My friends dog eats her cats poop out of the litter box, regularly. Why? Whats the draw for the dog? Is it harmful long term for the dogs health?
2006-12-12 05:57:22 · 14 answers · asked by man_hands542 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
We had this problem with our dog (when she was a pup). The vet told us that she does it because the cats' food has more fat in it than dog food...tastes good to the dogs because the fat in the cat food doesn't get digested. Really discusting act though. The vet has packets of this white powdery stuff...looks like flour... to put in the CATS food... it's odorless and tasteless... the cat(s) will eat their food and this powder makes their feces taste bad to the dogs. The dog will stop eating the feces once he/she figures out that it tastes bad. I can't remember the name of the packets but it's relatively cheap...
2006-12-12 06:04:28 · answer #1 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As gross as this is, it is a natural thing. Animals recycle anything that can be used to sustain life. In waste products there is still undigested food that can be used. In the case of the dog eating cat poop, cat poop tastes very fishy from what the cat eats and the dog is attracted to the smell and recycles the food in the poop. This goes on all the time in the animal world and it sustains life when food is scarce. Domestic animals just like to do it for all kinds of reasons, mostly to vary their diet.
The only problem with fecal eating is contracting parasites from the other animal and the fact that your doggy pal then licks your face, yuk. Tell your friend to keep the cat box out of the reach of the dog or maybe enclose the cat box so only the cat can get it it.
2006-12-12 06:10:51 · answer #2 · answered by simbasega 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of times, female nursing mother dogs will eat thier own feces, because their bodies lose nutrients thru their digestion process, and that's the only way they can get them back.... other than that, i think they just like it..... my dog does the same thing with the litter box, i finaly got her to stop, because some types litter might not be good for her.
dogs are nuts, but we gotta love em. lol
2006-12-12 06:01:49 · answer #3 · answered by Silver Thunderbird 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My dog did this and the vet said it had to do with the mother. They see there mother keeping there home clean by eating the waste so they do the same. It's not harmful to them, just pretty nasty. Try putting Adolph's meat tenderizer on their food and they should stop.
2006-12-12 06:12:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know either. I do disagree with people that say they do it because they are lacking something in thier diet. We have 4 outisde dogs and one inside dog. Two of the outside dogs, a male and female beagle, unrelated, that have been together since 6 weeks, both eat their own poo. Another beagle who lives alone does not and another "mutt" that lives alone also does not. It is just Eeeww.
2006-12-12 06:07:33 · answer #5 · answered by Sheila 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would guess that anything that comes out the back end comes out for a reason, and is not supposed to go in the the front! Yes, it's harmful! Get the dog help asap!
Krazy Libra
2006-12-12 05:59:49 · answer #6 · answered by krazy_libra_from_ac 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yes it is very harm full,don't you think you would end up with an illness if you ate cat poop? tell your friend to get a litter box with an enclosure
2006-12-12 06:26:15 · answer #7 · answered by punkbun03 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question. My puppie just ate my cat's poop this morning. I didn't know what she was chewing on so i dug in to her mouth and got quite a surprise. Yuck! I guess it just a different smell than dog poop and they think its food.
2006-12-12 06:02:30 · answer #8 · answered by moni 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I have posted this before. A family member had a shitzu that did this all the time. She gave her DE-EATER...No joking that is what it is called. You can get it at the pet store and it works.
2006-12-12 06:46:18 · answer #9 · answered by ransdoll90 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
since the digestion of food is not always complete, puppies still see nutrient value in their feces and view it as a snack.
2006-12-12 05:59:28 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