Best and Worst 'People' Food for Dogs and Cats

By PetMD

Like buying candy for kids, we often think snacks that have been specially packaged for pets are the best treats in the world. Why would they want anything other than a tasty treat? But a lot of those packaged pet snacks and treats are the equivalent of candy. They are not a big deal, as long as you don’t do too much of it, since they are mostly devoid of nutritional value.

And just as we encourage kids to eat their veggies rather than another candy, we can also encourage a love for veggies in our pets. These low calorie, low fat, vitamin and mineral-packed “treats” are a great alternative to the packaged dog biscuits and kitty chews.

Which Vegetables Are Best and Which Vegetable Are Not Safe for Pets?

There are some plant foods that are toxic to pets, so you will want to be familiar with what to avoid and even prevent access to. If you are unsure, check with your veterinarian to make sure that your planned treats are not going to be harmful to your pet. Also keep in mind that while dogs are omnivorous and thus more open to trying different kinds of foods. Cats, on the other hand, are carnivorous. They are not just picky about what they eat — they are constitutionally incapable of digesting some types of foods.

Next Page: Good and bad foods for pets.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

LMj S.

4:33PM PST on Nov 10, 2012

Good info, thank you.

November 10
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4:32PM PST on Nov 10, 2012

Barbara F.

11:07AM PDT on Oct 8, 2012

This was a really good article. I was aware of everything on this list, except for one: TOMATOES! That really took me by surprise. I have given my girl small pieces to tomatoes, because she loves them. I never knew they could hurt her! Now....I have to find out why!

October 8
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Emily L.

7:16PM PDT on Jul 1, 2012

i have a weird cat, he likes eating anything from pasta spagetti to lays potato chips, so hes like a vacuum cleaner to any messes in the kitchen XD

July 1
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Nancy B.

10:58AM PDT on May 26, 2012

I give my dogs natural anti-flea drops which contain garlic, but your list of bad foods lists garlic - should I stop giving them the drops?

May 26
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Meg G.

6:29PM PDT on May 25, 2012

Emil, dogs in the wild are omnivores, they eat berries, dig up tuber veggies, and eat ripe fruit. The first part of a large kill they will eat is the stomach and its contents as they get huge amounts of vitamins and minerals and fibre from it. Yes they do eat mainly meat but not exclusively.
My dogs get two meals a day consisting of bones and meat and some veggies and when they want extra veggies and fruit they raid the veggie and fruit patch they eat tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, dig up carrots. eat passion fruit and kiwi fruit, bananas, and their favorite treat is apples. I had to take them off the dinning table as they would jump up and help themselves.

May 25
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Carol D.

2:16PM PDT on Apr 30, 2012

I was really disappointed not to see chocolate on the list--my vet says many pet owners are unaware that it's one of the most toxic things a cat or dog can consume :(

April 30
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John B.

10:21AM PDT on Apr 30, 2012

Good article and thank you for posting it Nicolas.

Nia G.

7:22AM PDT on Apr 30, 2012

Really good article, lacks in details though. I don't know about grapes or raisins, but the dogs and cats that my family has raised and lived to be very healthy and old (20 plus years in many cases) ate everything we ate, and coming from a Cuban background that included a great deal of the "toxic" garlic and onions. We had one dog that was in love with fresh whole tomatoes and indulged in them on a regular basis, never had a problem. My current cat is crazy for avocado and his digestion has benefited from it. I'm sure chocolate may have too much caffeine and sugar, especially with dogs who have no idea about portion size, so would pose a danger; otherwise I have not seen a dog that has died or gotten sick from stealing a piece of chocolate cake or Oreo (not a rare occurrence either, dogs will be dogs).