Left Overs

[Chris_Takas]

hey hey everybody, i hope you are all good!

i just made a nice beef stew. i boiled the beef separately just with a bit of salt. is it ok to give the left overs to Otto? its basically a bit of boiled beef with juice (?).

thanks for your time and input.

 

[daisyd]

I always give gracie beef mince when I'm cooking ! She has some prior to me adding anything like onions etc .. Has it def got nothing added ? Gracie can't have gravy either

 

[Kieka]

Nothing wrong with feeding your cat meat scraps from cooking. Just make sure to avoid any sort of meat cooked with herbs or spices as those can cause problems; especially garlic and onion.

 

[susieqz]

could someone please tell me why onions n garlic are bad?
those are well recognized herbal cures for infections n such.

 

[orange&white]

Nothing wrong with boiled unseasoned beef for cats as a small treat. The "bit of salt" to some people means "a pinch" of salt and to others could mean "a couple teaspoons" of salt. A pinch or two of salt in the beef shouldn't hurt.

 

[Kieka]

could someone please tell me why onions n garlic are bad?
those are well recognized herbal cures for infections n such.

Garlic, onions, and others in the same family are toxic to cats and dogs. Garlic Toxicity and Pets their bodies cannot process them and their blood literally explodes.

Tea tree oil is another example of something that humans can handle but is deadly to cats (but not as much to dogs). That one is found in some herbal flea treatments and just a drop can and will kill a cat. There was a member who lost their cat to a herbal flea shampoo that they didn't realize had tea tree oil in it. Just a little of the soapy water got in the cats mouth and it was dead shortly after.

Really any essential oil treatment is also a bad idea with cats. Their bodies just can't handle the same things we can. The binder oils used in many essential oils can't be broken down and over time will build up to deadly levels.

With cats less is better and safer. You have to remember that as much as cats are flesh and blood like us they aren't built like us and their bodies don't always respond like ours. Asprin is a pain reliever to us and a death sentence to cats. Cats need high protein, moderate fat and low carbs. Humans need a variety with a fairly even balance of all three for optimal function. Different mechanics, different ideals, different processes. Please never ever assume that if it is safe for you that it is safe for you cat when it comes to foods or chemicals or herbs.

 

[susieqz]

thank, you, kieka.

 

[daisyd]

Thank you ! Do you know , I didn't know about onions and garlic until I google what I could feed my kitten when I first got her as I'm naturally an anxious person . I only had a dog when I was little and she seemed to eat everything (I think we even gave her out chocolate ) they certainly didn't tell me at the vets etc ... Tea tree oil just found out now !!

 

[Chris_Takas]

Kieka Wow. Thank you so much! you can imagine how timely your response was! i actually looked into herbal flea treatment just hours ago, and found this recipe containing tree tea oil. i was about to make a batch! thank you for letting me know! i trusted the site and its content cos it was specialized for cats! by the way, Otto preferred to eat his wet food (chicken) then my left over beef! )

 

[daisyd]

I grew up thinking cats drink milk !!!!

 

[Chris_Takas]

daisyd Ya, me too! my grandparents fed their cat whipped cream ever day! he lived until the ripe age of 19.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

.... Their bodies just can't handle the same things we can. ... Please never ever assume that if it is safe for you that it is safe for you cat when it comes to foods or chemicals or herbs.

Don't forget coffee, tea, caffeine products... a no-no for cats! Even though some cats love the smell of coffee and flip out like they are rolling in catnip, don't be tempted to give it to them.

 

[Chris_Takas]

PushPurrCatPaws oh wow, i never heard that! Otto hates the smell of coffee! he once sniffed at my mug and almost run away! this might be a silly question but, how do strays and feral cats know what to eat and what not? i mean, they are exposed to anything really. Otto was a stray until 2 month ago when he adopted me. do strays and feral cats have a conditioned stomach that can digest certain foods that pure house cats cant?

 

[Kieka]

Kieka Wow. Thank you so much! you can imagine how timely your response was! i actually looked into herbal flea treatment just hours ago, and found this recipe containing tree tea oil. i was about to make a batch! thank you for letting me know! i trusted the site and its content cos it was specialized for cats! by the way, Otto preferred to eat his wet food (chicken) then my left over beef! )

Glad to have helped. Sadly, there are alot of unknowns when it comes to cat health and what is and isn't safe. You will find all sorts of people who say that tea tree oil can be safe in low enough dosages and as long as none gets in their mouths. But how do you stop it from getting in their mouth? What if the oil you use is more concentrated and potent then the recipes? What if your cat is extra sensitive? I can't find it right now but I remember talking with the member whose cat died and how heartbroken they were with something killing their cat that they were told was safe.

This website goes more into details about the whys and hows, Tea Tree Oil - Toxic to Cats

A lot of the old remedies are based on "its good for a dog, its good for a cat" or people just not realizing. Cats do hide discomfort and illness so something seem okay at first but when the collapse two days later (or after a year of whatever building up) the cause isn't immediately evident because it has been so long.

Cats are fairly good at avoiding what is bad for them the same way humans do. Life lessons and natural avoidance. My Mom has toxic plants in our yard but we don't worry about the cats chewing them because they are bitter and unappealing. Lilies are a weird one that I have seen cats go after them but they are bad; but we don't have them.