Cats cannot tolerate a wide range of foods, plants and substances that we humans eat and keep in the home without giving it a second thought. Among the most common are onions, garlic, chocolate, grapes and raisins, alcohol, caffeine as well as certain plants, where lilies in particular stand out as dangerous to cats. The reason is that a cat's body breaks down substances differently than ours, and that the cat is a distinctly carnivorous animal with a digestion designed for an animal-based diet. What is harmless on your plate can therefore be a real strain on your cat.

Below you get a concrete overview of what cats cannot tolerate, why they react the way they do, and how to arrange everyday life so that your cat eats what it is actually made for. If you find that your cat has got hold of something it cannot tolerate, or if it seems unwell, this always belongs with a veterinarian and not in an article like this one.

Why can't cats tolerate the same things as us?

The cat is an obligate carnivore. This means that its body is designed to get nourishment from animal-based raw materials, and that it lacks some of the enzymes and breakdown pathways we humans have. A substance that our liver handles without problems can accumulate in the cat's body because it breaks it down more slowly or not at all. At the same time, the cat is a small animal, so even small amounts of something unsuitable take up proportionally much more space than they do in a human.

That is why it rarely makes sense to share your own food with the cat, even when those eyes are begging for it. The cat has no need for our spiced, sweet or complex dishes, and it gets no benefit from leftovers from the dinner table. It thrives best on meals composed precisely for its digestion and needs. If you want to understand the cat's natural diet better, you can delve into what a cat eats, and how it is made to live on meat.

Which foods can cats not tolerate?

Some of the most common foods in an ordinary kitchen are among those cats cannot tolerate. Onions and garlic are high on the list, and this applies to both raw, cooked, dried and powdered forms, which often hide in ready meals, sauces and spice mixes. Chocolate is another classic, where the dark variant in particular is problematic because it contains substances the cat cannot handle. Grapes and raisins should also not end up with the cat, and the same goes for alcohol and caffeine from coffee, tea and energy drinks, which the cat's body reacts strongly to even in small amounts.

Raw dough with yeast is also among the things to keep out of reach, just as very fatty, strongly spiced or salted human food is not suitable for a cat. Artificial sweeteners found in sugar-free chewing gum and certain light products are likewise unsuitable. What they all have in common is that they do not belong in the cat's bowl. Instead of guessing, it gives peace of mind to stick to Cat Meals, which are composed of human-grade ingredients and prepared for the cat's digestion, so you know exactly what your cat is getting.

Are milk and dairy products harmful to cats?

The image of the cat lapping cream from a plate is deeply rooted in our imagination, but milk is actually not suitable for most adult cats. Many cats lose the ability to digest lactose as they grow out of the kitten stage, and cow's milk can therefore cause an upset stomach rather than joy. This does not mean that milk is acutely dangerous on par with the foods cats cannot tolerate at all, but it is unnecessary and can cause discomfort that could easily be avoided.

A kitten is a different matter, because in its first weeks of life it lives on its mother's milk. When it moves on to solid food, it needs meals composed for that delicate beginning. Here it is far better to rely on proper Meals for kittens than on cow's milk from the fridge, so the little cat gets the nourishment it needs to grow strong.

Which plants are poisonous to cats?

Cats are curious and readily chew on green leaves, and that is why houseplants and bouquets are a place where many overlook the risk. Lilies stand out markedly, because the entire plant, including leaves, stem, flower and pollen, is dangerous to cats, and even a little contact can be serious. If you have a cat, lilies in the bouquet are worth avoiding. Plants such as poinsettia, cyclamen, tulip, azalea and various bulb plants are also among those a cat should preferably stay away from.

If your cat lives indoors and misses greenery to nibble on, you can accommodate the urge with cat grass rather than letting it help itself from the houseplants. If you are in doubt about a particular plant, or if your cat has already got hold of something it cannot tolerate, a veterinarian is the right place to turn. This also applies if you are simply unsure whether a plant in the home is safe to keep.

Can cats tolerate dog food and human food in the long run?

Dog food is not acutely poisonous to a cat, but it is not made for cats and should not be the cat's regular diet. The cat has very special needs, among other things for a high content of animal protein and for certain nutrients it can only get from meat, and which dog food is not composed to cover sufficiently. If a cat eats only dog food over time, it therefore lacks what its body actually needs.

The same goes for leftovers from our own meals. Even the parts the cat can tolerate lack the right balance, and at the same time they get the cat used to begging at the table. A cat thrives when its bowl contains meals prepared for it specifically, and where meat is the focal point. If you want to spoil it between meals, there are Treats for cats, designed for the cat from the ground up, instead of handing it a bite of your own food.

How to keep your cat on a safe diet in everyday life

The best protection is a simple routine. Clear up immediately after meals so that onions, chocolate, grapes and other unsuitable foods are not left out, and keep bags, the bin and groceries out of reach, because a curious cat will find even the hidden treats. Place bouquets and plants you are unsure about somewhere the cat cannot reach, or skip them entirely if there are lilies in them. That way you remove most pitfalls before they arise.

The cornerstone, however, is what is in the bowl day to day. When the cat gets meals composed for its digestion and built around meat, it is full and content and less inclined to go looking for something else. If you are in doubt about what suits your particular cat's age, taste and needs, ESSENTIAL FOODS' nutrition advisers are ready by phone, chat and email to help you find the right meals. And if concern arises for your cat's health, or if it has got hold of something it cannot tolerate, it is always your veterinarian you should contact.