Q: What Are The Dangers Of A Cat Eating Dog Food
Dr. Leslie: A little nibble here or there is not usually a problem for cats. But in some cases, dog food may contain ingredients that are harmful to cats. For example, propylene glycol is commonly used in semi-moist dog foods. It’s perfectly safe for dogs, but higher levels can cause health problems in cats.
Over time, if a cat were fed only dog food, then protein, amino acid and fatty acid deficiencies would be expected. Dogs’ nutrient needs are lower, so the content in dog food is often less concentrated.
Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Cat Food
Having grown up in a household that never had less than eight cats, and always at least one dog, our dogs were always taking advantage of the ever-present feline food items no matter how hard we tried to keep them from the cat fare. .
Ounce for ounce, most cat food is typically more expensive than most dog food and so most dog owners for economic reasons alone would rather feed their dog his own food. But maybe you are having the same problem as I had, where my dogs always found a way to get their paws on the cats cuisine. You might be left wondering if its OK for your dog to always be chowing down on Kittys food. In short, the answer is no.
Can You Feed A Dog Cat Food
You can, its your prerogative, but you should have an understanding about what you are feeding your dog. Cat food does not equal dog food, it doesnt even equal cat food. What I mean by this is that cat food isnt the same across the board.
Unlike dry cat food, canned cat food could contain 40% to 50% protein. Thats close to triple the amount a dog needs for minimal maintenance.
This could definitely impact your dog’s health. Before you start feeding your dog the cats food, you may want to consider the side effects that a high protein diet of cat food could have on him.
You May Like: Tastiest Dry Dog Food
Fast Food For When You Run Out Of Dog Or Cat Food
This page may contain affiliate links. We earn a commission for qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Our mission is to help save dogs’ and cats lives through our educational content. To help us create more veterinarian- and trainer-approved content, please consider buying one of our web-books for yourself or as a gift.
Are High Protein Diets Hard On Your Pet’s Kidneys Especially As They Age
This myth is a result of poor quality food manufacturers. The truth is that high plant protein diets are hard on your pet’s organs high animal protein diets aren’t only healthy for your aging pets, but essential.
Poor quality, mass produced pet foods are packed with protein from soy and corn. Unfortunately, your dog and cat are unable to properly digest and assimilate these sources of protein. It lets the food manufacturer boost the protein content of the food without actually offering your pet any substantial protein they can use.
High plant protein diets can put added strain on your pets because their bodies aren’t designed to process those ingredients. As they try to assimilate protein from these sources, their organs need to start working overtime.
When choosing a healthy, high protein diet for your pet, avoid any bags that feature corn or soy as a prominent ingredient . You want named meat meals or quality meat as the primary protein source. This is a sure-proof way to make sure your pets are eating the diet nature intended. If you feed a grain-in diet, look for whole or ancient grains, like quinoa or oatmeal.
Also Check: Can You Buy Dog Food With Snap Benefits
Why Your Cat Needs More Than Dog Food
via flickr/bambe1964
While its not ideal, a dog could live on a cat food diet for a while. A cat, on the other hand, cannot subsist on dog food alone. While a bite or two of dog food wont hurt your cat, a dog food diet is lacking several essential ingredients to kitty health.
As mentioned, cats are obligate carnivores, and they need a meat-based diet with the appropriate nutrition. There are a few essential ingredients in cat food that just dont come up in dog food:
- High protein content. Without the right amount of protein, cats lose muscle mass and become lethargic.
- Taurine. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, this amino acid is critical for vision, digestion, heart function, fetal development, and a healthy immune system in cats. Cats get taurine from a high-protein, meat-based diet, but commercial cat foods add extra taurine to make up for whats lost in processing. Dogs dont need as much taurine, so it isnt added to their foods, meaning a dog food diet cannot keep a cat healthy.
- Vitamin A. As explained by Doctors Foster and Smith, dogs can use beta-carotene as a source of Vitamin A cats cannot. Commercial cat food is formulated to include the appropriate level of Vitamin A for cats, and they simply wont get that from dog food.
Its a little less common for cats to go cuckoo for dog kibble, but if you happen to have one of those special cats, just keep an eye on them and make sure theyre eating their own food too, even if they get a doggy sample once in a while.
How Much Dry Food Should I Feed My Cat Information
How much dry food should i feed my cat information
How much dry food should i feed my cat. Your adult cat needs to be fed once or twice a day, but some will regulate their food intake, so their daily ration can be left out, particularly if you give them dry food. 1/4 cup am and pm. Is convenient because you can leave it out and it doesnt spoil as easily If you feed dry food, you can put it in her bowl and let her graze throughout the day.
