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Is It Safe? Food Safety Ratings for Dogs, Cats & Cattle
A quick reference for Indian pet parents and animal feeders: common household and street foods rated for dogs, cats and cattle, with the reason and the veterinary source behind each rating. Use the interactive checker above to search a specific food, or browse the full list below.
🟢 SAFE — fine in moderation
🟡 MODERATE — limit / caution
🔴 AVOID — do not feed
⚪ UNVERIFIED — not enough evidence yet
| Food | Dog | Cat | Cattle / Cow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | AVOID 🔴 Theobromine and caffeine can cause vomiting, seizures and heart failure. Never feed. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Theobromine is highly toxic to cats — seizures and death. Keep away. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Onion & Garlic (Pyaaz/Lehsun) | AVOID 🔴 The allium family destroys red blood cells and causes anaemia, even in small amounts, including powder in cooked food. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) | AVOID 🔴 Cats are even more sensitive. Even garlic powder is dangerous. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Thiosulfates cause haemolytic anaemia in cattle in large or raw amounts. Don't feed scraps containing them. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Grapes & Raisins (Angoor/Kishmish) | AVOID 🔴 Can cause sudden kidney failure. Even a few can be dangerous. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Kidney damage risk. Avoid completely as a precaution. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Xylitol (sugar-free sweetener) | AVOID 🔴 Causes a dangerous blood sugar crash and liver damage. Found in sugar-free gum and sweets. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Avoid all sugar-free products containing xylitol. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Coffee & Tea (Chai/Coffee) | AVOID 🔴 Caffeine is toxic and affects the heart and nervous system. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Caffeine is dangerous for cats. Keep away. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Cooked Bones (Chicken/Mutton) | AVOID 🔴 Cooked bones splinter and can puncture the stomach or cause choking. Never feed. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | AVOID 🔴 Choking hazard and internal injury risk. Avoid. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | AVOID 🔴 Not natural food for a herbivore; risk of injury or blockage. Source: Peepal Farm animal welfare guidance (peepalfarm.org) |
| Spicy Masala / Curry | AVOID 🔴 Spices, salt and often onion/garlic cause upset and can be toxic. Feed plain food only. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 A cat's system can't handle spice, and it may contain toxic onion/garlic. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Salt, oil and spice disrupt rumen function and can cause bloat. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Green Tomato / Tomato stems & leaves | MODERATE 🟡 Ripe flesh is fine in small amounts; green parts and leaves contain solanine — avoid those. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | MODERATE 🟡 Avoid green tomato and the plant's leaves and stems (solanine). Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Tomato is a nightshade; green fruit, stems and leaves are toxic to cattle. Only ripe fruit, sparingly. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Plastic-wrapped food / Food in plastic bags | AVOID 🔴 Animals swallow the wrapper, which can cause fatal blockages. Always unwrap first. Source: Peepal Farm animal welfare guidance (peepalfarm.org) | AVOID 🔴 Always remove plastic before feeding. Swallowed plastic is dangerous. Source: Peepal Farm animal welfare guidance (peepalfarm.org) | AVOID 🔴 Plastic is a leading killer of street cows — they swallow it with the food, it blocks the stomach, and they slowly starve. Always feed on a leaf, paper or plate, never in plastic. Source: Indian animal-welfare organisations and veterinary reports |
