Keep your furry friends safe & happy with smart snack choices 🐾

The kitchen can be a tempting place for curious paws and noses, but not every human food is safe for dogs or cats. With a little know-how, you can treat your pet the right way—and avoid heart-skipping moments at the vet. Here’s a friendly guide to what’s okay, what’s not, and how to serve smartly.

✅ Safe Snacks (in moderation)

1. Plain cooked chicken or turkey
Lean, unseasoned poultry cooked without bones is a great protein option. Just skip the skin, heavy seasoning, and sauces.
2. Cooked plain pumpkin or sweet potato
These are rich in fiber and gentle on the digestive system. A spoonful mixed with their regular food can be a nice treat.
3. Carrot sticks or green beans
Crunchy, low-cal, and fun to nibble—just make sure they’re cut small for safety.
4. Plain rice or plain pasta (small amounts)
Occasionally okay if your pet has a mild stomach upset—but not as a regular staple.
5. Unsweetened yogurt or small bits of cheese
Some pets tolerate dairy in small amounts—opt for plain yogurt and very small cheese bits if you know they’re not lactose-sensitive.

❌ Foods to Avoid

1. Chocolate, coffee, caffeine
These contain theobromine and caffeine which pets cannot metabolize well—it can cause rapid heartbeat, tremors, even seizures.
2. Onions, garlic, chives
These may look harmless but can damage red blood cells in dogs and cats, leading to anemia.
3. Grapes, raisins, currants
Even small amounts can cause kidney failure in dogs—just avoid them entirely.
4. Alcohol, yeast dough
Alcohol is dangerous even in small quantities, and raw yeast dough expands in the stomach, causing big problems.
5. Xylitol (in gum, candy, baked goods)
This sugar substitute causes insulin release, dangerously low blood sugar, and liver damage.
6. Macadamia nuts, walnuts, raw almonds
These can cause weakness, tremors, and vomiting in dogs (macadamias especially).
7. Too much fatty food / bones
Large amounts of fatty scraps can trigger pancreatitis. Cooked bones splinter easily and pose choking or GI injury risk.

📝 Tips for Safe Snacking

• Always introduce a new food in very small amounts and watch for reactions (vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy).

• Keep pet-only bowls and feeding areas to avoid accidental sharing of dangerous foods.

• If you’re ever unsure, check with your vet before giving human food.

• Keep treats to no more than ~10% of your pet’s daily calorie intake—most of their nutrition should come from a good quality pet food.

• Store hazardous foods safely out of reach (counter, table, trash can). Pets are excellent detectives.

Final Thoughts

Your pet trusts you to keep the treats fun, tasty, and safe. By giving them occasional human-food extras that are dog- or cat-approved and avoiding the tricky ones, you’ll build a happy, healthy routine. After all, a safe snack is a loving snack—just one more way to say “You’re part of our family.” 🐶🐱