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A list of Christmas food cats should avoid

12/20/2021

By Elsa Smith

Although cats are picky eaters, sometimes they like to hang around people and share some titbits. Many cat owners also find it hard to turn away the begging eyes and cuteness. But before you give her that morsel, remember that some foods could be unsafe for your cat. You need to be aware of five foods your cat should avoid. And if you must have a snack together, read on, and learn about healthy foods your cat will enjoy just as much as you.

Chocolate

Chocolate is irresistible to humans, but it contains a complex compound known as theobromine. Theobromine is toxic to your cat. If your cat ingests a significant quantity, you may notice the following symptoms:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Increased thirst
Increased urination

Chocolate also contains caffeine which is harmful to cats. Your cat would start breathing rapidly, become restless, and have an increased heart rate. She could also experience muscle tremors and seizures.

Yes, there are healthy alternatives. First of all, get rid of the idea that your cat could have a sweet tooth. Find out which meaty treat, like chicken or turkey, is her favorite and serve it instead of chocolate. Remember to give treats only when your cat deserves it.

Grapes and raisins

Grapes and raisins are popular ingredients in Christmas desserts like puddings and fruit cake. But they can be harmful to cats. If your cat ingests these foods, she may lose appetite, have abdominal pains, dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea. Your cat may also become lethargic.

Although not all cats will experience adverse effects after ingesting grapes and raisins, it is not worth taking the risk.

If your cat likes fruit, chop up some apples for her or even give her a raspberry as a treat. They are rich in calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Or prepare some cantaloupe for her (a favorite for cats due to its meaty scent).

Turkey bones

If you have plans for turkey, you can be sure that your cat will want to share the dinner table with you. But avoid sharing scraps of meat and bones with her. It could be dangerous.

Turkey's bones are hollow and brittle. Your cat could swallow a piece, and it could choke her. Worse still, a splintered bone could wreak havoc in her throat and digestive canal.
If your cat fancies chewing on bones, look for special dental cat food and chews that will entertain your cat and clean her teeth.

The perfect Christmas turkey must have stuffing and is often accompanied by gravy. Stuffing and gravy contain garlic, onions, and other herbs which could be toxic to cats. They can cause anemia, panting, vomiting, and lethargy.
Are you looking for healthy vegetables for your cat? Consider a little cucumber or steamed broccoli in their favorite meaty meal.

Alcohol

No loving cat parent would deliberately serve alcohol to their fur babies. But your cat could inadvertently have a few sips. Cocktails containing creams like White Russians and eggnog are popular around Christmas, and they are a magnet for cats.
If you leave the concoctions unattended, she could take a sip or two or lick the entire bowl clean.

Cats are vulnerable to the adverse effects of alcohol. Even small quantities can adversely affect your cat. Significant intake of alcohol could be fatal.
If your cat fancies a drink, give her some bone and meat broth or some kitten milk formula.

Christmas tree needles

Maybe it’s not human food, but cats need greenery, and guess what happens when you have a Christmas tree around? According to Christmas tree experts at Fantastic, most species found on the market have oils that could be toxic to cats. If your furry friend eats too many needles, that will probably cause harsh mouth and stomach conditions of heavy comfort which could lead to inflammation, unless you take action to stop that.

Avoiding festive foods for cats, a final word
We fancy the above foods during the festive season. But they could be toxic to our beloved cats. Taking them out of the diet list does not mean you can share other festive foods. The food could be safe for your cat but high in calories. Too much food could be unhealthy for the cat.

We suggest you desist from sharing any human food with your cat, especially during the festive season. Also, store the food and handle scraps carefully.

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Switching Dog Food: What You Should Know

12/2/2021

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By Melissa Kauffman

Are you thinking about changing the diet of your pet? What about putting them on a healthier diet? Maybe your vet advised a prescription diet, or maybe you just want to test a different brand. Changing your dog's diet, for whatever reason, is more complicated than just dumping new food into a bowl. You must make the proper transition to the new diet in order to avoid disturbing your dog's tummy. There are different ways to incorporate changes in your dog’s diet.

How to select the dog food

Selecting dog food can be a daunting task. A good amount of time should be spent in market research and in understanding your dog’s habits, amount of physical exercise, etc. Your dog’s willingness to try new things in terms of food also matters a lot. Your dog’s age, amount of food, and the number of times they eat in a day can help you determine the perfect dog food to choose. When selecting a portion of suitable dog food, consider your dog's physical qualities, behavior, and overall health. Puppies and nursing mothers need more calories each day, but geriatric pets need fewer. Similarly, more active breeds require more calories than couch potato breeds. Feeding your dog the right sort and amount of food will help your dog prevent obesity and other health problems.

