Is Feeding Your Pet "People Food" Really Bad?

Many people believe that feeding "people food" to your dog or cat is bad. But when asked why, most people don't have an answer. They don't even know where they got the idea in the first place.

At the other end of the spectrum, there a lots of dog and cat owners who prepare meals for their pets using meats and produce that come from the grocery store... And wouldn't that be considered "people food"?

First you should understand that cat and dog digestive systems are not the same as ours. Humans have different needs than their pets when it comes to nutrition. Cats and dogs can digest foods that would make us sick. That's because their system can deal with bacteria that can be harmful to us.

Here are some facts to keep in mind about feeding your pet "people food":
- cooked bones become brittle and can break into really sharp slivers that can puncture the intestinal tract, causing internal bleeding, and lead to severe complication, even death. DO NOT ever give a dog or cat cooked bones, especially chicken bones.
- cooked animal fat contains high levels of bad cholesterol that can lead to heart disease and other complications. Chicken skin contains high levels of fat.
- onions and chocolat are known to be toxic to dogs.

Most of all, use common sense. If your pet only gets one kind of food and you suddenly give him a pile of table scraps, you may end up with a really runny situation... Keep it in moderation.

Did you know you could actually give a whole raw chicken to a dog -- with all the bones in it? We've given our dog raw turkey necks, chicken drums, wings, etc. It's OK, as long as it's not cooked. They just love it. Deeeelicious.

[Tags: people food, raw cat food, raw dog food]