Dave Zanoni
The Hard Truth About Table Scraps and Your Pet’s Health
You’re not a bad pet parent if you give table scraps.
But you might be doing something harmful without realizing it.
It starts with love.
A nibble of turkey here. A sliver of bacon there.
A crust from your sandwich. A piece of cheese.
We do it because we want to connect.
Because that tail wag or soft meow feels like a thank you.
Because it’s how we show affection.
But here’s the hard truth:
That “little bite” can become a big problem.
For their health.
For their behavior.
And for their future.
🧠 The Psychology: Why We Keep Giving Scraps (Even When We Know Better)
Humans bond over food. It’s deeply emotional and instinctual.
So when your dog looks up at you with those big eyes, or your cat gently paws at your leg, your brain lights up with dopamine — a reward chemical.
It feels good to give them what they want.
But we’re not just feeding a treat — we’re feeding a habit.
One that teaches your pet:
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- Ignore your bowl — wait for the better stuff.
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- Begging works.
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- Nutrition is optional.
Over time, this creates a selective eater — one who refuses complete meals and holds out for snacks that don’t serve their health.
🍖 The Most Common Table Scraps — And Why They’re a Problem
| Scrap | What’s In It | Why It’s Harmful |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch meat | Nitrates, nitrites, sodium, phosphates | Linked to cancer, kidney damage, and GI inflammation |
| Hot dogs | Preservatives, fat, dyes, garlic powder | Triggers pancreatitis, behavioral changes, and toxicity |
| Bacon/fatty trimmings | Saturated fat, salt | Can cause acute pancreatitis and liver stress |
| Cheese | Lactose, sodium, fat | Many pets are lactose intolerant — causes bloating, diarrhea |
| Bread, crusts, pasta | Refined carbs, gluten, sugar | Disrupts blood sugar, causes weight gain, inflames the gut |
| Desserts (cookies, cake, pie) | Sugar, artificial sweeteners (like xylitol), chocolate, dairy, | can cause hypoglycemia, GI upset, or worse |
| Gravy/sauces | Onion/garlic, spices, thickeners | Toxic and inflammatory — many contain hidden poisons |
🧂 Just one slice of lunch meat can exceed your dog’s daily sodium limit.
💥 Just one hot dog contains enough preservatives to throw their gut out of balance.
🧬 “But It’s Real Food!” — Why That Argument Falls Apart
Yes, you eat it.
Yes, it’s technically food.
But your dog and cat are not built like you.
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- They have shorter digestive tracts and less tolerance for toxins
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- They don’t process fats, salts, and artificial preservatives the same way
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- Their microbiome is fragile, and easily disrupted by even small dietary changes
What’s harmless to you could cause vomiting, diarrhea, inflammation, itching, or worse for them.
⚠️ Table Scraps Cause More Than Just Tummy Trouble
Here’s what many pet parents miss:
🧩 Feeding scraps doesn’t just upset the gut — it rewires the brain.
Pets learn to manipulate food situations. They beg, whine, skip meals, and become high-maintenance eaters.
Meanwhile, their bodies:
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- Gain weight slowly over time
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- Experience chronic inflammation
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- Develop recurring ear infections or itchy paws
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- Lose coat shine or develop hot spots
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- Suffer from poor digestion and irregular stools
These are signals. Their body is trying to tell you something.
🔁 Every Time You Feed a Scrap, You Reinforce the Problem
Think of it like this:
| What You Do | What Your Pet Learns |
|---|---|
| Give bacon from your plate | “Bowl food is boring. Hold out.” |
| Toss cheese after dinner | “Whining = reward.” |
| Let them snack throughout the day | “I don’t need to eat real meals.” |
This is how picky eaters are created — we condition them into confusion.
Their gut struggles. Their behavior shifts. And we chalk it up to age or quirkiness.
But in most cases, it’s food-driven.
❤️ You Can Still Spoil Them — Just Do It Right
You don’t need to stop loving on your pets.
You just need to love them with intention.
✅ Use species-appropriate treats (like freeze-dried meats or limited-ingredient chews)
✅ Create food enrichment puzzles or use lick mats
✅ Reinforce behavior with touch, praise, play, not processed foods
✅ Stick to a feeding schedule and consistent meals
✅ Reserve “extras” for treats designed for their biology
Love is leadership. Not indulgence.
🐾 What You Can Do Right Now
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- Stop offering scraps. Full stop. Even “just a bite.”
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- Give meals at consistent times — and walk away if they don’t eat
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- Choose a complete, high-quality diet designed for their species
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- If your pet has become picky, let them “reset” by reintroducing regular food gradually without extras
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- Be patient — you’re not punishing them. You’re protecting them.
💬 Final Word: They Count on You to Know Better
If you’ve given scraps in the past, don’t beat yourself up.
You were showing love the way you understand it.
Now that you know better, you can love them the way they need.
At Purrs McBarkin’, I help pet parents turn awareness into action — without guilt, and without the marketing noise.
If your dog or cat is struggling with digestion, skin issues, or picky eating… chances are it’s not just “how they are.”
It could be how they’re being fed.
Let’s fix that together.
“The greatest act of love is learning what your pet really needs—and choosing that, every day.”
Visit Purrs McBarkin’ for food, treats, and advice that actually make a difference.