human foods that aren’t good for them.
If you are still wondering what else is poisonous to dogs and cats that you might find at home? Here are 10 things that are poison for pets that you should keep your pets away from.