How can I get my dog to eat her own food and stop eating the cat food for my cats?

Question

She just goes over and eats the cat food without touching hers at anytime. We keep on having to buy so much cat food and I want it to stop. They are both out all day I can't just put the cat food up cause it drives my mom crazy. I'm wondering is there a type of dog food that most dogs usually love and will keep wanting that and stop eating the cat food.

Answer 1

you don't want your dog eating the cat food, and there is a reason. Cat food is higher in protien content, and while that seems good, it's actually too much for a dogs system, so they don't do well eating it. Pick up the cat food, and put it someplace high. I don't let my cats on counters or tables, so I use the dryer. I also have a cat door that leads out to the garage, and all the cat necessities are out there, out of the dogs reach.

Answer 2

There is absolutely no way to stop a dog from eating cat food as long as that dog can get to that cat food. Cat food tastes better than any dog food out there because cats need more palitable food than dogs do. Even if the dog had just eaten all his own food, he'd still eat the cat's food. The only way to stop the dog from eating the cat food is to put the food where he can't get it, whether it drives your mom crazy or not. She can either keep buying lots of expensive cat food to feed the dog or put the food where doggy can't get it. It's also not good for the dog to be eating only cat food. You don't necessarily have to put the cat food up, just prevent the dog from getting to where it is. Maybe a dog gate would work because the cat can still jump over or go through it. You'll need to find a creative way to keep the cat food away from the dog.

Answer 3

I had a similar problem with my dog and cat years ago. Actually, the dog wanted to eat the cat's food and (ugh) help himself to the contents of the litter box. I put the food up in the laundry room on the dryer (with a vinyl mat under it). Sounds like you can't put the food up...even if you use a mat? But you could try doing with your cat's food what I did with my cat's box - barricade it.

Here's how it worked. For the cat box barricade, I used the dryer and washer on the sides (with no wiggle room for doggie between either appliance and the side walls). The back of the barricade was provided by the back wall of the laundry room (which the dryer and washer were placed near enough to that the dog couldn't squeeze through even if he made it around back). And the front of the barricaded cat alcove was completed by wedging my sewing machine into the front opening of the space between the washer and dryer. The dog was a sheltie, so short legged and not able to get over the sewing machine. Oh he tried...but this worked out really well.

I suspect you could accomplish a similar cat food area barricade with appliances/furniture/walls you have in your place. Obviously you'll need to chose your location and items/appliances according to your cat's physique and disposition as well as your dog's size, climbing/jumping capacity, and strength. Be sure the items you use are big and heavy enough to prevent the dog from moving them or squeezing in. You don't want something that will give and let the dog in, get the dog stuck, or topple onto him or the cat or anyone else.

Good luck!!!

Answer 4

If your dog loves the cat's food then you will have to seperate the feeding. Let your mother know that just leaving food out all day can lead to obesity in both animals, which in turn can cause health problems. Feed the dog and cat in seperate rooms and leave the food down for 15-30 min. If they don't want to eat then by the next feeding they will. They will soon learn that they need to eat when it is provided and by seperating them there will be no way the dog will eat the cat's food. I have two dogs that love the cat's food more than theirs, so what I do is put the cat's food up higher than the dogs can reach. The cat can climb up and get to her food and the dogs have no choice but to eat theirs. I don't know if that would work in your situation because of your mother, but it is also worth a try.

Answer 5

Superb name choice for your new cat. My 16 year old girl is also named Cheyenne. However the food situation is not a good one. Cat food is way to high in ash for dogs, and dog food for cats not so much. It's difficult but is there a way you can feed Chey in another room or vise verse. The hard part here is that dogs generally woolf where as cats like to nibble through out the day and night. Is there a higher place that Chey can get to that the dog cant, that way if this were to be her dining area the dog could not get to her food and if he dog eats all of his food at once then the problem would be solved. All of this of course hinges on if there is a spot for Chey's dining that she would be use to getting to. It will take a little work. I hope this is of some help to you.

Answer 6

Dogs love cat food. It is much higher in meat and protein than dog food, but it also isn't very good for them (just like humans love food that isn't good for them, dogs also love foods that don't sit well with them).

Place the cat's food in some spot that the cat can get to but the dog can't, such as on a high table or shelf. Or, pick a room of the house that you can baby-gate off to be the cat's room. The cat can jump over (or go through, depending on the style of gate) the gate and the dog won't be able to. In our house, the basement is a canine-free zone. We have the door to the basement blocked off such that the cats can get through but the dogs can't. We keep the cats' food, water and litterbox in the basement, and it also gives the cats a place to go when the dogs are just irritating them.

Answer 7

She's just getting back at the cats cause they tell her stories of their adventures during the day while she's stuck within the confines of the compound.

The cat's tell her how they get to wander the neighborhood and if they get hungry they'll kill a bird or rodent, sneak into peoples yards and drink from the dog dish outside maybe enjoy a little dog food and tell the dog all about it running away laughing.

She's trapped, She's not allowed to wander the neighborhood and tip over trash cans if she gets hungry and drink water where ever it can be found. She is stuck in the yard or house all day unless the kind humans throw a rope around their neck and escort her around the neighborhood for a few minutes.

Answer 8

You might have to feed them at different times in different parts of the house. If you have a cat door, then feed the cats in the room where the dog cant get to. Cat food is high in protein and can be bad for dogs, it can damage their kidneys if they eat too much especially in older dogs.

Answer 9

nope. our dogs do the same and we have to keep the cat food up or in another room. there is no other way hat we have found that will keep a dog away. maybe keeping the cat food up on a counter is a lesser evil to your mom than spending so much extra on cat food.

Answer 10

For one separate the food. and put a little cat food in his dish.. so when hes eating eventually he will reach the dog food and get used to eating that! Trust me it works I've had to do if before ; ).