Is your cat one of those who likes to hang around under the table, hoping to pounce on any scrap of food that might fall from your fork? Cats are above begging, of course, but they can certainly show a more-than-polite interest in whatever it is you're eating, and their dignity doesn't preclude positioning themselves for a mid-air chomp if the opportunity arises.
Thanksgiving is a particular favorite with kitties, as our love of turkey is a mere passing fancy compared to the single-minded devotion your cat will lavish on a juicy slab of breast meat.
You've probably heard that table scraps are bad for your kitty's health, but some are certainly worse than others.
When you belly up to the dinner table this Thanksgiving, be armed with the knowledge about what parts of the feast your cat can safely share, and which bits are a serious no-no.
The Turkey As mentioned, most cats will climb over your prostrate body to get to a drumstick.
Fortunately, turkey is good for them - check the ingredients in many homemade cat food diets, and you will find turkey comprising up to 75% of the ingredients.
So feel free to slip your kitty a sliver of lean meat, but be careful not to allow them near the skin or bones.
Turkey skin is very high in both sodium and fat, creating digestive issues and the risk of choking, while the bones - since they are hollow and rather fragile - can easily splinter and may become lodged in your cat's throat.
Stuffing What you're actually "stuffing" yourself with is pretty much bread, fat and salt.
As satisfying as it is for you to sink your canines into this, kitty won't get that crunchiness she needs to aid in cleaning her teeth, and frankly, she won't get any nutritional value from it either.
Dish up this dish strictly for yourself and your human family members.
Sweet Potatoes A small slice of raw sweet potato is fine as a treat.
Your cat will enjoy chewing on it.
But if you plan on doctoring your yams with marshmallows, brown sugar, and maybe even some canned peaches and pecans [pause while I wipe the drool from my keyboard], then kitty is far better off not partaking.
Even if you prefer to simply mash your sweet potatoes with butter, it's still a bad idea for kitty to nosh on this.
Leave this one on the table.
Green Bean Casserole If you actually want to kill your kitty, toss her a slice of onion.
Onions are toxic to cats (dogs as well), so if you include these in your green bean casserole (and frankly, I wouldn't want to eat it if you didn't!), keep it well away from your kitty.
Also, the dairy in the dish should be avoided.
It goes against centuries of accepted cat lore, but the truth is that dairy products can cause diarrhea, and your kitty shouldn't be having any.
An unimaginable number of bowls of cream have been fed to cats over the ages, so clearly it isn't deadly to them, and heaven knows they will beg with every fiber of their being to have some if once they sniff it, but limit it to the occasional "stolen" tablespoon of vanilla ice cream.
Interestingly, raw green beans themselves are good for them, so if your little feline has a yen for veggies, slip her a bean or two in good conscience.
Cranberry Sauce While many commercial cat foods include cranberries in their recipes, there is not yet any clear evidence of its having any health benefits.
Even if it proves to be beneficial, it's pretty unlikely that your kitty will find this very tart, very gooey side dish much of a toothsome treat.
He would probably just wade through it to get to the turkey.
Pumpkin Pie Strictly human food.
Heck, you didn't want to share anyway, right? If your cat's a real bum with a sweet tooth, he may ratchet up the wheedling, but bear in mind that a pumpkin pie is chock full of fat, spices, sugar, and the dreaded dairy, all of which can jumpstart some serious digestive problems.
If you are one of the.
01% of people left in America who doesn't buy your pie from the grocer's freezer, it may interest you to know that natural, canned pumpkin is actually good for kitty's digestion, so you might try mixing a small amount in with his regular food.
Thanksgiving is a time for us to reflect on our blessings, and one of the greatest of these is our little furry companions.
With a little common sense, and some firm ground rules, you can both enjoy this annual feast with no worries about emergency trips to the vet.