is it okay for dogs to eat cat food?

Question

i have a dog and a cat ... [lassy a dog and pipoy the cat] [ummm cute :D] ... saw my dog eating pipoys food... and now prefers cat food over dog's.. every now and then i would catch lassy forecefully stealing and eating pipoys food :( pipoy became a scavenger of his own food hehehe.. so i was wondering if i could just also feed lassy with cat food.

Answer 1

NO WAY! Cats and dogs diets and metabolism are almost totally different, as cats absorb protein in a different way to dogs. Cats food is so high in protein, that if given everyday, eventually the dog will have some kind of organ failure, or growth problem that could be fatal. Stick to what your pets can eat. The same with cats and dog food, which has too little protein, and too much fat.

Answer 2

Eating cat food probably won't hurt your dog, though it's best that he doesn't eat it all the time. Cats and dogs require different diets. Cats are pure carnivores, meaning they typically eat nothing but meat, while dogs are omnivorous, meaning that they eat some plant materials along with their meat.

Cat diets are made primarily of meat and meat products, so in the long run they can be too rich for dogs and can cause digestive problems. They are also denser in calories than dog diets, so they can lead to obesity in dogs. Because of the additional fat and calories, cat food often tastes better to dogs than dog food does, so you may have to keep an eye on your dog to make sure he doesn't indulge in the kitty kibbles.

Answer 3

No it is not a good idea to let Dogs eat cat food or cats to eat dog food. Their foods are formulated differently because they need different amounts of vitamins to stay healthy. For example.. cats are carnivores.. if you are feeding a good food..it will have more amounts of Taurine in their food. It is a vitamin they get from fresh meat. Of course dogs need meat in their diets too..but they do not need as much taurine as a cat so they can actually get very sick from eating cat food. A cat who eats dog food won't get all the taurine they need to stay healthy because a dog food has less taurine. You should move the cat food to a place where only the cat can get to it. Keep feeding the dog his own food..
I know it is hard sometimes to make sure they are staying out of each others food.. but it is neccessary to keep them healthy.

Answer 4

Growing up, I'd heard that cat food could make a dog go blind but although that may have been a myth, I just found this (do some research and you may find more potential issues):

"The rule goes...dogs need dog food...cats need cat food. The reason is, cats need a higher protein level in their diet. This protein level is too high for dogs and will cause bladder/kidney stones in dogs. If your dog nibbles cat food here and there and vise versa, it should cause no harmful problems. But they both need to eat their individual food for wellness and longevity."

Answer 5

Cat food has more ash in it....and make's the dog's have dry skin..It's ok for the dog to have some (alittle bit) once In a while. But not all the time. My dog used to sneak cat food all the time..and he had terrible dry skin. Until I put the Cat food up high.

Answer 6

its probably not really the food lassy wants, its the competition to see if he can get both. many animals compete when their fed at the same time because they think the other is getting something better. my dog and cat used to go in a circle from one bowl to another. as for your question, i dont see that either food will hurt the other, mine did fine. but if you think you want to keep them on their own food, feed them at seperate times, or where they cant get to each others food. but as long as their getting their tummies full, i wouldnt worry too much.

Answer 7

"It won't kill him" - oh well, that's OK then, because of course death is the only bad thing that happens. What jerk said that?

The first two answers are intelligent - cats and dogs require different diets. But even if your dog only supplements his diet with cat food say, every other day, he will, depending on his breed, end up fat fat FAT!

I run weight clinics for animals (I'm a vet nurse) and dogs are great for becoming fat by eating their feline friend's food! Plus, I doubt the cat appreciates it!

Chalice

Answer 8

it really is not ok. catfood had way too much protien in it, it causes liver and kidney problems for dogs. If your dog, maybe once or twice a month, steals cat food, there is no cause for alarm, although you should try to prevent it, but a dog should NEVER be fed cat food, not even mixed in with the dog food.

Answer 9

I found a website that answered ur question it says

"Answer Eating cat food probably won't hurt your dog, though it's best that he doesn't eat it all the time. Cats and dogs require different diets. Cats are pure carnivores, meaning they typically eat nothing but meat, while dogs are omnivorous, meaning that they eat some plant materials along with their meat."

Answer 10

ALL dogs will eat cat food. Because its there...It want hurt him but it does get costly. Keep cat food up so dog cant get it..