is it true-if you feed a dog catfood they will go blind. my motherinlaw insists that all animal food is same.

Question

my mother in law insists its all the same and catfood is cheaper, but i think there is something in catfood thats bad for dogs or something is lacking in catfood that dogs need. whos right?
lynne

Answer 1

No, they won't go blind. However, a steady diet of cat food will cause production of to much uric acid, which is hard on the kidneys and other organs.
An occasional snack of cat food won't do any harm other than possible lose stools.

Answer 2

According to this site, dogs should not eat cat food because it is too high in protein and fats: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1661&articleid=1030

I don't know if excessive protein and fats can cause blindness in a dog though. IF a dog were to go blind from eating cat food, I would think it would be more the result of the food lacking in something that the dog needed.. Also, I imagine it would take an exclusive diet of cat food for a decent length of time to cause that (assuming it is even possible).

Definitely don't take any of my thoughts as face value.. they're all guesses.

Here's a similar question to yours: http://cats.about.com/od/catfoodfaqs/f/dogfoodforcats.htm
(Although in this case, the person is asking if a cat can go blind from eating dog food... But some useful information.)

Answer 3

No they won't go blind!!! BUT catfood should NOT be fed to dogs especially on the regular. Cat food has a high amount of Tartine in it that is way to much for a dogs system to handle, for example one of my dogs is totally addicted to the cats food, she breaks out in rashes, has horrible skin in generally and infections in her ears are rampant. We keep it away as best as we can BUT we always know when Pepper has been in the catfood!!! Its not the lacking of something but the too much of Taratine. And that little bugger Pepper sneaks it at any chance she sees!!!
I've known people who do give their dogs maybe a handful for a treat ---but really its just NOT good for them, cheaper or not...in the long run you'll probably have to pay vet bills out your ears for a sick dog so why put them through it, just PUT the Cat food AWAY!!!

Summary: You are right (but wrong about the blindness)
MIL is wrong on all accounts.

does that solve it?? Probably not for her if she's anything like my ex MIL.
Good Luck!!!

P.S. Corn, Wheat and Soy are also VERY bad for dogs!!
Look on the ingredients if any are in there and especially in the top 5 or so run for the hills. Most good brands (though pricier) label a meat of sorts as top ingredients (chicken, beef, venison, fish, duck etc)

Answer 4

Will eating cat food hurt my dog?

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.

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.

By the way, while cat food is generally okay for dogs, dog diets lack essential nutrients that cats need to stay healthy, so cats can't live on dog food. Overall, it's safest to feed your pets the kind of food formulated to be healthiest for their specific species. (Ferrets may be the exception. They are the only pets other than cats that are entirely carnivorous, which is why ferrets can live on cat food.)



hope that helps got it from link xxx

Answer 5

No it won't make them go blind, but it isn't good for them - the dog is likely to end up very fat!

Please let your mother in law know that all pet food is most certainly NOT the same - all animals have different dietary requirements. Cats for instance are obligate carnivores - they MUST have meat in their diet. Dogs can technically be vegetarians tho it isn't advisable as this is not their natural diet. Let your mother in law know in case she ends up feeding a cat dog food - this would be pretty disastrous as it doesn't contain the necessary Vitamin A and arachidonic acid.

Chalice

Answer 6

my sister had a dog that only lived on cat food. It was all she would eat!! She was as healthy as could be and lived til the age of 13 and only died then from being hit by a car. I think it is safe and no need to worry. Just offer the dog food as well and all will be ok.

Answer 7

Taurine is in cat food, and dogs don't need it b/c they make it in their body. Taurine is lacking in dog food b/c dogs make it but cats need it added.

Cat food is higher in protein and fats and has different nutrients than dog food.

Tell your mother in law = Cat food is made for cats, hence the name "cat" food, while dog food is made for dogs, hence it's name "dog" food. If all animal food is the same, then the food would be called "all animal" food, and not be so specific. (maybe she will be able to grasp that idea :) lol

Cats are more carnivores by nature than dogs are. Cats nutritional needs are different from dogs.
Dogs need dog food. They need different nutrients in their diet than cats.

Dogs won't go blind if you feed them cat food, but it isn't healthy for them.

www.iams.com (they have information about dog nutrition and cat nutrition for you)

Answer 8

no they won't go blind. lol my dog eats cat food all the time and he is fine. he goes and eats the neighbors cat food. i think the main difference is, dog food has more fat, and proteins. you don't see very many strong huge cats like you do dogs

Answer 9

Rule of thumb: cats like dog food and dogs like cat food.No explanation for it,but they do.Dogs and cats both only can go blind if you feed them antifreeze.Or get injured.

Answer 10

Yes, cat food contains a magical poison that only effects dog's eyes.