So your dog is eating your kittys food? Can a dog eat cat
food and be OK, or is cat food not OK for a dog? Well, take a
look at what happens to this pooch as he attempts to get into
kitty's food bowl...lol...
Dog Eating Cat
Food. Cat Not At All Thrilled.....
But, yes, your dog can safely eat the cat food. (As long as the
cat doesn't do what the cat in the video does...lol...)
Why It Is OK For Dogs To Eat Cat
Food
The nutritional requirements for a dog is
certainly satisfied by eating food designed for a cat. It may
even be that the cat food is a bit higher in protein. Which is
good, unless you have a very large breed such as a Great
Dane.
Now, if your cat is getting into the dog
food, that's a different story...
Special Nutritional
Requirements Make Dog Food Unsafe For Cats
Cats have very specific dietary
requirements. Dog food would NOT be safe for you kitty.
Allowing your cat to eat dog food could lead to serious
nutritional imbalances.
One important requirement is calcium. A cats
diet have to quite precise in the ratio
between calcium and phosphorus. Meat is high in phosphorus, and
bone is high in calcium. Dog food does not have the proper
ratio between calcium and phosphorus to be safe for your
kitty.
Another essential requirement is that of the
amino acid Taurine. Cats are unable to synthesize taurine on
their own, and thus HAVE to have it in the food.
In the early days of commercial cat food
many cats died and became blind because no one knew that
Taurine had to be added to the food.
Mice, the staple diet for cats in the wild,
and which cats have evolved eating, are naturally very high in
Taurine.
What to do if your cat is getting into the
dog food? Well, you may have to stop free feeding your dog.
(That would be a good thing to do regardless) Or, feed your dog
outside or somewhere the cat can not get access to the
food.
Or, the best solution.... make your own high
quality home made raw food and make it to fit the requirements
for your cat. Now they will both be eating very healthy food,
and they can even compete who has the glossiest coat.
Can Dog Eat Cat Food?
