Certain foods can cause seizures

One more week about cats and I bet you are surprised. Do you want to keep potential problem-causing foods out of your kitty’s reach? Your cat has naturally discriminating taste buds and you’ll find it’s much easier to keep dangerous foods away from it than those people like me who love dogs. Cats aren’t likely to knock over the garbage can and chow down on yesterday’s coffee grounds, or gobble up all the chocolates in the box when you’re not looking.

Dogs will usually eat anything that stands still, but cats demand freshness and savory flavor in everything they eat.According to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals here are some foods to avoid when feeding your cats. Avocadoes can result in respiratory distress and the accumulation of fluid around the heart.

Alcoholic beverages can cause gastrointestinal irritation , drunkenness, tremors, difficult breathing and/or panting, coma, and even death. Chocolate in all forms can be potentially poisonous depending on the amount eaten. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, hyperactivity and increased thirst, urination, and changes in heart rate. Coffee, including the grounds and beans, can cause the same symptoms as chocolate.

Moldy or spoiled food may contain molds that can result in GI irritation, tremors, seizures, and death. Spoiled food may also contain bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning. Onions, garlic, and chives can lead to GI upset and damaged red blood cells. Salt and salty foods can result in sodium ion poisoning, symptoms of which include regurgitation, tremors, excess thirst, diarrhea, high temperature, and seizures.

If enough salt is consumed, death can also result. The ripe red fruit of the tomato is not a potential problem, but the leaves, stem and unripe fruit are. Ingestion of these can cause GI upset, excess salivation, drowsiness, dilated pupils, and weakness. The same symptoms can be seen with the ingestion of any green plant parts of the potato.

Yeast dough can be double trouble. As it rises, the dough can expand the GI tract, possibly causing the intestine to rupture. The yeast can also form alcohol as it rises, which can lead to alcohol poisoning.If you are wondering about milk and other dairy products, here’s what the ASPCA says. A lot of pet owners have a tendency to give their cats saucers of milk and in actuality, many felines are lactose-intolerant.

The inability to break down lactose can result in stomach upset, cramps, and gassiness. If your kitty is crazy for cream or milk and if it doesn’t cause problems, a small amount once or twice a week should be fine.Certain table scraps are fine in moderation, but limit the selection to foods such as rice, small bits of string cheese, well-cooked hamburger, and skinless chicken breast. If your kitty has a bout of vomiting after you’ve given it one of these snacks, it’s best to avoid it in the future. An absolute no-no is poultry bones.

They can splinter and cause digestive blockages and damage to the teeth and mouth. Fatty meats and spicy foods are not known to be potentially toxic to cats, but they may cause stomach upset.If you have questions about what type of food your cat needs, it’s always best to talk to your veterinarian. During your discussion about food, it would be a great idea to make an appointment for vaccinations to protect your kitty and that all-important spay or neuter. We all know that spaying or neutering for your pet can help eliminate pet overpopulation.