Every pet owner is familiar with having something tasty on their plate and soon after having their pet close by begging for some crumbs to hit the floor. With Manuka honey having so many healthy benefits, it is normal to think we should be able to feed it to our pets… but you would be wrong.

Sugar is not something our pets would naturally find in the wild, so it should be avoided, even in something as healthy to humans as raw Manuka honey. There are also several other concerns one should have when feeding honey to their cat.

The digestive system of felines is quite small compared to humans. In addition, cats have much smaller mouths and throats. Points being, thick honey could cause some severe problems at every stage of the digestive process.

There are some contrary opinions on this, but even those “experts” say that cats should only have the honey in very small doses. For instance, some will feed a very tiny dollop of honey if their cat is seemingly suffering from cold-like symptoms. If the cat has allergies, there are also those that believe giving the cat a small amount can possibly help the feline just as it is believed to help humans adapt to local allergens.

Now, having said that, we have often recommended using raw Manuka honey for burns and bites. If you decide to use raw honey to address one of these conditions on your cat, it is time to put the old lampshade on their head so they do not lick the affected area.

Other Foods Dangerous to Cats

Chocolate – one of the more dangerous table items that humans love and could lead to possible death of your pet. Alkaloid Theobromine is toxic to cats, so avoid giving them some of your chocolate treat at all costs.

Dairy Products – most cats I know go nuts for ice cream, but it can actually be harmful to them. The problem is that dairy products contain casein (a protein) that will interfere with the cat’s ability to absorb other nutrients during the digestive process. I don’t know how the cats and milk thing ever got started, but it is something that should be avoided.

Plants and Flowers – if you have a plant or flower in your home and you have a cat, it has probably tried to eat the blooms from time to time. The problem here is that quite a few plants and flowers are actually poisonous to the cat even if they are not poisonous to humans. If you have plants in any area where your cat travels, make sure you do the research to find out if it is harmful to your pet.

Herbs – not all herbs are harmful to pets, but just like flowers and plants, there are a considerable amount that will have you taking your furball to the vets if they ingest them. To be safe, avoid giving your cat any food that has spices on it, period.

To be safe, we always recommend only feeding your pet the food that is recommend by your vet, especially if they are sick. Human foods and drugs that cure us could very well put your cat at risk.