Find out which human foods you can feed your dogs and cats, plus foods that are not safe for your pets.
The average dog owner spends $65 on dog treats each year, yet the healthiest and least expensive treats for the pet could already be in your fridge! Many vegetables and fruits can provide the perfect chewy crunch. Asparagus spears and celery stalks are great chew-toy alternatives for dogs and just about any crunchy or chewy vegetable can spark a cat's interest. (Zucchini is popular with cats because of the semi-moist crunch.) The only thing cats don't go for is fruit end up being cause they lack sweet taste receptors.
Just be careful not to overdo it. Dogs and cats should get no more than 10 percent of their total calories from treats to avoid unbalancing their diet. Each animal is different, so ask your vet how many calories your pet should get. On average, a slim 10-pound cat should eat about 200 calories per day and a slim 60-pound dog should get about 800 calories each day (meaning 20 or 80 calories in treats, respectively, for your cat or dog each day).
Human Foods That Are Good for Your Dog & Cat
Any of these healthy treats are pet-friendly. You might need to give it a few tries if your dog is new to produce.
- Carrots: 1/8 cup slices (7 calories)
- Asparagus: 3 spears (10 calories)
- Blueberries: 12 berries (10 calories)
- Watermelon: 6 melon balls (23 calories)
- Strawberries: 1 large (6 calories)
- Peaches: 1/2 medium peach (30 calories)
- Zucchini: 1 cup chopped (20 calories)
- Green bell peppers: 1/4 cup chopped (7 calories)
- Celery: 1 stalk (7 calories)
- Cucumber: 1/2 cup slices (8 calories)
- Broccoli: 1/4 cup chopped (7 calories)
There are some fruits and other human foods that are NOT safe for animals to eat so make sure you check this list of people foods that are toxic to dogs and cats before you feed your animal anything new.
This Story Originally Appeared On Eating Well
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