12 Foods You Should Not Feed Your Cat Or Dog

Are dogs better than cats or are cats better than dogs? Dog and cat owners have argued about which is better since the beginning of time. Of course, the answer to the age old question is obvious... right?

Since it is obvious which is better - cats or dogs - let's discuss another topic that's often debated - what foods are bad for cats and dogs? What human foods might cause your dog or cat serious illness or even death? If you're like me, you've probably gotten plenty of advice and perhaps you've even had experiences you can share. If so, please comment and let us know what you've heard or experienced.

Recently I came across an article that said the following 12 food items may be toxic or even deadly for your cat or dog. What do you think? Do you feed your pet any of these? Are there other foods you know to be dangerous or have heard are dangerous for your pet?

1. Alcohol - I know many a large dog who would beg to differ, but according to the American society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals beer, wine and spirits are a depressant to their nervous system and can cause breathing problems... or even coma!

2. Animal Bones - HUH!? Seriously? I've heard that chicken bones are a no-no but apparently beef and other animal bones are dangerous and should be avoided. Sorry Fido :(

3. Chocolate (and other caffeine foods) - again........ bummer! Every dog I've ever owned loves chocolate but I have heard it is bad for them so I've only given them a tiny little piece from time to time.

4. Grapes and Raisins - Okay, aren't they one and the same? One is just a dried variety of the other. At any rate, the experts aren't really sure as to the reason but these fruits can cause canine and feline kidney failure.

5. Gum, Baked Goods and Candy - Aw come on... it's so much fun watching a dog try to chew gum. (Just kidding!) These sweet treats contain xylitol. I haven't a clue what that is but apparently it can cause liver damage.

6. Milk - Seriously?! I thought all animals could drink milk unless they're lactose intolerant. Well, it seems that adult animals just don't have the lactase to digest milk so I guess this means that they are lactose intolerant. What's the harm? Diarrhea... 'nuff said.

7. Onions, Garlic and Chives - Okay, I'm cool with this one. Fido and Whisker's breath is bad enough already so I have no interest in giving them onions or garlic. I can't really imagine them wanting them anyway. Oh, the damage is that they can cause red blood cell damage. Cats are at higher risk but larger quantities can make Fido sick too.

8. Uncooked Dough - Small pieces of bread are okay as a treat but yeast can rise in their digestive tract and cause stomach or intestinal damage.

9. Macadamia Nuts (bad for dogs) - These tropical nuts can cause fever, tremors, weakness and other nasty symptoms for your dog.

10. Avocado (bad for dogs) - Not that I've ever had my dogs begging for guacamole but if your's does, you should know that the chemical called persin contained in avocados can be toxic to dogs. Just say NO!

11. Tuna (bad for cats?) - Seriously, they say that tuna lacks nutrients cats need and too much can lead to mercury poisoning. My cat says that's a load of hooey but what does he know... he knows he loves tuna, that's what he knows!

12. Other Raw Fish(again... not so good for kitty) - Apparently, raw fish contains an enzyme called thiamin's which destroys thiamine (vitamin B1). This can actually lead to neurological disorders (maybe that explains the odd behavior so many cats exhibit.)

I would love to hear what other foods you've heard are bad for cats and dogs and why. Please leave a comment or a personal story.

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