Christmas Food Cat Safety
🌲Christmas is a great time to be with friends, family and pets, and whilst the last couple of year was very different, for most, there are high hopes for this one!
🌲As you’re enjoying yourself, don’t forget that some traditional Christmas foods can cause issues for your cat.
🌲Food plays a big role in Christmas celebrations, but did you know that many of the nation’s favourite Christmas treats are toxic to pets? With all the excitement going on, many pets may even use the opportunity to help themselves to some tasty treats – make sure you keep kitchen cupboards closed, use a sturdy food waste bin that can’t be tipped over, clear away leftover dinner plates and always clean up any spillages and crumbs.
Below are some festive favourites that you should avoid sharing with your cat ( or dog):
🌲• Pigs in blankets and gravy are fatty and salty and, if eaten in large quantities, can cause digestive issues in cats including pancreatitis. In this condition the pancreas becomes inflamed, resulting in vomiting, loss of appetite and adominal pain
🌲• Grapes and highly toxic and subsequently so are raisins and sultanas. If eaten they can cause kidney issues, so keep mince pies, Christmas pudding and fruit cake well out of paw’s reach
🌲• Onions, shallots, garlic, leeks and chives are all members of the allium family and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and even anaemia in cats ( and dogs). Avoid feeding pets things that include these ingredients like stuffing and onion gravy
🌲• Leftover turkey bones. While it may be tempting to give your cat or dog leftover turkey bones, they have a brittle nature and so there is a risk of them splintering making them dangerous for your pet’s digestive system
🌲• Nuts, including macadamia nuts and walnuts, can cause lethargy (tiredness), high temperature, tremors, and stomach upsets. Please keep them out of the way of inquisitive pets
🌲• Nutmeg is often used to add spice to festive treats but it’s highly poisonous to cats and dogs and can result in tremors and seizures
🌲• Chocolate is one of the most well-known toxic treats, and it’s usually in abundance at Christmas. Chocolate contains the toxic compound theobromine and eating any amounts of it can be fatal, so it’s essential you keep it wrapped up and out of the way. Ideally avoid hanging chocolate on your tree, but if you must hang it higher up. The ‘darker’ the chocolate the more problematic it is so be especially careful when baking
🌲• Alcohol is bad news for cats. It affects them in a similar way to humans, causing drowsiness and lack of coordination, but it can also dramatically lower their body temperature and blood sugar levels, leading to seizures and comas
🌲🌲🌲In all honesty pets should only eat food specifically manufactured for them…. save the festive treats for the humans🌲🌲🌲
🌲If you think your pet may have eaten something he or she shouldn’t have… dont delay… ring your vet immediately whatever time of day or night it is.🌲