What Christmas Foods Can Cats Eat?
Christmas can be about overindulging in our favourite treats. But, for cats and dogs, a lot of what you’ll find in abundance in your home at this time of year, is poisonous or dangerous to your pets.
Alcohol
Cats and dogs absorb alcohol much quicker than human bodies. While we’ve never heard of pets intentionally drinking alcohol, if it’s part of a creamy cocktail or spills on their fur, you might have a problem. Alcohol is highly toxic and can cause very serious seizures. As little as a tablespoon of alcohol can lead to problems for your cat. It can cause severe liver and brain injury.
Chocolate
Contains theobromine. While this bitter-tasting stimulant is found in all forms, it’s most concentrated in dark and unsweetened chocolate. Ingestion can cause heart problems, muscle tremors, or seizures. Chocolate also contains caffeine.
Coffee, tea and energy drinks
These contain caffeine – it can cause your cat to become restless, and suffer from rapid breathing, heart palpitations and muscle tremors.
Cheese and milk
Perhaps surprisingly, dairy products are high on the list of what cats cannot eat. This is because some cats are lactose intolerant so if they eat dairy products it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
Fat trimmings, raw meat, raw eggs and raw fish
These can cause vomiting, diarrhoea or a painful condition called pancreatitis (from excessive fat) and there is also a risk of Salmonella or E. coli associated with these foods.
Grapes and their dried forms of raisins, sultanas and currants
Dogs can suffer acute kidney failure from eating grapes or raisins – and although toxicity in cats is only anecdotal, we would strongly advise that you keep these foods out of reach of your cat.
Onions and garlic
All members of the onion family can cause problems if eaten in sufficient quantities. A little bit of onion or garlic in some sauce is not likely to cause any problems. However, eating a clove of garlic or a green onion may cause digestive upset. Eating some type of onion on a regular basis could cause anaemia.
Xylitol
This is a sweetener used in a lot of sugar-free foods, especially chewing gum. There are no records of cats becoming ill from this product, but in dogs, it can cause a severe drop in blood sugar – which can cause seizures and convulsions or even death – followed by liver failure. It’s better to be safe and not let your cat eat foods that contain this ingredient, including ice cream.
What foods can cats eat?
Can a cat eat bones?
Cooked bones can easily splinter and create all kinds of nasty problems, from the mouth right the way through the digestive system. Raw bones carry bacteria that could make your cat or dog poorly, but you also risk broken teeth, constipation and digestive blockages from raw meat.
Can a cat eat onions?
Onions contain a substance that can be toxic for cats and, even when it’s just used as flavouring in food, it can cause problems. Either way, onion or no onion, giving your cat scraps from the dinner table seems like a nice treat but they might not thank you later when they’re suffering from an upset stomach.
Can a cat eat mince pies?
Grapes and raisins, found in sweet mince pies and Christmas pudding, can cause kidney failure in pets.
Can cats eat potato crisps or chips?
No, cats shouldn't eat potato chips or fries. These popular human snacks are too salty and fatty for feline digestion and can cause health problems even in small amounts. It's best to avoid sharing your potato chips and crisps with your cat, whether fried or oven-baked.
8 common human foods that are poisonous to cats:
Alcohol.
Chocolate.
Tea, coffee and energy drinks.
Cheese and milk.
Fat trimmings.
Raw eggs, raw meat and raw fish.
Grapes and their dried forms include raisins, sultanas and currants.
Onions and garlic.
Has my cat been poisoned?
Common signs to look out for include:
Staggering, shaking or other odd behaviour
Red, raw, swollen or blistering skin, mouth, throat or paws
Vomiting
Dribbling
Collapsing
Difficulty breathing
It’s possible that your cat may also have been poisoned if they go off their food for a day or more so it’s worth calling your vet for advice.
Some illnesses, like kidney disease or severe gastroenteritis, can look like poisoning and both of these can have a sudden start. If in doubt, call the vet.
What should I do if I think my cat's been poisoned?
Most household products in small quantities aren’t that toxic but if your cat eats or comes into contact with anything unusual you should call your vet immediately. See if you can identify the culprit and have any packaging to hand so you can tell the vet exactly what the substance is. If you’ve seen your cat chewing something, take samples along to the vet and make a note of the time they ate it and any symptoms they’ve had. It’s best to wrap your cat in a towel or use a Buster collar if you have one so they can’t lick themselves in case the poison is on their fur.
Don’t try to make your cat sick without asking the vet and never give them medicines designed for humans. If your cat is staggering or having a fit, clear obstacles out of the way and make the room dark and quiet.
We don’t want to leave our pets out at Christmas, after all, they’re a very important part of our families, so here are some recommendations to make sure they’re involved in the celebrations.
What can I feed my cat at Christmas?
Please save them some (lean) cooked meat from the roast! Cooked or raw vegetables are also very tasty, but might not be as nutritious for animals as we humans, so keep up with their regular food too. If you are tempted to offer a cheeky pig in a blanket, bear in mind that by proportion this amount of fat constitutes far more of their recommended daily calories, so don’t get carried away!
Cats can have:
A slice of plain, cooked, white turkey meat.
A small piece of plain, cooked, boneless salmon.
Or of course a Christmas treat or toy
Medically reviewed by:
Sources
Christmas food for cats and dogs
Common cat poisons and toxins | Blue Cross
Can Cats Eat Potatoes? The Answer Isn’t Always Simple | Purina
What Human Food Is Poisonous To Cats? | What Can't Cats Eat?