Can my cat eat this?

A cat is not a small dog, not when it eats either

Much of what you read about forbidden foods is written with dogs in mind, and in cats some things are even worse. Onion, garlic, leek and chives damage red blood cells and can cause anaemia, and cats are even more sensitive: the damage builds up, so a little every day also counts. Watch out for things that hide them, such as sauces, stocks, processed meats or baby food with onion powder. Chocolate, grapes, alcohol and caffeine are also on the no list, although many cats are not even drawn to sweet things, because they cannot taste them.

The myth of the saucer of milk

The image of a cat drinking milk is one of the most deeply rooted and one of the least accurate. Most adult cats do not digest lactose well, and milk gives them diarrhoea, wind or vomiting, even if they drink it eagerly. Some tolerate a tiny piece of hard cheese or a little plain yoghurt better, but these give them nothing they need. If you want to give it something special, lactose-free milks made for cats exist, although they are a treat, not a necessity. What it needs to drink is water, and the easier you make it, the better.

Fish, tuna and liver: now and then, not every day

They are among the things cats like most and among the things that upset their diet most if they become a habit. Tinned tuna for people is not a complete food, it contains salt or oil, and some cats get hooked and then refuse their own food. Raw fish given often destroys thiamine, a B vitamin cats need, and a lack of it causes neurological problems. And liver, in excess, provides too much vitamin A, which over time damages bones and joints. As an occasional treat, cooked and boned, they are not a problem.

What is not food but ends up inside

Thread, gift ribbon, hair ties, fishing line or the string of a toy are a typical emergency in cats, because they play with them and their tongue, with its backward-facing barbs, forces them to keep swallowing. If you see a thread coming out of its mouth or its bottom, do not pull it: it may be caught and cut the intestine. Go to the vet. The other big household emergency is human medicines: paracetamol is lethal for cats even in small amounts, and no painkiller from your cupboard should be given to it unless the vet says so.

What to do if it has already eaten it

Call the vet before doing anything, with three pieces of information: what it has eaten, how much and how long ago. If you have the packet or the label, keep it. Do not make it vomit on your own: in cats, home remedies are dangerous in themselves, salt can poison it and hydrogen peroxide is not used in them. Do not wait for symptoms either, because in several of these poisonings treatment works better the sooner it starts. With xylitol, which is extremely serious in dogs, studies in cats suggest much less risk, but do not give it to them either.