A nutritious diet is essential for the healthy growth and development of cats. Some human foods are perfectly safe for cats, but some others can prove extremely harmful. No matter how tempting it might be to give your cat a bite of your food when it stares at you while you are eating, you should always avoid feeding your cat these foods to ensure their safety:

1. Onions
Onions are known to be bad for cats, both raw and cooked. Even traces of onion powder in meals can be dangerous for them as onions can cause a disintegration of the red blood cells in cats. Ingestion of even small quantities of onions can lead to chronic health issues, and some cats experience onion poisoning if small amounts are present in their regular diet. Garlic and garlic chives have the same effects.

2. Chocolate
Does your cat stare at you while you relish your favorite chocolate? Don’t give in to that innocent look, and don’t offer them a bite! Chocolates and chocolate drinks can be dangerous for cats. Theobromine in cocoa can be toxic to your feline friend, and caffeine is an equally harmful ingredient.

3. Grapes
Avoid feeding your cats grapes, both fresh and dried, as these foods are known to be toxic to felines. They can lead to kidney problems in these animals, and some cats may even suffer fatal kidney failure if they consume too many grapes.

4. Too much tuna
It might be challenging to keep your cat away when you open a can of tuna, but avoid feeding your cats too much tuna. An occasional tuna snack is okay, but it should not be the primary ingredient of your cat’s meal. It is a perfect ingredient to prepare homemade treats for your cat, but excess quantities can lead to mercury poisoning in cats. Although this is rare, mercury poisoning could cause incoordination, loss of balance, and trouble walking.

5. Dough
Uncooked bread dough containing yeast is harmful to pets, so keep your cat away. The dough can stretch inside the cat’s stomach and cause discomfort and severe pain. Yeast-induced fermentation also causes alcohol absorption into the bloodstream, which can result in seizures.

6. Raw meat
Raw meat and fish can cause several health hazards in cats. Though most cats are used to hunting their prey and eating raw meat, some are prone to getting salmonella infection upon consuming raw meat. If your cat is used to having cooked meat and cat food from the time it was a kitten, it’s best to avoid experimenting with raw meat as your pet grows up.

Avoid feeding your cats these harmful foods. Instead, you can opt for healthy homemade or packaged treats and cat foods made of organic ingredients that are safe for cats.