If you havent given a thought to how much dry food you will feed your cat, you should read this article as it will give you an insight how to judge how many calories your cat should be. If your cat is already fat , start at 1/2 cup dry per day and in a month decrease to 1/8 cup 3 times a day. How often should i feed my cat? The recommendations on cat food packaging may include ranges, so youll need to determine where your cat fits within those ranges. An adult cat should be fed twice a day. Is energy dense, meaning a cat can consume lots of calories.
Recommended Reading: Mixing Wet Dog Food With Dry
How Can You Get Your Dog To Stop Eating Cat Food
If you own a cat and a dog, feeding time can be a challenge. First, try feeding them in different rooms or at different times of the day. Lock your cat in their own room until they finish their meal. If your cat slowly picks at her food throughout the day, you can try putting the bowl up on a window ledge or the countera place where the dog cant get to it. Now that you know not to feed your dog cat food, make sure you avoid these other mistakes that every dog owner makes.
Things Your Dog Wishes You Knew
The 20 Most Popular Dog Breeds in the Country
Bland Diet Recipe Ideas For Dogs
These recipes are enough for one meal for a 20-pound dog. Adjust to suit your dogs size.
Recipe #1
- ¼ pound of boiled, boneless, skinless chicken
- 1 cup cooked brown or white rice
- 1 cup of finely chopped peas and carrots
Combine ingredients and serve.
Variation: Cooked sweet or white potatoes can be added to meat instead of rice.
Recipe #2
- 3 oz of cooked, lean, unseasoned meat
- 1 1/3 cups of either rice, sweet or white potato, peas, corn, or plain cooked oatmeal
- 13 tablespoons of finely chopped carrots, green beans, or squash
Combine ingredients and serve.
Variations:
- Instead of rice or potato, you can cook plain oatmeal or farina. They can be cooked in low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth to enhance the flavor.
- Blueberries, strawberries, pear, or apples can be added to meat, oatmeal, potatoes, or rice instead of carrots, green beans, or squash
Don’t Miss: Darwin Dog Food Reviews
Is Cat Food Good For Dogs
As I hinted at earlier, cat food is not designed for your dog. Labels and guidelines are available for all kinds of foods so that everyone is eating what is most appropriate for them.
Feeding your dog a cats diet can have some short term and long term side effects therefore try and be careful about what you are feeding him. Make sure that it is always good for him.
Will Canned Cat Food Hurt My Dog
A little cat food now and then isnt great for your dog, but depending on the type of cat food, it shouldnt cause too much of a problem, either.
If your cat is on any sort of prescription canned food, such as brands that treat kidney disease or other health problems, take extra care not to let your dog have any of it.
This would be similar to letting one of your children take the prescription medicine of the other its not only unhealthy, but dangerous.
In most cases, dogs who eat a little bit of canned cat food can experience no symptoms at all, or may display symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, gas or vomiting.
Unless there are other health issues at play, its highly unlikely that a few bites of cat food will kill a dog.
If dogs are fed cat food consistently over time, even just a little bit every day, they are at risk of becoming obese or developing pancreatitis, which is potentially life-threatening.
One of the reasons why cat food isnt good for dogs is because canine and feline digestive systems are so different.
Cats are carnivores, and wet cat food is almost exclusively meat. Dogs, on the other hand, are omnivores, and need more than just meat to have a balanced and healthy diet.
In fact, even if you have two of the same type of pet, such as two dogs, they may have different nutritional needs.
If dogs eat cat food regularly, their bodies cant process the overload of protein. Besides obesity, this can lead to serious liver and kidney problems.
Recommended Reading: Pedigree Vs Purina One
Vitamins Minerals And Leafy Greens
Cat food doesnt usually include fruit andvegetable ingredients, but is fortified with several nutritional supplements toensure that all your cats nutritional requirements are met. Severalsupplements found in cat foodare there because cats bodies dont process food the same way dogs do. Forinstance, dogs can make specific amino acids and fatty acids internally fromthe food they eat but cats cannot.
Dog Food vs.Cat Food Comparison Chart
How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Eating My Cats Food
How to Train Your Dog to Stop Eating Cat Food Start by making bowls of food distinguishable. Teach your dog the Leave It command. Remove the opportunity for your dog to eat cat food. The bottom line: Dont leave cat food out when your dog has plenty of opportunities to sneak over and grab a few bites.
Read Also: Is Wet Food Bad For Dogs Teeth
Can My Cat Or Dog Go Vegan
For years, dog trainer and pet influencer Samantha Johnson struggled to treat her dog Baloos chronic allergies.
