Holiday Table Scraps, Pet treat or Poison?
The holidays are upon us. Little Tabby is likely to be interested in the holiday festivities, especially the wonderful smells coming from the dining table. When your pet looks up adoringly at you and begs for some goodies off your plate, here are some things to keep in mind.
Don't feed your furball bones. Poultry bones when cooked are exceptionally brittle and can easily splinter in your pet’s stomach, leading to a painful bellyache, a blockage, or even an emergency surgery.
You would think turkey skin might be a treat, think again. The fat is a problem here. Pets on commercial diets aren’t accustomed to sudden high levels of fat in the GI system & this can lead to the pancreas essentially overreacting and a very painful, dangerous condition known as pancreatitis. Add to this category, cheese and sausage. Just like us humans, everything your pet loves is bad for them.
Never EVER feed the following to your cat, they are toxic to both cats and dogs:
- Onions and garlic cause anemia
- Macadamia nuts cause neurological problems
- Grapes & raisins cause renal disease
- Xylitol can cause life threatening hypoglycemia, even in small amounts.
- Nutmeg causes neurological problems
- Sage may cause GI upset
- Xylitol can cause life threatening hypoglycemia, even in small amounts.
So what can your little baby furball have off your plate?
- Sweet potato
- Turkey meat without skin
- Mashed potato
- Green beans
- Stuffing (no onions)
- Corn
- Canned pumpkin plain
- Butternut squash
Will your pets eat these things? Cats are funny critters. Some like the oddest things, with the biggest treat being that it comes from your plate.
