Have you ever wondered what can cats not eat? This question has been asked by new and experienced owners. Especially this year has seen a massive increase in pet adoption and ownership caused by social loneliness and boredom.

The first reason to read this list is to simply understand the foods that cats cannot eat. Secondly, to help pet owners improve the nutrition of their pets. Finally, understanding the most harmful foods for your cat can lead you to provide the best home and the highest quality of life for your lifelong friend. 

We carefully curated a list of foods and ingredients not to feed your cat by consulting with local vets to provide you with the highest quality of information. The vets recommend these as the most common items you will have around your home that can potentially harm your cat.

Note: If your pet did ingest any of these items listed below, please talk to a vet immediately.

Table of contents

1. Alcohol
2. Avocado
3. Bread Yeast
4. Bones
5. Cheese and Milk
6. Chocolate
7. Coffee, Tea and Energy Drinks
8. Dog Food
9. Fat Trimmings and Raw Protein
10. Grapes and Raisins
11. Green and Raw Green Potatoes
12. Onions and Garlic
13. Raw Seafood
14. Raw Liver
15. Raw Eggs
16. Xylitol

What can cats not eat?

Alcohol

Although getting drunk with your cat doesn’t seem that bad, alcohol is super dangerous. Alcohol is poisonous to your animal and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, depression, lack of coordination, trouble breathing, unconsciousness, seizures, or death.

In fact, alcohol contains ethanol, isopropanol, and methanol which is very harmful to your cat because of their poisonous attributes. 

Avocado

Avoid feeding your cat the pit and excess amounts of avocado because too much avocado can cause gastrointestinal distress. Although a small portion of avocado is not too bad for cats, large amounts can often cause upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea. 

Bread Yeast

Raw bread or bread yeast ferments alcohol and carbon dioxide that can cause severe problems for a cat. These byproducts are absorbed into the bloodstream, and that leads to seizures and respiratory failure. 

Bones

Cooked Bones can cause splinters and potentially fatal internal damage or blockage. In addition, raw bones can lead to constipation. 

Introduce bones gradually to kittens or wait until a more mature age.

Cheese and Milk

Cat’s are known as obligate carnivores, which means they can only get necessary nutrients from meat. Cheese and milk in high protein can upset a cat’s stomach. Cat’s, in general, cannot tolerate dairy very well. 

Chocolate

Contains ingredients of caffeine and theobromine, both of which are harmful to cats. Large amounts can cause death. Dark and baker’s quality chocolate is more toxic because of a higher level of cocoa.

Coffee, Tea and Energy Drinks

Caffeine raises blood pressure and causes cardiac arrhythmias, which can be dangerous. Cat’s may lose muscle control and have tremors or seizures. Caffeine also strains the gastrointestinal tract and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. 

Dog Food

Dog food is not dangerous to cats in small portions but is highly not recommended. Because dog food lacks sufficient vitamin A and taurine, two nutrients cats need to live healthy lives. 

Dog food is also deficient in arachidonic acid and lacks the adequate meat-protein levels that cats need.

Fat Trimmings and Raw Meat

Both cooked and raw fat trimmings can cause intestinal upset, with vomiting and diarrhea.

Grapes and Raisins

Lesser-known toxin to cat owners, but one that every pet owner should be aware of! Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney damage or even life-threatening kidney failure. 

Green Tomatoes and Raw Green Potatoes

Green tomatoes and red-green potatoes are not recommended because they have solanine that is toxic to cats. In addition, if ingested, the stems and leaves can risk stomach issues, lethargy, slower heart rate, and more.

Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic can break down a cat’s red blood cells leading to anemia. Eating onions can also lead to onion poisoning.

Raw Seafood

Raw fish can contain bacteria that your cat food poisoning. So avoid feeding them raw fish just to be on the safe side. In addition, an enzyme in raw fish destroys thiamine, which is an essential vitamin B for your cat. The lack of thiamine can cause severe neurological problems and lead to convulsions and coma.

Raw Liver

A little bit of liver is not harmful, but a lot can cause vitamin A toxicity, leading to severe conditions that can affect your cat’s bones. Cat’s can be affected by deformed bones, bone growth on the elbows and spine, and osteoporosis.

Raw Eggs

Raw eggs can carry e. Coli or salmonella, which can cause severe gastrointestinal problems for your cat. Even cats who are fed raw diets should not be given raw eggs. In addition, Uncooked egg whites contain avidin.

Xylitol

A minimal amount of xylitol can elicit a sudden insulin release, resulting in low blood sugar, a condition known as hypoglycemia. Even if your pet can survive exposure, liver failure is sadly common. It is highly toxic. 

Final Thoughts

With a basic understanding of the most dangerous foods to your cat, careful consideration and analysis of the items around your home that can be harmful must be completed. If not satisfied, unknown health complications can occur.

What to do next?

Now with a basic understanding of the foods that can harm your cat. Check out this article about the average lifespan of cats.