What foods must cats never eat?

Cats cannot eat foods such as milk, high-sugar content foods, and those with seasonings. Additionally, foods like fish bones, chicken bones, squid, octopus, and shellfish are off-limits for cats. Particularly deadly are foods like onions, garlic, leeks, and chocolate, which can be fatal to cats. Due to the significant differences in digestion between cats and humans, many foods that are safe for humans are toxic to cats.

Cats are typical carnivores with a high proportion and demand for meat. They mainly rely on animal protein to replenish their nutrition and physical strength. The intake of other types of food is merely to promote digestion, aid in gastrointestinal movement, satisfy cravings, and entertain, etc. Excessive intake of other types of food can have a certain impact on health.

Main categories of foods cats cannot eat:

Foods with seasonings. Human foods often contain spices like chili, salt, pepper, and MSG. These stimulate cats' gastrointestinal tracts, causing vomiting, diarrhea, allergies, and food poisoning. Excessive intake of salty seasonings or long-term low intake can increase the burden on organs like the kidneys and liver, eventually leading to organ failure and death. It is recommended not to feed cats human food with various seasonings and not to add any flavoring when making cat food; just boil in clean water.
Foods with sharp bones. Fish bones, chicken bones, and duck bones are small but very sharp. They can easily scratch cats' esophagus and gastrointestinal tract, leading to bacterial infections and diseases like intestinal obstruction. It is advised to remove all bones and splinters when feeding cats fish or chicken and boil in clean water before serving.
Other foods. Cats lack the enzyme to digest lactose, so they cannot drink milk. Onions, garlic, and leeks can cause hemolysis in cats, which is fatal. Chocolate contains caffeine, which can make cats' hearts race, breathe faster, and have irregular heartbeats, possibly leading to heart failure. Excessive intake of squid, octopus, and shellfish can cause gastrointestinal disorders in cats.