| It's been a fairly common belief that our pets should | | | | chicken leftovers with them. Or give them the whole |
| not be allowed to eat our food. A lot of people do it | | | | thing, if you want to, as a meal. Just be sure to |
| anyway, often feeding the dog under the table, or just | | | | remove any small bones; however, most bones are |
| tossing him the leftovers in his dish or in the yard. Cats | | | | better if left raw, as the calcium is rendered inorganic |
| are "treated" similarly, although they may have a | | | | and less usable if cooked. |
| shorter list of items they enjoy. Many nutritional | | | | It's also acceptable to let a dog have vegetables, raw |
| authorities have preached against this practice for | | | | or lightly cooked, and some fruits, such as cantaloupe. |
| years, noting that it causes an imbalance in the pet's | | | | Many cats like cantaloupe, but vegetables aren't usually |
| dietary requirements. | | | | on their list. Cats are "obligate" carnivores, meaning |
| But is it a myth, or is it OK to feed them what we eat? | | | | they must have meat, and primarily meat. A small |
| While studies are still minimal in this area, modern | | | | amount of vegetable matter is all right if cooked, as |
| thought has reached an area of compromise, perhaps, | | | | cats do not produce the correct enzymes to digest |
| in that some foods are probably OK. | | | | them raw. If your cats are on a commercial dry kibble |
| Certainly, it's not likely to ever be acceptable to feed | | | | diet, which usually has a high grain content, digestive |
| our pets anything spicy, high in fat, sugar, or too highly | | | | enzymes are especially important to give as a |
| refined. It's probably safe to say that humans shouldn't | | | | supplement so they can absorb the nutrition in the dry |
| be eating those things either. But we can make | | | | food. |
| educated choices. Pets are not equipped to evaluate | | | | Probably the biggest concern with giving our pets our |
| these things, so it's up to us to protect them from | | | | food, though, is that we tend to give them too much. |
| potentially harmful foods. | | | | This can lead not only to excess weight gain, but to a |
| In a natural setting, if they were in the wild, they would | | | | growing imbalance in their nutrient needs. Most pet |
| eat prey, according to instinct. We have changed all | | | | nutritionists now say that table scraps, or people food |
| that, and now we must take the responsibility to | | | | in general, even if not given as leftovers, should not |
| provide correct nutrition. They're never going to be | | | | exceed ten percent of their diet. |
| able, or allowed, to hunt rabbits and grouse in the | | | | Providing high quality human grade foods in the proper |
| house, for example. | | | | proportions and portions can be just as nutritious as |
| They have shorter lifespans, shorter digestive tracts, | | | | commercially prepared foods if done right. |
| and are thus more likely to suffer dire consequences | | | | Here is a list of things you should not let your pets |
| more quickly from improper nutrition, such as diabetes, | | | | consume: |
| thyroid problems, cancer, and digestive maladies, | | | | Alcohol |
| including obstructive bowel disease. | | | | Chocoloate |
| What, then, can we safely feed them that's normally | | | | Corn cobs |
| on our own menu? | | | | Fruit pits |
| Meat, of course, is a staple of cat and dog nutrition, so | | | | Grapes |
| there is nothing wrong with sharing our steak or | | | | Liver in excess, esp. |