It has been a long-standing tradition for American families to enjoy a hearty feast for Thanksgiving dinner. Some people, however, tend to prepare too many dishes that only end up as scraps for their pets the following day.
The Humane Society warns that this practice of feeding pets with leftovers contributes to numerous incidents of cat and dog sickening in the country, especially during the holidays.
While many pet lovers believe that it is alright to have their furry friends get a taste of Thanksgiving dinner, the Humane Society pointed out that this is not an advisable thing to do as even the smallest of table scraps can be dangerous to pets.
Aside from the high salt content often found in holiday food, the bones of turkey and chicken can easily break into many different shards, which can lodge themselves in the throat of animals and cause serious internal injury. The sodium in ham bones can also trigger an upset stomach in cats and dogs.
Some pet owners also like to pour drippings of turkey fat on their pet's food as a form of added treat, but this can cause animals to suffer stomach pains later on.
Leftover pumpkin dishes have also been found to cause diarrhea in cats and dogs.
If you really want to give your pets their own feast for the holidays, animal experts said you just have to consider the type of food that you give for each animal.
"Cats are carnivores, so eating feeding meats is a good thing as long as they can, and they're used to it, and they don't throw up on them," Dr. John Vargas, a veterinarian from New York, said.
"Dogs are omnivores. They can eat vegetables and meats as well, as long as you do them moderation."
Pet owners are also advised not to feed their pets with uncooked garlic and onions. Raisins and grapes should also be avoided as they can cause kidney failure in cats and dogs, which could lead to death.
