I'm tired of buying cat food and having the dog eat it. Why not just feed him the cat food? He's not overweight. I'd like to put the bowls on the floor for the cats and dog. Separating the cats is difficult. If weight isn't the issue and the cats like the cat food then why not? The dog is a Labrador Retreiver.
2006-12-27 08:38:06 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
Dog food is for dogs, cat food for cats...they aren't interchangable. Dogs and cats have different nutritional requirements. Dogs fed soley cat food can end up with blindness, kidney disease and other issues. Cats fed dog food exclusively can end up with very serious health issues as well including taurine deficiency.
Also your dog should NOT be free fed. He should be fed at schedualed times of the day. This is important in case there is ever an issue and you need to know what your dog has eaten and the amount.
It is very easy to feed a cat away from a dog simply put cat food in an area that the dog can't access, such as on a table, counter, washer/dryer, etc.
2006-12-27 08:47:01 · answer #1 · answered by Great Dane Lover 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO - cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements , and will suffer eating the wrong diets .
Many folks that have cats and dogs simply put the cat food up on a counter or shelf - where the dog can't reach . Or - you can put the cat dishes in a strong box ( sometimes litter box with a lid , will work ) , or something that has an opening that is big enough to allow the cats in - but too small for the dog's head to reach the food .
This is really not a difficult problem to manage right !
2006-12-27 08:54:07 · answer #2 · answered by Lyn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not a good idea. Labs need a special diet for large breed dogs for a reason. It contains nutrients essential to their bones as Labs are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, it's really important. My Mom's cat eats her Golden Retreiver's food all the time and is healthy as can be (just seen a vet last week and got a clean bill of health) but I have heard that this is bad. Personally I wouldn't allow it either way. I feed my cats in my heated garage and my dog in the house, that way each can eat uninterrupted and eat their appropriate food.
2006-12-27 08:53:40 · answer #3 · answered by MasLoozinIt76 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a Labrador Reriever and cats as well and i notice that same problem. When dogs tend to eat too much cat food, they experience diarea. My best advice would probably be to put the cat food somewhere up high where only the cat can reach it and go ahead and keep the dog food on the floor. Try that and see if it works. Good luck!
2006-12-27 08:42:18 · answer #4 · answered by Amanda S 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You're TIRED of buying dog and cat food? Well then maybe you shouldn't have both in the first place. It doesn't matter what kind of dog you have feed it DOG food. Why not feed them at seperate times or in seperate rooms. Once they move away from the food pick it up so the dog can't get into the cat food.
2006-12-27 08:58:04 · answer #5 · answered by Deb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dog getting in the cat food, or visa-versa, once in a while won't hurt a thing. As a steady diet you are asking for problems. If the food was right for both animals, it would have been marketed as such a long time ago.
Now !!,,,, leaving food down for a Lab is a bad idea, because they might just eat the entire 40# bag if given the chance.
2006-12-27 09:22:10 · answer #6 · answered by tom l 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dogs need dog food, cats need cat food. They're not the same species.
Cat food has too much of the ingredients that can harm a dog and not enough of the essential ingredients.
Put the cat food on a table or somewhere that your dog can't reach it.
Get your dog on Wellness, Natural Balance or Innova DOG food.
2006-12-27 08:44:26 · answer #7 · answered by KJ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dog food is BAD for cats.
Put a bowl up on the kitchen counter for your cat where the dog can't get it and show him where it is a couple of times.
2006-12-27 08:41:00 · answer #8 · answered by tharnpfeffa 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, that's why they make CAT food and DOG food. Though labs will eat anything you put in front of them!
Try putting the cat food somewhere like the top of the fridge to keep the lab away from it.
2006-12-27 08:47:51 · answer #9 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Cats require different food to dogs. They require more protein and have higher specific requirements for a variety of nutrients. One of these is taurine.
A cat must have taurine in its diet. This is an essential nutrient which helps to avoid certain deficiency conditions. As cats cannot make sufficient taurine for their requirements it is is supplied directly in the diet. Dogs do not need taurine in their diet, so for a balanced diet dogs and cats must stick to their own specific diets. Cats are carnivores and cannot live healthy lives on a vegetarian or low protein diet. The protein they need must be given in the form of meat, fish and fat. Virtually no taurine is found in plants or cereals. Dogs on the other hand can survive on a vegetarian diet, but this is not ideal."
2006-12-27 08:42:18 · answer #10 · answered by bnkr27 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