May 23rd, 2011
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If you have both a dog and cat living in the same house then you need to be on the lookout for more than your pets chasing each other through the living room. The dietary needs of dogs and cats are much different and your pooch needs to be kept away from the feline food bowl. The strong aroma of cat food can be quite enticing to a grazing dog. Commercially prepared cat foods are very high in protein and fat when compared to dog foods. Besides the obvious effect of weight gain, the richness of cat food can have much more serious effects on a dog if fed regularly. Although the issue of high-protein canine diets is a hot topic and not as simple as is indicated on the nutritional analysis on the side of the pet food bag, you generally do not want your dog eating food that is formulated for cats.
D. P. Hesano is a co-founder of the all-natural online shop FidoDogTreats.com |
Thanks for the info.We try to keep the dog away from eating the cat food like putting up barriers but she keeps eating it anyway when we aren’t looking. Why is it so tempting for them? Any suggestions on how to do this?
When dogs and cats are fed species appropriate foods, i.e. raw, there’s absolutely no problem w/ dogs eating the cat’s food. It’s only when they’re fed inappropriately carb laden foods — which neither dogs nor cats require and which can lead to problems — that this becomes an issue.
Certainly cats do have different nutritional requirements from dogs — most notably being obligate carnivores (meaning that they need meat, not carbs) and a higher need for taurine — but a cat appropriate raw meat & bone diet is also the perfect diet for dogs, so no conflict at all when they’re being fed as nature intended.
I agree with Roxanne. Dr Marty Goldstein, DVM, wrote a wonderful book on pet’s diets. I think it was Animal Healing or Nature of Animal Healing. Something like that. I read it years ago and it was informative.
High protein dog food for adult dogs is not needed and can cause kidney failure as the kidneys has to work overtime to get rid of the protein.
Look for lower protein in your dogs food as they get older. also keep away from by products, corn and wheat which are the 2 major causes of food alergies.
Wheat and corn are added as cheap fillers to make your dog feel full and are a waste of your hard earned money
Its pretty simple to keep the dog out of the cats food…just feed the cat on a table or counter.
I follow the practice (like Erica) of either feeding the cats on the table or confining the dog while the cats are eating, then take the bowls away. I feed my cats mostly wet food, but dry (Blue Buffalo) on occasion and as a backup when I run out. I feed my dog only dry Blue Buffalo (plus treats). However, when the cats are hungry, they sometimes eat the dog’s food! Is this harmful?
I was wondering the same thing (about if my cats eating the dog food is ok or not) I feed Blue Buff, Wellness and AvoDerm and the kitties seem to like it but they don’t eat large amount as I don’t leave where they can get to it..but I did/do wonder if its harmful for them. Also don’t let dogs get to the cat food except to lick the bowls, and then they think they have received a great treat. Its all trickery, don’t cha know.
I love cat food! I like it especially as a desert. My Mimi has to watch out for any sneaking about on this issue. She monitors me every meal and is real strict about taking up any kitty leftovers.
Nick
xoxo
Our Mimi gave up trying to find a place to foil Nick’s habituation to sneaking cat food. Ain’t no place high enough or far enough that he can’t get to their food.
Yeah and we wus wonderin’ too if dog food is bad for our cats?
Candy-O
xoxoxo