Cats are primarily carnivorous so their primary dietary requirement is meat. However, they can be given a lot of other things to eat to supplement their diet. On the other hand, many common human foods are potentially harmful to cats so you should also monitor what your cat is eating. Here’s a list of what your cat can and can’t eat.
Safe to Eat
Domestication of cats started as pest control and their diet primarily includes rats and other pests in the human home or farm. Cats are thus obligated carnivores unlike dogs who are more omnivore because they have been living with and eating human food for much longer. So, cooked eggs, canned tuna, chicken or any other red meat like mutton, pork and beef are safe to give to your cats. Cats can synthesize vitamin C in their liver and do not require to eat fruits for it but you can still give it bananas or carrots to eat without any problem.
In Moderation
Cats love to eat fish has been ingrained to our minds by popular culture even though a fish was never a part of a cat’s diet. Cats that were kept in ships as pest control were given pieces of fish by sailors on long voyages and that’s where this legend grew. In reality, though you can give fish to your cat, you should do it in moderation. Same goes for cheese. You can use it as a special treat but never make it a regular part of your cat’s diet. Since cats don’t really need fruits in their diet, you can sparingly give it some pieces of apple or melon. You can also add vegetables like corn, spinach or even steamed broccoli to your cat’s diet but all in strict moderation.
Food to Avoid
We will start off with the easy ones. Alcohol and chocolates are effectively poison for your pets. So never give it to any of your pets under any circumstance. You should also avoid feeding raisins or grapes. Food that is cooked for humans generally has salt, onion and garlic - all of which are bad for cats. Giving bones to your cat is also a bad idea because they can potentially hurt themselves while trying to eat them. Unlike dogs, cats do not have very apt teeth for grinding bones. You should also avoid feeding uncooked dough and animal fats to you cats because their digestive system finds it harder to break down these types of food and end up with indigestion or food poisoning.
If in case you cat accidently eats any of the things it shouldn’t, keep a close eye on them and seek professional help if need be.