Introduce a small amount of the new food

The first step to incorporate a new brand of food or even a home-cooked meal into your dog’s diet is to introduce it to them. There’s a reason for this step as many brands create foods depending on breed, however, the majority just differentiate between small and large breed recipes. The differences are mostly in kibble size, but your dog must be able to eat safely and comfortably. Once you know if your dog likes the food and shows no signs of allergy or reaction and has adapted to the new food in a healthy manner, you can increase the amount of new food and start phasing out the old meal. One of the most important factors is to read the ingredients list in the dog food brand.

Keep a track of your dog’s digestive system.

Paying attention to the quality of your dog's stool is the greatest approach to check his digestive health. While slight changes in stool color and consistency are to be expected, any significant changes can signal a problem that must be addressed. A Fecal Scoring Chart is an excellent tool for evaluating your dog's stool. A fecal score of 3–4 is ideal. Lower values would indicate dehydration or constipation, but larger levels could indicate gastrointestinal distress caused by a variety of reasons. If the feces repeatedly falls outside the normal range, you should visit your veterinarian to check your dog’s digestive health. It is important to give your dog supplements of calcium and multivitamin along with the diet. This adds value to your dog’s diet that keeps them healthy and immune from falling ill.

Keeping a track of your Dog’s diet

If the diet of your dog consists of dry and wet food, it is important to keep a track of what you are feeding them and when. Another important aspect is to calculate the calorie intake of your dog. Controlling the portion size while incorporating a new brand of dog food or home-cooked meal is important. If you are not careful, your dog might be overfed which can cause obesity or digestive problems. Avoid table scraps, to keep better track of your dog’s intake. Unscheduled snacks can throw off the calorie intake of your dog and can make them lethargic. Keeping a food journal can help a dog owner a great deal. The majority of veterinarians welcome clients to bring their dogs in for frequent weigh-ins. This allows pet owners to know exactly what is required for a pet to lose or maintain a specific weight. This will help you keep a track of the fluctuations in the weight of your dog and help fill any gaps in the optimal weight of your dog according to their age and breed.

Is fasting a healthy option?

Animals, including dogs, benefit from fasting, which is unsurprising. Fasting can also act as a much-needed reset for healthy adult dogs going from kibble, making a fresh dietary start. Fasting has been proven by the National Library of Medicine to have beneficial impacts on the gut microbiome (the billions of bacteria that live in an animal's digestive system) and food flow through the stomach. According to research both of these may have a role in the gastrointestinal symptoms associated with a diet change. The idea of restricting your dog's food may seem strange. Dogs love to eat! Fasting, however, does not imply starvation. Many animals have evolved to go without food for lengthy periods of time, so a brief fast poses no risk and offers a lot of benefits for your dog's health. While there are other types of fasting, for our purposes, fasting is stopping food for a period of 24hrs and allowing the dog to drink only water.

Fasting causes a break in digestion, which in turn assists a dog's detoxification and immunity. This is especially beneficial if he's been eating highly processed kibble for a long time. The gut of your dog helps with digestion and metabolism, but that's not all. Nearly every physical process, including and especially immunity, is influenced by this interior ecosystem, either directly or indirectly. The gut assists the body in eliminating unwanted substances such as poisons and infections. Allowing this system to take a break from digesting food allows it to reset and detoxify the body.

Adverse Food Reactions in Dogs

As mentioned above, food can have adverse effects on dogs. There’s no known template of diet for your dog. It is more about experimenting while being careful and understanding what helps your dog and their health. Adverse food responses (AFR) are a prevalent condition in dogs that can produce gastrointestinal symptoms. Food intolerance, food intoxication, and food allergy are among them. The diagnosis and treatment of dogs with AFR is still based on their response to a dietary elimination experiment and the recurrence of symptoms after food provocation. It is therefore of utmost importance to be careful before introducing your dogs to new food and conduct research before doing so.

Conclusion

If you are interested in fasting your dog, you may expect some vomiting and lethargy. Some dogs may show some allergies if they are fed with a new brand of food, in which case they should be taken to the vet immediately. Any sort of rash or infection if caused should be paid attention to stat. Dogs usually adapt to the food sooner and if they don’t they might vomit, which is a good way to know the food you are feeding your dog is not helping. You can switch the brand and look for a more balanced diet which is a mix of dog food and a home-cooked boiled meal.

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Pet Talk

A list of Christmas food cats should avoid

Switching Dog Food: What You Should Know

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A list of Christmas food cats should avoid

Switching Dog Food: What You Should Know

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Archives

Pet Talk