My sister and her husband have gotten into the habbit of feeding their six month old dog cat food. I know this is wrong...My brother in law is feeding the dog only 2 cups of food a day. I would say he weighs at least 30 pounds. He seems hungry and un-settled all the time...What should be done?
2006-12-04 08:13:46 · 15 answers · asked by burgash 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
That puppy needs to be on the puppy food for the first year of his life. If it were OK to feed cat food to a puppy it would be called cat/puppy food. He needs to eat a good quality puppy food, the best that your sister can afford. If all she can afford is Ol' Roy then so be it. That puppy is in a crucial growth period, they are not laying down good building blocks now to develop bone, organ and tissue growth. A dog fed the wrong type of food can develop health issues down the line and that is expensive. Preventative care and nutrition are the simplest way to keep vet costs down in the long run. So when your sis puts that poor pup on a good diet, check the guidelines on the package to see the amount of food the pup his size needs. It varies from food to food. A higher quality diet is more easily digested and requires less food given than say your bargain basement type diet. Good Luck.
Oh BTW if you feed the cat all dog food, you will end up with a dead cat!
2006-12-04 08:39:30 · answer #1 · answered by Kneehigh 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dog should not be eating cat food...I don't understand why somebody would do that in the first place...it's not like it's harder to find dog food...typically it can be found in the same aisle!! However feeding twice per day is normal. I have a corgi and I feed him 1 cup in the morning and 1 cup at night!
I recommend calling the vet to determine that the dog is healthy and also how to go about switching the foods safely.
2006-12-04 08:26:54 · answer #2 · answered by Heather 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs like cat food because it is much tastier than dog food. It even tastes good coming out the other end! Ew! Cats have different taste buds so they are finickier eaters. There is a higher level of protein per oz. of cat food. It is not a good idea to let the dogs eat only cat food. Althoug a little is alright now and then. 2 cups is probably a good amount for a 30 lb dog. Does he/she look too thin at 30 lbs?
2006-12-04 08:20:29 · answer #3 · answered by barksabit 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are they willing to listen to you on the subject? If so, the dog needs to be changed to dog food. I know some people think it doesn't make a difference and some dogs love the stuff, but there is a reason why different foods have been developed for each species.
Two cups of cat food is not the same as two cups of dog food.
Have them ask their vet about it.
2006-12-04 08:18:10 · answer #4 · answered by tantiemeg 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The puppy needs some good puppy food to get all it's required nutrients. Two cups of food a day is plenty and depending on the weight of the dog may still be too much. Most dog food bags have a table on the side to figure out how much to give the pup.
2006-12-04 08:21:15 · answer #5 · answered by allives 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a considerable difference between commercial cat and dog foods as cats have very different nutritional requirements than dogs. Most cat foods have higher amounts of protein and fat, as well as more fiber. For these reasons, it is recommended that dogs be fed strictly dog intended diets. More importantly is the source of protein and the quality of (dog) food they are providing.
2006-12-04 08:21:09 · answer #6 · answered by BVC_asst 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your sister should not be feeding the dog cat food, that is why they made dog food as well. The dog food is much better because it has the neccessary proteins it need so they can develop and live longer.
2006-12-04 08:19:38 · answer #7 · answered by Peaches22 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you able to just open your mouth to them and suggest that cats and dogs require different nutrients? Ask them if they've tried a certain type of food and that you heard it was healthy for dogs. Would they get upset? If so, maybe try leaving a dog nutrition book on a table somewhere (where they will see it) in their house without them knowing it was you who did it. Hopefully they have other visitors...
2006-12-04 08:19:23 · answer #8 · answered by KJ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cat food is fine for an older dog, it tends to be softer. If they are worried about how hard the food is tell them to add water or beer or chicken broth. For young dogs they need dog food. For a dog of that size 2 cups is plenty of food.
2006-12-04 08:23:05 · answer #9 · answered by sdarp1322 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, no. Dogs should not eat cat food, for one thing cat food is much to high in protein and fat for dogs, among other nutrients. Dogs and cats require many different nutrients unique to themselves. If no one else can convince them, have them ask a vet. This is very unhealthy for their dog, especially at his age.
2006-12-04 08:23:04 · answer #10 · answered by Desi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