Curious about which treats could put your cat’s health at risk? Keep reading to discover the foods you should never feed your cat!

1. Dairy products

Many cat owners love to spoil their furry friends with a bowl of milk, thinking it’s a treat that’s good for them. However, it’s best to avoid giving your cat milk. Adult cats are lactose intolerant, which means drinking milk can lead to unpleasant digestive issues.

While kittens have plenty of lactase enzymes that help them digest milk, this ability decreases as they grow older. So, if you want to keep your cat happy and healthy, opt for lactose-free milk and let them enjoy it without discomfort!

2. Chocolate

One of the sweetest treats we all love, chocolate, can be incredibly tempting, even for our pets. We may even feel like rewarding them with a piece of chocolate, but unfortunately, it’s not safe for cats. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are toxic to them.

Consuming chocolate can cause symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, tremors, rapid heart rate, and in severe cases, even death. Thankfully, in today’s world, plenty of pet-friendly treats are available, so opt for one of those instead, and let your furry friend enjoy a sweet bite that’s safe for them!

3. Grapes and raisins

When we think of grapes and raisins, we typically don’t associate them with anything harmful. However, for our feline friends, these foods can be life-threatening. Even a small amount can make a cat very ill.

Early signs of toxicity include repeated vomiting and hyperactivity. While some cats may show no immediate effects, it’s safest to avoid giving them grapes or raisins altogether. Keep them off countertops and other areas accessible to your cat, as a precaution to protect their health.

4. Raw meat, eggs, and fish

Although cats may seem to enjoy raw foods like meat, eggs, and fish, it’s actually not the best choice for them. Raw meat and bones can carry harmful bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, which can lead to serious infections.

These bacteria can affect both your pet and you, making raw food risky for everyone involved. For the safety of your cat and yourself, it’s best to avoid feeding raw food and stick to properly cooked or specially formulated cat food instead.

5. Bones and sticks

If you want to avoid dangerous situations for your cat, you should definitely steer clear of bones and sticks. Small bones, like those from poultry, can easily splinter and cause blockages or injuries in the digestive tract.

They also pose a serious choking hazard. Additionally, bones are hard and sharp, which can puncture your cat’s mouth or stomach lining if swallowed. To keep your cat safe, it’s best to stick to cat-safe treats and toys instead.

6. Nuts

Nuts are another big no-no for cats. Whether it’s walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, or peanuts, they’re simply too fatty for a cat’s digestive system. Eating them in large amounts can lead to diarrhea and, in severe cases, even kidney failure.

Additionally, like other high-fat foods, nuts are packed with calories and lack the essential nutrients cats need from their regular meals. To keep your cat healthy, it’s best to keep these snacks out of reach and stick to foods that are specially formulated for their needs.

7. Avocado

Even though avocado is a healthy snack for humans, it’s a different story for cats. Avocados contain a substance called persin, which can be toxic to felines, causing symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

Additionally, avocados are high in fat, which can upset your cat’s digestive system and contribute to weight gain. To keep your cat safe and healthy, it’s best to avoid feeding them avocado altogether.

8. Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges should be kept away from your cat. The citric acid in these fruits can cause gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, and in some cases, central nervous system depression.

If consumed in large amounts, citrus can lead to tremors, seizures, and even death. To ensure your cat stays safe and healthy, avoid giving them citrus fruits and keep them out of reach.

9. Salty foods

A little salt might seem harmless, but it’s important to keep it to a minimum and always consult your vet. Your cat’s diet should be well-balanced to maintain their health.

Excessive salt, commonly found in processed meats or chips, can lead to increased thirst, frequent urination, and electrolyte imbalances, which may result in serious kidney problems. Always be cautious about what you feed your cat to ensure they stay happy and healthy.

Is there more to the name? As cat lovers, we must wonder about various things, including our felines’ diets.

A cat’s diet usually consists of meat because that’s a carnivore’s source of nutrition. However, we tend to add some of this and some of that to her menu as well.

Before introducing new foods to your furchild, it’s best to think about whether it’s safe for her. Will she have any side effects from consuming this food?

These rumbunctious creatures don’t seem that sensitive. Yet, you’d be surprised how many problems could erupt out of an imbalanced diet.

Still, this doesn’t stop your furball from trying out new foods. And sometimes risk lurks around the corner.

Other times, if your pet’s lucky enough, she’ll benefit from the new foods she decided to introduce on her own. Hey, they have their instincts!

Well, I know how worrisome all these thoughts might be. Don’t stress too much because we’re about to delve into whether cats can and should eat nutritional yeast.

Can cats eat nutritional yeast safely?

Is nutritional yeast safe for felines? Now, I know what you’re thinking. How can cats eat an ingredient used in making g dough!?

They can’t. Fortunately, we’re talking about another yeast. Nutritional yeast (or “nooch”, as some call it) is completely edible.

It can be found almost anywhere – from health food stores to supermarkets. People often tend to use the term nutritional yeast interchangeably with brewer’s yeast.

