13 Holiday Foods That Are Dangerous to Cats
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When gathering with loved ones to celebrate the holidays, it’s natural to want to include our pets in these occasions. And while it’s important for our pets to be part of the family, this shouldn’t include sharing in the holiday feast.
Sharing table scraps with your cat can lead to a number of health issues, including obesity. Here are some common holiday foods you should keep away from your cat.
Holiday Foods Dangerous to Cats
1. Seasoned Turkey Meat and Skin
While a small amount of plain, cooked turkey is relatively safe for cats to eat, holiday recipes usually call for the turkey to be brined or seasoned. These processes add hefty amounts of salt, pepper, and herbs to the meat, making it less safe for pets to consume.
Also, cooked turkey bones are brittle and can damage the gastrointestinal tract or cause an obstruction in the intestines.
2. Stuffing
Most stuffing recipes contain onion, scallions, or garlic, all members of the allium genus.
Allium vegetables are extremely toxic to cats because they cause oxidative damage to the red blood cells, which causes the cells to rupture, resulting in anemia.
Other consequences of allium poisoning include:
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Weakness
Many stuffing recipes also include raisins, which (along with grapes) can be toxic to cats.
3. Baked Ham
Baked ham may be a tasty holiday dish for humans, but it should be off-limits to cats. Why? It’s typically super-salty and seasoned with ingredients that are toxic to cats, like garlic or onion.
The safest ham you can serve your cat is plain, cooked ham—prepared with no additional seasonings or spices.
4. Cranberry Sauce
This popular holiday condiment is either served straight from the can or homemade from a recipe.
To reduce the tartness of the berries, cranberry sauce recipes typically call for large quantities of white sugar, and the canned sauce usually contains high-fructose corn syrup.
Unlike humans, cats don’t have a sweet tooth and don’t enjoy sugary foods. Excess sugar can also lead to obesity, diabetes, and dental disease.
5. Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
When eaten in small amounts, plain, cooked potatoes are not harmful to cats.
However, the ingredients used to make mashed potatoes put cats at risk of gastroenteritis, a condition that causes inflammation of the stomach and intestines and can cause symptoms such as:
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Vomiting
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Diarrhea
Mashed potato recipes usually call for some form of dairy products, such as milk, butter, or cheese. But because most cats become lactose-intolerant after weaning, dairy can cause unpleasant symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and gas.
As for gravy, this tasty topping usually contains potentially toxic seasonings, such as onion and garlic.
6. Sweet Potato Casserole
While cooked, plain sweet potatoes are safe for cats, sweet potato casserole is off-limits.
This side dish usually contains milk and brown sugar, making it unsuitable for a cat’s digestive tract.
If the casserole is topped with marshmallows and pecans, these ingredients add even more risk. A single full-sized marshmallow contains 4 grams of sugar.
Nuts are also hard to digest, so large pieces can cause a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Green Bean Casserole
It’s true that plain green beans can be an excellent treat for pets. But green bean casserole is a no-go.
This holiday classic gets its creamy flavor from a dairy-based sauce, and most green bean casserole recipes are also rich in onions—both within the casserole and added as a crispy French onion topping.
And onions, like all other alliums, can cause fatal red blood cell damage in cats.
8. Candied Yams
Candied yam recipes are often passed down through generations, but this traditional side item is another one to keep away from your cat.
The dessert-like dish gets its name from the rich helpings of brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows that make it oh-so-sweet.
Cats don’t benefit from such high levels of sugar, so avoid letting your cat lick your plate.
9. Corn on the Cob
A plain, cooked corn kernel or two is not hazardous for cats. However, you should never feed corn on the cob to your kitty.
Corn cobs present a choking risk and could lead to intestinal obstruction if chunks are consumed.
10. Macaroni and Cheese
The ultimate comfort food, macaroni and cheese is a holiday favorite for many families.
However, many adult cats are intolerant of dairy in their diet, so the cheese can lead to diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain.
11. Pumpkin Pie
What holiday feast is complete without pumpkin pie?
While plain, 100% pumpkin is safe for cats to eat, pumpkin pie gets its rich, custardy taste from sweetened condensed milk, which adds heavy amounts of sugar and dairy.
Plus, pumpkin pie is made with seasonings and spices that are toxic to cats, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Eating these spices can result in gastrointestinal upset in cats.
12. Eggnog
All alcohol should be completely off-limits to pets. Alcohol poisoning is a dangerous and potentially fatal condition for our furry family members.
One of the most popular alcoholic drinks of the holiday season, eggnog, also contains raw eggs and cream, which can be poorly tolerated by cats.
13. Gingerbread
Sorry, kitties, gingerbread cookies are off-limits too. This popular holiday dessert is typically made with ingredients that could upset your cat’s stomach and cause other unsavory symptoms.
For example, gingerbread cookies contain spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon, which are considered mildly toxic and can lead to gastrointestinal upset when eaten.
As for the topping, frosting and other sweet decorations can make your cat nauseated, vomit, or have diarrhea.
What To Do If Your Cat Eats Toxic Foods
If your cat shows signs of toxicity, including vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, or loss of energy—or they eat anything containing garlic, onion, chives, leeks, chocolate, or alcohol—immediately call one of the following:
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Your veterinarian
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An after-hours emergency clinic
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The Pet Poison Helpline®: 855-764-7661 (an $85 consultation fee will apply)
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ASPCA® Animal Poison Control Center: 888-426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply)
What Can I Give My Cat Instead?
Our cats are family, so it’s no surprise that we would want to include them in our holiday meals. However, cats have sensitive digestive systems that cannot tolerate a lot of human food ingredients.
If you want to share the holiday cheer with your cat, skip the table scraps (except maybe for a small piece of white meat turkey with the skin and bone removed) and give them a few healthy, holiday-themed cat treats or a fun catnip toy as a special treat.