| Jaggery (Gur) | MODERATE 🟡 Pure sugar — bad for teeth and weight. Best avoided as a regular treat. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | AVOID 🔴 Cats can't taste sweet and gain nothing from sugar. Avoid. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | MODERATE 🟡 A very small amount is traditionally given after calving, but large amounts of sugar and cereals (e.g. festival rice-and-jaggery) can trigger fatal rumen acidosis. Never free-feed sweets — fodder is the staple. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com); NADIS (nadis.org.uk) |
| Milk (Cow Milk / Doodh) | MODERATE 🟡 Most adult dogs are lactose intolerant — milk can cause diarrhoea. A few spoons at most; curd is gentler. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org); PetMD (petmd.com) | MODERATE 🟡 Despite the popular image, most adult cats are lactose intolerant and milk causes upset. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Roti / Chapati | MODERATE 🟡 Plain bread is safe in small amounts but it's empty carbs with little nutrition and can cause weight gain. Not the main meal. Source: PetMD (petmd.com); American Kennel Club (akc.org) | AVOID 🔴 Cats are obligate carnivores. Wheat offers no nutrition and isn't suitable. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | SAFE 🟢 Plain roti in moderation is fine and far safer than plastic-wrapped scraps — Indian villages run 'roti banks' to feed strays. Never feed wrapped in plastic. Source: Indian animal-welfare practice and news reports |
| Paratha | MODERATE 🟡 Oil and ghee add unhealthy fat on top of plain roti's empty carbs. Avoid regular feeding. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | AVOID 🔴 Too oily and starchy; no nutrition for a carnivore. Avoid. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | MODERATE 🟡 Plain roti is better — added oil/ghee isn't ideal for a cow's rumen. Never feed in plastic. Source: University of Wisconsin Dairy Extension (dairy.extension.wisc.edu) |
| Parle-G / Biscuits | MODERATE 🟡 High sugar and palm oil with minimal nutrition. A rare treat at most, never a meal. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | AVOID 🔴 Empty calories; cats can't taste sweet and gain nothing. Avoid. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | MODERATE 🟡 Cows like the taste, but sugary biscuits don't suit a fibre-built rumen and can contribute to acidosis. Tiny amount at most, never a habit. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Bhujia / Namkeen | MODERATE 🟡 High salt and oil, and often contains toxic onion/garlic powder. Best avoided. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | AVOID 🔴 Salt, oil and possible onion/garlic make this unsuitable. Avoid. Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control (aspca.org) | MODERATE 🟡 High salt and oil are bad for cattle, and these often contain onion/garlic. Avoid. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Ghee | MODERATE 🟡 A tiny amount can help the coat, but high fat risks pancreatitis. Very small amounts only. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | MODERATE 🟡 A tiny amount may help with hairballs, but it's high fat. Sparingly. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | AVOID 🔴 Refined concentrated fat is inappropriate for ruminants — it disrupts the rumen microbes that digest roughage and can cause indigestion or bloat, plus a choking risk. Dairy uses rumen-protected 'bypass fat', never ghee. Source: University of Wisconsin Dairy Extension (dairy.extension.wisc.edu) |
| Plain Cooked Rice (Chawal) | SAFE 🟢 Gentle and easy to digest. Good for an upset stomach when plain. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe, well-cooked, in small amounts; can help with stomach upset. Not a main meal. Source: Pawlicy Advisor veterinary guide (pawlicy.com) | MODERATE 🟡 Small amounts are okay, but large quantities of rice or cereals can upset a cow's rumen and contribute to acidosis. Fodder is far better. Source: Merck/MSD Veterinary Manual (msdvetmanual.com) |
| Leafy Greens & Vegetable Scraps (Spinach, Methi, peels) | MODERATE 🟡 Small amounts of some greens are fine; avoid onion-family greens, and spinach in excess isn't ideal. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | MODERATE 🟡 Cats are carnivores; greens aren't needed and some can upset them. Small amounts only. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | SAFE 🟢 Clean leafy greens and vegetable scraps are excellent fibre-rich feed. Always fresh, never mouldy, free of plastic. Source: Peepal Farm animal welfare guidance (peepalfarm.org) |
