Should I continue to let me dog eat the cat food?

Question

I just got a new chihuahua and he eats more of the cat food than his own dog food. Should we just buy one food for all the animals or is he only eating it b/c it's new to him? It's all dry food, we don't give them canned food. I just want to make sure he gets all the nutrition he needs.

my* dog...oops...I sounded like Cookie Monster there for a minute...

Answer 1

Dog's do tend to like catfood, generally it is yummier because it is fattier. It's usually the canned type they like, but the same goes for dry food!

Cat and dog food is species-specific for a reason - cats and dogs do have different nutrient requirements. I would suggest trying to get the dog off the catfood - catfood is a fairly common cause of obesity in dogs as I've seen myself a few times!

Chalice

Answer 2

Superb name choice for your new cat. My 16 year old girl is also named Cheyenne. However the food situation is not a good one. Cat food is way to high in ash for dogs, and dog food for cats not so much. It's difficult but is there a way you can feed Chey in another room or vise verse. The hard part here is that dogs generally woolf where as cats like to nibble through out the day and night. Is there a higher place that Chey can get to that the dog cant, that way if this were to be her dining area the dog could not get to her food and if he dog eats all of his food at once then the problem would be solved. All of this of course hinges on if there is a spot for Chey's dining that she would be use to getting to. It will take a little work. I hope this is of some help to you.

Answer 3

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.)

Answer 4

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 5

I don't recommend this.... Cats and dogs have totally different nutritional needs and cat food has certian things in it that gives dogs kidney and urinary track infections. These same ingredients also have things in them that cause liver damage.

Answer 6

Cat food is too high in protein for dogs.It could cause him kidney problems.

Answer 7

yes

Answer 8

NO! He might start meowing! :-)~