Everyday care
4 min read
Draft · vet review pending
What cats can't eat
Feeding a cat from your plate feels kind. In an Indian kitchen it's often risky, because so much of our food starts with onion and garlic. Cat food for cats. Your food for you.
Never give these
| Food | Why it's dangerous |
|---|---|
| Onion, garlic, leeks, chives | Damage red blood cells and cause anaemia. Garlic is even stronger than onion. That means most gravies, dal, sabzi and biryani. |
| Grapes, raisins, kishmish | Even a little can cause kidney failure. |
| Chocolate | Toxic. Dark chocolate is worse than milk chocolate. |
| Chai, coffee, energy drinks | Caffeine can cause a racing heart, tremors and seizures. There's no antidote. |
| Alcohol | Vomiting, wobbliness, breathing trouble. It can kill. |
| Cooked bones | Splinter and can tear or block the gut. |
| Raw dough | Keeps rising in the stomach. |
| Very salty food | Namkeen, chips and pickles can cause salt poisoning. |
What about milk?
Most adult cats can't digest milk properly, so it often gives them diarrhoea. Kittens need kitten milk replacer, never cow's milk. Fresh water is the only drink a cat needs.
And plants
Lilies (true lilies and daylilies) can cause fatal kidney failure, even from a nibble of a leaf or flower. Keep them out of any home with a cat.
The safest treat is a few pieces of the cat's own food, from your hand. They don't know the difference. Promise.
If your cat eats something from this list
- Call a vet straight away. Don't wait for symptoms.
- Tell them what it ate, roughly how much, and when.
- Take the packet or a photo of the food with you.
- Don't try to make it vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Where this comes from
- Agriculture Victoria: human foods to avoid for cats (the food list and milk)
- ASPCA: people foods to avoid feeding your pets
- IndeVets: lilies and cats
This guide is a draft and hasn't been checked by a vet yet.