If you’ve owned both cats and dogs, you’ll already be more than aware that cats are by far the more discerning diners of the two. No matter how hungry they may be, if your cat decides that the food you’re offering them is not to their taste, they’ll refuse to eat it. Unless you’re really hard hearted, chances are you’ll relent eventually and get them something more to their liking. Cats always have a stronger will than mere people.
Nevertheless, they can be curious about food left lying around and they can make wrong decisions. That means that there are things that they will eat, but really shouldn’t. So this month, the team at Green Lane Farm is examining common foods toxic to cats.
Chocolate
Chocolate can be fatal to both cats and dogs. Unlike dogs, however, cats are rarely likely to be tempted by it, but it’s best not to take chances by leaving it lying about (we strongly recommend eating it all immediately yourself, just to make sure). Dark and baking chocolate are the most toxic, but any chocolate can cause serious issues and can even kill your cat.
Uncooked dough
This is something that can be easily left on a kitchen counter while you’re in the middle of making bread or a pizza base, and might even prove tempting to a curious cat. However, the yeast in raw dough, once eaten, can expand in the stomach and cause damage to the abdomen that might require surgery to put right.
Alcohol
While cats are unlikely to be interested in lapping up your wines or gin and tonics, because even only small amounts of alcohol can be poisonous to them, you need to be particularly aware of things that might contain it. Alcohol can cause all kinds of unpleasant symptoms in cats, including vomiting, breathing problems, coma and even death.
Onions
All members of the onion family – and that includes garlic, shallots and chives – are toxic to cats. It’s another food that your cat is unlikely to eat in its natural state, and it does require large amounts to cause serious issues; nevertheless, you need to be particularly aware of it in a concentrated form, such as powders and mixes.
Grapes and raisins
Grapes and raisins are equally toxic to both cats and dogs, and in both cases we have no idea what it is within them that causes the problem. Even small amounts can prove toxic, so don’t take any risks and always keep them well out of reach of your pets.
Milk
This will be a surprise to many people, because a saucer of milk was a staple treat for cats for many years. But just as we’ve become increasingly aware of the potential for lactose intolerance in humans, we now know that many cats actually have trouble digesting milk and that it can cause stomach upsets and diarrhoea.
When you trust your pet cat to the care of Green Lane Farm Boarding Kennels, you can do so with the confidence and comfort that we’ll take extra care when it comes to what we feed our guests. Our cattery is convenient for the Kingston and Chessington areas of Surrey, so if you need a reliable and extremely friendly moggy motel to look after your cat for a few days, give us a call today.
