What can a cat eat and what should it avoid?

Is it okay to give your cat a bowl of milk or a piece of egg? And what does she actually like to eat? When you are busy preparing your delicious dinner, you are being stared at by two big eyes. Your little house tiger is, of course, hoping you’ll give her a treat too! But not everything we eat is suitable for cats. Some products are even toxic to animals. In this article, we tell you what your cat can and cannot eat.

What should a cat not eat?

❌ Avocado: giving avocado to a cat can cause vomiting and diarrhea. This is because avocado contains persin, a substance that is toxic to cats.

❌ Chocolate: chocolate contains the substance theobromine, which is toxic to both dogs and cats. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains.

❌ Grapes (raisins): grapes are toxic to cats and eating them can result in various health problems. It is not yet known which substance in grapes is exactly toxic to cats. No research has been done on the toxicity for cats yet. Better to be safe than sorry!

❌ Green tomatoes: all green parts of the tomato contain the toxic substance solanine.

❌ Garlic and onion: in large amounts, both are toxic to cats. They contain a substance that destroys red blood cells, which can result in a form of anemia.

❌ Milk: although milk is not really toxic to cats, it can cause unpleasant symptoms. Most cats are lactose intolerant. They lack the enzyme lactase to break down milk sugar (lactose). If you give a cat milk or other dairy products, the animal can get stomach pain and symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea.

❌ Mushrooms: a cat that has eaten mushrooms can suffer from stomach problems and may vomit. However, this applies only to wild mushrooms. Mushrooms you can buy in the store are generally not toxic.

What is toxic to cats?

As you read above, the substances persin, theobromine, and solanine are toxic to cats. One substance we have not yet discussed is xylitol. This substance is found in chewing gum, toothpaste, and peppermint. It is extremely toxic to cats.