The purebred Wheaten Terrier was always in and out of the veteven as a pupwith hot spots and other inflammatory skin issues. When Johnson finally was able to get an allergy test run at Colorado State Universitys vet clinic, she discovered Baloo was allergic to 77 out of 90 outdoor allergens.
After three months of a raw diet and steroid regimen, Johnson discovered V-Dog Vegan Dog food. It was life-changing for both of us, she says.
Johnson is part of a growing contingent of vegans and animal-lovers in general who have made the switch to plant-based foods for their pets. But many wonder if dogs and cats can actually be healthy without animal protein.
Even before the pandemic pet boom70 percent of U.S. households now own at least one petan online survey found that 35 percent of dog owners were open to the idea of switching to plant-based pet food.
Just like the huge growth in plant-based proteins for humans, pet food makers have been increasingly looking to tap into the growing market for alternatives to meat-based foods. Wild Earth, one of the leading plant-based pet food brands, recently raised $23 million in funding from investors including Mark Cuban with the goal of moving toward cell-based meats.
Dont Try This At Home
There are videos on the internet of people trying to feed their dogs cat food. They then conclude that there are no direct side effects and that cat food is therefore safe for dogs. However, this line of thinking is also wrong.
It does not correspond to the facts and is therefore not recommended. In general, we can only advise against such animal testing. We recommend that you always consult an expert or expert.
We hope that your dog and cat always get along well and have a lot of fun with each other, but eat from different food bowls. Because only in this way can they remain both healthy and happy in the long run.
Also Check: Can You Purchase Dog Food With Ebt
Ask Your Vet For Advice
We recommend you ask your veterinarian for tips on the best diet for your pussycat based on age and habits. It is not the same to feed a kitten, a senior cat or a pregnant or nursing cat. A veterinarian will also recommend giving them dry, wet food or both. It is important not to be stingy and spend a little more money on quality food, because, as with people, health begins with what we eat. Poor quality food will inevitably lead to long-term health issues and we are sure you dont want to offer your pet a life of sickness and a shorter lifespan.
Here are some basic notions about feline food:
Cats drink little water
Why Not Feed Cat Food To Dogs
The reason why you should avoid feeding cat food to dogs is in the nutritional differences that are between the 2 types of food. The cat food is formulated so that it will be well absorbed in the metabolism of a cat. Since the dogs metabolism is different, this can lead to a stomach and intestinal upset and result in vomiting and/or diarrhea. In the long run, your dog will have multiple mineral and vitamin deficiencies.
You should consult you vet and establish the type of food that is most suitable for your dogs age, energy level and breed.
All vets and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommend against feeding cat food to dogs and vice versa.
Don’t Miss: Can You Buy Pet Food With Food Stamps
Can You Give Cat Food To Dogs
Dogs should not be fed cat food and dog owners who have cats should ensure their dogs access to cat food is restricted. One of the reasons for this is cats are carnivores and their diet is almost exclusively made up of meat. Dogs, on the other hand, are omnivores and need a much more balanced diet to meet their nutritional requirements.
Cats And Dogs Have Different Nutritional Needs
While both dogs and cats share our hearts and homes, over time, nature has molded them into very different animals with very different nutritional needs.
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they require a diet of meat-based proteins and animal fats in order for all of their body systems to function properly.
Dogs, on the other hand, are actually omnivores. An omnivore has a more flexible diet and can easily eat both meat and vegetables. A dog food diet does not meet the specific nutritional needs that cats require.
Recommended Reading: Good Food For Pomeranians
How To Train Your Dog To Stop Eating Cat Food
Start by making bowls of food distinguishable.To be fair to your dog, it may be hard to tell the difference between a bowl full of kibble that theyre supposed to eat, and a bowl full of kibble thats off-limits. Help your dog out by making the bowls of kibble look very different from each other. Try different bowl sizes and colors, and if you have a placemat under your pets bowls, make sure theyre different too.
Teach your dog the Leave It command. Once your dog knows Leave It, introduce cat food and repeat until they can successfully ignore the food. It can take daily practice for a few weeks, but stay consistent with your training and youll get it together!
Remove the opportunity for your dog to eat cat food.The best way to keep your dog from eating cat food is to separate your pets when food is out. Start by moving your cats bowl to another room one your dog cant get to. If your dog never has access to the cats food, theyll never get the opportunity to steal it! Here are some options:
The bottom line: Dont leave cat food out when your dog has plenty of opportunities to sneak over and grab a few bites. If youre used to leaving food out throughout the day, it may take a while to get your pets used to eating their meals in full on a schedule. However, the benefits of a feeding schedule and removing any food that isn’t eaten in 10-20 minutes is worth it.