| Curd / Dahi (plain) | SAFE 🟢 Plain curd in moderation is a good probiotic and cooling in summer — gentler than milk. Watch for lactose sensitivity. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | MODERATE 🟡 Cats are more lactose-sensitive than the myth suggests. Tiny amounts at most, stop if upset. Source: PetMD (petmd.com) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Plain Boiled Chicken | SAFE 🟢 Excellent lean protein. Plain, boneless, no salt or spices. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Great protein for obligate carnivores. Plain and boneless. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | AVOID 🔴 Cattle are herbivores. Meat is not part of a cow's diet — please don't feed it. Source: Peepal Farm animal welfare guidance (peepalfarm.org) |
| Boiled Egg | SAFE 🟢 Good protein when cooked plain with no salt. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Cooked egg (boiled or scrambled, no oil) is a safe protein treat. Never raw — salmonella risk. Source: Pawlicy Advisor veterinary guide (pawlicy.com) | UNVERIFIED ⚪ We haven't verified this food for cattle yet. |
| Carrot (Gajar) | SAFE 🟢 Low calorie, high fibre, good for teeth. A great crunchy treat. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe peeled and cooked or grated in small amounts; rich in beta-carotene. Source: Pawlicy Advisor veterinary guide (pawlicy.com) | SAFE 🟢 A safe, healthy root vegetable and good energy source. Chop to prevent choking. Source: Livestock feeding references (atshq.org) |
| Banana & Banana Peel (Kela) | SAFE 🟢 High in potassium — a good treat in moderation. High in sugar, so keep portions small. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | MODERATE 🟡 Safe but high in sugar and cats gain little. Small pieces only, occasionally. Source: Purina (purina.co.uk) | SAFE 🟢 Ripe banana and peels are a good fibre and energy source in moderation. Feed clean, never in plastic. Source: Livestock feeding references (farmhouseguide.com) |
| Mango (flesh, no seed) (Aam) | SAFE 🟢 Vitamin rich and loved by most dogs. The seed is a major choking hazard — remove it. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe in small pieces, no seed, though many cats dislike the texture. Source: Pawlicy Advisor veterinary guide (pawlicy.com) | SAFE 🟢 Nutritious in moderation as a treat — fruit is too sugary for daily feeding. Remove the large seed. Source: Livestock feeding references (farmhouseguide.com) |
| Apple (no seeds) (Seb) | SAFE 🟢 Fibre and vitamins. Always remove the seeds — they contain cyanide. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe in small pieces, seeds removed. Source: Pet Supplies Plus veterinary guidance (petsuppliesplus.com) | SAFE 🟢 A popular treat in moderation — too many can cause bloating. Source of fibre and vitamins. Source: Livestock feeding references (herdx.com) |
| Watermelon (no seeds) (Tarbooj) | SAFE 🟢 Hydrating summer treat. Remove seeds and rind. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe in small seedless pieces. Hydrating. Source: Pet Supplies Plus veterinary guidance (petsuppliesplus.com) | SAFE 🟢 Hydrating in summer; rind and flesh are fine in moderation. Source: Livestock feeding references (farmhouseguide.com) |
| Coconut Water (Nariyal Pani) | SAFE 🟢 Full of electrolytes — good for hydration in summer, in moderation. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | MODERATE 🟡 Small amounts only; high in potassium and not needed in a cat's diet. Source: Pet Supplies Plus veterinary guidance (petsuppliesplus.com) | SAFE 🟢 Good for hydration in moderation. Source: Livestock feeding references |
| Turmeric (Haldi) | SAFE 🟢 Natural anti-inflammatory, good for joints in small amounts. Source: American Kennel Club (akc.org) | SAFE 🟢 Safe in tiny amounts; supports immunity. Source: General veterinary guidance | SAFE 🟢 Used traditionally for healing and immunity in small amounts. Source: Traditional Indian veterinary practice |
Disclaimer: These ratings are general guidance, not veterinary advice, and can't account for your animal's age, health, or allergies. Even safe foods can harm in excess. 'Unverified' means we haven't found a reliable source yet and won't guess. For any illness, reaction, or special diet, consult a vet — and in an emergency, contact one immediately.