Can Cats Eat Dog Food? Why White Cats Are Deaf: Are They Prone to Deafness Or Not, The Benefits of a Cat Tree And How It Can Help You, Cat Adoption Checklist – What You Need To Have Before Welcoming A Cat To Your Home. 7 Surprising Ways that Cats Show Affection, Just Watch These Border Collie Puppies Meet Sheep for the First Time, Cat Shaming: Rank These 52 Cats Getting Hilariously Roasted for Their Crimes, Rescue Dog Kratu Plays His Way through Agility Competition and We Are Here for It, 8 Dog Supply Organizers to Declutter Your Pet’s Stuff, Sit Back and Get Cozy With These Dog-Themed Reality Shows, Streaming on HBO Max, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Manx Cat, Here’s What You Really Need to Know About Cat Declawing, Amino acids like taurine and arginine (from meat or fish), High-quality animal proteins (at least 30%), Healthy, animal-based fats (about 15% to 20%), Essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fatty acids, No by-products, fillers, or artificial additives. Can cats eat dog food instead? “Keep in mind that cats naturally hunt small animals that they don’t share,” she explains. Cats and dogs can live together harmoniously, but their food dishes just don’t mix. Can Cats Eat Dog Food: When dogs and cats live together, it is not uncommon to see them steal food from each other. While dog food won’t necessarily harm a cat, it’s not a good idea to feed it to them. Felines are known for having unique dietary requires and unlike dogs, they are obligate carnivores meaning that they have to eat meat to survive and maintain proper health. While you probably love them both equally, you should always bear in mind that their nutritional needs are far from being the same, and eating each other’s food can make them sick or even worse. Although some cats adore eating dog foods it may not be healthy for them because dog food does not contain nutrients that cats need. One time shouldn't hurt, but there can be concerns involved, especially if it starts to happen more! Though there are a number of “people foods” that cats can eat, some foods may cause digestive upset or toxicity. Is dog food good for cats? Mealtimes in multi-animal households can be pretty intense. Dogs are omnivores, which means they eat meat, grains, and vegetables, so they need a more varied diet than just meat alone to meet their nutritional requirements. Therefore, it is not wise to feed an exclusive diet of dog food to cats, nor cat food to dogs. My parents haven't went shopping and the cat food ran out. So, dogs could eat most cat food, while cats shouldn’t eat dog foods. If a cat is eating dog food, she won’t get vital amino acid and there are high chances that she will become ill. But just because your cat wants to eat dog food doesn’t mean it’s healthy for him. Your dog can safely sample a bit of your cat’s food, but a diet consisting solely of cat food won’t give your dog the balanced nutrition they need. Cats have different nutritional needs from dogs and they can become lean if fed a diet designed for canines. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. For proper nutrition, feed your kitty only food specifically labeled for cats. For example, cats cannot create their own Taurine, an essential amino acid only found in animal-based proteins, so they must get it from external sources, ie. Like many other cats, your cat too perhaps likes her dog friend’s food, and you are left wondering, can cats eat dog food. They will share the space, play together, and develop a strong and unique bond. So, what you can do? Before we get into the nitty-gritty details about why your cat can’t eat dog food forever, it’s important to start with the basics of cat nutrition and the difference between cat and dog nutritional needs. And get exclusive content not found on the blog. Yes, they can, but ONLY FOR A DAY! Your cat must take essential daily nutrients, taurine and arginine, that are found only in meat. If you aren’t absolutely positive, it isn’t worth taking the risk. It’s unhealthy. The same is true for dogs, they can’t eat cat food. According to Sassafras Lowrey, the occasional ingestion of dog food by cats will not hurt.. No immediate injury or life long damage will be done if, in a pinch, you opt to feed the cat part of your dog’s rations. Overall, cats’ enzymes are constantly set for a high level of dietary protein. If you run out of cats food and it’s late at night you won’t have any other choice but to feed your cat with some commercial dog food. Also, this should be your last option. Can Cats Eat Dog Food – Other Ingredients, Nutrients, and Natures of Dog Food. Drooling; Vomiting; Loss of appetite; … The grease is always greener on the other side philosophy. While the cat will miss some essential nutrients in the long run, there are enough nutrients in the dog food to help the cat until you can get some more. An affectionate interspecies pair can learn to share a lot of things, but when it comes to sharing food, however, there should be some boundaries set. For example, cats cannot create their own Taurine, an essential amino acid only found in animal-based proteins, so they must get it from external sources, ie. If your felines eat canines food its O.K., don’t panic, she will be fine, just don’t make it a habit. Overall, feeding your cat with dog food is a bad idea, especially if it happens regularly. Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, Seattle Met Magazine, and The Mighty. Make sure that you track their eating habits including how fast they eat, so you can act accordingly. So, make sure to do what you can to prevent a cat from eating dog food. While it won’t hurt Fritzy to eat a few kibble here and there, it’s not ideal to offer it on a regular basis and certainly not okay to feed it as a regular diet. Also, cats’ bodies can’t create the essential nutrients to meet their metabolic needs. But your cat shouldn’t be eating dog food on a regular basis, and especially not exclusively. Signs That Your Cat May Have Food Poisoning. To be honest, he had better not, for the sake of his health. After all, there are reasons kibble is labeled “cat food” or “dog food,” and not simply “pet food.” Nutritional Differences Between Dog Food & Cat Food. Dog food contains other nutrition, including more carbohydrates, that dogs need but aren’t necessary, and may actually be harmful in large quantities or for sustained periods of time for cats. Therefore, this is kind of an emergency, so it’s OK as long as its not a habit. Can cats eat dog food and vice versa? cats can eat dog food: yes, but only in an emergency or for a short period of time. Cat foods are very high protein, calories, fat, and contain the necessary amount of taurine. Our website uses cookies. They simply don’t have the same ingredients. None of this is suited for gastrointestinal tracts. When it comes to taurine, VCA Animal Hospitals explains that the amino acid is critical for vision, digestion, heart function, fetal development, and a healthy immune system in cats. An occasional nibble of dog’s food won’t hurt the cat, but the long-term feeding can. The main reasons why cats shouldn’t eat dog food: You shouldn’t feed cat dog food because of the caloric density, heavy doses of fat, and high protein levels. If this is the case, then you may wonder if you can feed your cat dog food in an emergency. If you don’t want your feline to develop strong health concerns such as obesity, you should think about stopping her to reach dogs food. Dog food isn’t dangerous to cats, but it shouldn’t be eaten in place of cat food on a regular basis. An occasional bite is fine and won’t hurt your cat. Cats have unique dietary requires and unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores, this means that they have to eat meat in order to survive. Having a cat and a dog under the same roof means a lot of funny and hilarious moments. Dog food won't hurt your cat, but it certainly won't keep him healthy. However if you are the lucky owner of one of each, you will be thrilled with the cuteness they will bring to your home! Cats have higher needs for many essential nutrients, and their food tends to be higher in protein, vitamins, fat, and minerals. But cats cannot survive on dog food alone for their long term diet. 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