Overview
Some are amazed with their pets because even after eating things that would normally be considered inedible, such as food that has been dropped on the ground, dead fish, and garbage, they seem to survive just fine. Unfortunately, even animals accustomed to such behaviors often end up with bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain.
Dangers of Eating Unsanitary Foods
Hidden dangers like sharp bone fragments in these foods can lead to serious health risks including intestinal obstructions and punctures. Toxins produced by bacteria and fungi in spoiled foods are another hidden danger that can cause serious consequences. Castoff, raw, meaty bones from the butcher shop can carry serious contamination like salmonella and campylobacter bacteria which will not only make a pet sick.
Cats are natural carnivores and when allowed outdoors will usually catch and eat rodents and birds. This diet will not affect a cat or result in diarrhea unless the cat is immunocompromised as a result of a chronic viral infection or other medical condition. However, cats may experience gastrointestinal problems if fed diets that are not natural to them such as table scraps.
When feeding your pets, common sense is the bottom line. If food is not fresh and clean, properly prepared, and from a trusted source there will be some risk of food contamination. As the pet’s primary caregiver, it behooves the pet owner to apply the same principles of safe food handling to his pet as he would for his family.