However, this is incorrect as these are two different types of yeast. Brewer’s yeast is produced as a result of beer brewing.

If you tried to make bread with nutritional yeast, you wouldn’t be thrilled because the taste would be rather bitter. Also, if you mix up these two, it doesn’t necessarily imply a negative outcome.

Brewer’s yeast holds certain health benefits for cats such as chromium. This trace mineral helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Also, nooch differs from active yeast. For instance, the active type of yeast is used in leavening dough, but you can’t make pizza dough out of nooch.

Still, nutritional yeast fits well in almost any type of diet. It’s gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and low in fats and sugar. It also comes in powder form or as thin flakes.

This makes your life so much easier when you’re trying to trick your cat into eating it. But why would you want to persuade your pet into eating nutritional yeast?

Believe it or not, its palatability can help cat owners with picky eaters. This is all thanks to the glutamic acids that nutritional yeast contains, which makes it yummy for felines!

What are the health advantages?

As you might have guessed by now, nutritional yeast is full of health benefits. This food lives up to its name for sure!

One of the most nutritious aspects of yeast is protein. Containing all of the nine essential amino acids, this treat is a beneficial addition to your cat’s diet.

Protein is a crucial nutrient for carnivores that helps them grow and develop. It’s one of the primary sources of energy and serves as an immune booster.

Besides being filled with protein, nutritional yeast has an array of other health advantages for felines. So, not only can cats eat nutritional yeast, but they should.

It has an abundance of B vitamins including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, as well as folate. These can be found in larger quantities in fortified (processed) yeast, as the processed yeast has added certain nutrients while the unfortified type doesn’t.

Vitamin B is essential for cats because it helps break down carbohydrates. It also aids in regulating and transporting nutrients throughout the body.

Your pet could potentially benefit a lot from this deactivated yeast if you add some to her regular cat food. It could be dry food like kibbles or wet food because it mixes well with anything.

One of the major pros of feeding your pet this deactivated yeast is the beta-glucan. It’s known to help reduce blood cholesterol levels. Together with other antioxidants, beta-glucan also has antibacterial and antifungal properties, aiding in boosting immunity and guarding against infections.

How is yeast good for cats?

Besides the various health advantages, nutritional yeast doesn’t commonly provoke problems. Some other foods like chicken and grains are known to be the cause of allergic reactions in felines.

However, nooch is completely gluten-free – a good thing, as cats are prone to developing a gluten allergy. Together with tapioca, this deactivated yeast is also one of the few vegan foods that can benefit your pet.

Another reason cats can safely eat nutritional yeast is that it’s considered dairy-free. Surprisingly, cats are lactose intolerant, as they can’t break down the sugar found in dairy.

You may have experienced an unpleasant series of events when giving your furball some milk. Sugar, known as lactose, is the reason for your pet’s loose stools and bloating. This can be followed by gassiness, abdominal pain, as well as vomiting.

With nooch, however, you won’t have any of these problems.

How often can cats eat nutritional yeast?

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, right? It’s not recommended to overdo any type of human food. And too much nutritional yeast can actually harm your feline.

I know pet food can become boring and this is a hard task to tackle when it comes to fussy eaters. However, make sure you don’t get ahead of yourself because of all the health advantages nooch brings.

This type of yeast has high amounts of phosphorus. While it’s essential for bone and tooth strength, excessive quantities can turn to proverbially bite your cat in the face.

Well, it’s more of a kidney problem, to be exact. An overabundance of foods high in phosphorus can accelerate the onset of kidney disease in cats.

Besides, you don’t want to feed your carnivorous pet foods that aren’t meat-based. Meat is their primary choice of food because it provides them with all essential nutrients.

And even with all of the health supplements, yeast fails to replace meat. Because it’s vegan, it means it’s classified as a plant-based food. Therefore, the nutritional potential found in it could possibly go to waste in a carnivore’s system, which is designed to digest animal-derived foods.

Make sure you maintain a balanced and healthy diet that’s fit for your feline friend’s digestive system. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast every now and then can bring many health benefits, but remember the nature of your pet’s diet.

To sum up

If you were burdened by the question of can cats eat nutritional yeast, I hope your uncertainty is now all cleared up. Diet is a tricky aspect of the cat world and it doesn’t help that our pets can be finicky eaters.

The good news is that this deactivated yeast is a perfect addition to her meals. You can sprinkle it over her food and it can actually encourage her to finish her lunch.

Just remember that it differs from brewer’s yeast and the one used in making dough and bread. Nooch has a number of health benefits for felines and is completely safe to incorporate into their diets, in moderation.

It contains generous amounts of B vitamins, various minerals, as well as antioxidants. More importantly, it’s packed with protein and essential amino acids that aid in your cat’s health.

Still, you shouldn’t overdo it. High amounts of phosphorus found in nutritional yeast can negatively impact your feline’s health, hastening the development of kidney disease.

Besides, nutritional yeast is plant-based, so it’s possible that your furry friend is unable to digest it properly, and therefore, she may lose the valuable nutrition it offers.