Limit table scraps for pets

Although there is little harm in giving your cat or dog an occasional bite of lean meat left from your dinner, it is important to limit the amount of human food your pet eats. You may think that giving your pet all those human food 'treats' is fine, but in reality it may be doing much more harm than good for your pet.

Too many table scraps may lead to weight problems, as many table scraps such as bits of fat are simply empty calories for your pet. Once your pet gets used to table scraps, you may have a hard time getting them to eat their own food, and it may introduce an entire range of behavior issues, such as begging at the table or stealing food from the garbage.

It's important to remember that we have different nutritional needs than our pets -- if your pets are filling up on your table scraps, they are not getting the nutritional balance supplied by a high-quality pet food.

Worse, that scrap you hand out may in fact cause digestive problems for your pet, including loose stools, bad breath, or gas. Chocolate, meats with bones that splinter easily, and high-fat, greasy food should always be avoided. See a more complete list of foods that may be toxic to your dog or cat.

A healthier alternative are treats specially formulated for your pet, which will provide the nutrients your pet needs.

If you feed your pet homemade meals of meats and vegetables, it needs to be balanced with a vitamin-mineral supplement such as Rx Essentials for Dogs or Rx Essentials for Cats.