This is my cat, Candy. A while ago, she looked up at me with those big, pleading eyes while I was in the kitchen, and the question immediately popped into my head: "Can she eat this?"

My other fat cat, Poppy, is just as bad—he's always eating random stuff.

I found myself frantically Googling, only to find stressful and conflicting information. I figured I couldn't be the only one.

So, I decided to build cancateat.food. I want to be clear from the start: this is purely a passion project. My only goal is to create something genuinely helpful for our fellow cat lovers when they face that moment of doubt.

The site is a simple tool to give you instant, reliable answers on food safety. Here's what it offers:

A Growing Database: It has nearly 200 foods (and counting!), with info cross-referenced from authoritative sources like the ASPCA.

Clear Safety Ratings: ✅ Safe, ⚠️ Use Caution, or ❌ Dangerous.

NEW - In-depth Blog: I've also just launched a blog for more detailed articles. The first post is live, and I'll be updating it frequently.

Built for the Community, 100% Free: I want to emphasize this point. The site is, and always will be, completely free for everyone. There are no ads, no premium features, no sign-ups, and no data tracking. It’s just a tool built out of love, to help.

Ultimately, I'm not trying to sell anything. I just wanted to use my skills to give back to the community that loves cats as much as I do.

I'd be thrilled to hear any feedback or suggestions you might have.

To respect the community rules, I've put the link to the website in the comments below.

Thanks for your time! Hope this can help someone here. 🐾

You can check it out here: cancateat.food

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[–] Australis13@fedia.io 20 points 2 days ago (2 children)

This looks great. It would be good to expand the list of toxic plants as well.

It's worth noting that a lot of plants have the common name of "Lily" or "Lilies" despite only the genus Lilium being true lilies and the severity of injury varies, so it might be worth separating out the "Lilies" entry appropriately.

True Lilies (Lilium) are the most toxic to cats (good to see that you have flagged every part of the plant as hazardous). I suggest adding a note that the highest risk of accidental exposure comes from the pollen, since if a cat brushes against a bloom the pollen gets in their fur and then they ingest it when they clean themselves.
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are also highly toxic.
Pretty much anything in the Arum family (Calla Lilies, Anthurium e.g. Flamingo Lilies, Spathiphyllum e.g. Peace Lily) is toxic but far less likely to be fatal.
Peruvian Lilies (Alstromeria) are also toxic but again not as dangerous as true lilies and Day lilies.
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria) can cause irregular heartbeat but are not necessarily fatal.

[–] havanidea@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Wow, thanks so much for this detailed response! You really know your stuff—you must be a seasoned cat expert.

You're absolutely right about the risk with outdoor plants. That's a great suggestion, and I'll definitely work on adding more plant data.

Please, if any other foods come to mind, just drop another comment here. I see every reply and I'm always updating the site. I really appreciate you helping me make the tool better! 😘

[–] Australis13@fedia.io 3 points 2 days ago

You're most welcome! I am both a cat lover (have had them for 30+ years) and also a gardener, so I have had to learn which plants to keep away from my pets! Gets a bit difficult when Liliums are one of my favourite genera.

If memory serves, Dahlias and Irises also cause gastrointestional upsets (so I don't have them in the house since one of my cats like to chew on any greenery that comes inside) but aren't likely to be fatal.

Digitalis (Foxgloves) are deadly to not only most pets but people as well (although in the right amount it can actually be used to treat certain heart conditions).