Is cat food ok for dogs to eat?

Question

My dog keeps on eating cat food and not her own dog food and i was wondering if it's ok for her to eat cat food?

Answer 1

No! Cat food is to rich and it lacks the proper minerals and vitamins for dogs.

dogs eating cat food also have been found to have high liver values and can make your dog very sick at some point. Pick up the cats food so the dog cant get at it.

Answer 2

It is not going to hurt your dog to eat cat food every once in awhile, but to get proper nutrition she should be eating dog food. Dogs tend to prefer cat food because the smell is more potent (cats are pickier eaters than dogs in general). I would put the cat's food up high, somewhere where only the cat can reach it. If she doesn't like her dog food you could consider switching brands. (esp. if you use the cheap dog food from a grocery store or something) Look at the ingredients list. Make sure the first ingredient is a type of meat. You can also mix some canned food in with it to make it tastier.

Answer 3

Some cat food now and then won't hurt her but cats need different nutrients that dogs do and the cat foods are specially prepared for cats only while dog food has what the dog needs.
You could try putting your cat food up where the cat can jump up to it but where the dog can't get such as on a dresser.

Answer 4

No, it's not a good idea for your dog to eat cat food on a regular basis, it could make her sick. Cat food contains higher amounts of protein and taurine. I have cat food in my garage that the cat won't eat and I would rather toss it than feed it to the dogs. Put the cat food bowl up higher so your dog can't get at it.

Answer 5

It won't hurt, but you should try to avoid it as best you can.

Cats should not be allowed to eat dog food however.

While many vegetarians make their cats vegitarians as well... a healthy diet for a cat is mostly carniverous meaning they typically eat nothing but meat, while dogs are omnivorous, meaning that they eat some plant materials along with their meat.

So their diets are different, and while it will not hurt him in the short run, its best to get him on his own food, and keep them away from eachother's meals.

Answer 6

No, because dogs and cats both have individual nutritional needs. It won't hurt your dog obviously to eat your cat's food but your dog isn't the nutrients she needs. I would put the cat food up on a desk or something and be sure to show our kitty where you've relocated the food.

Answer 7

Not really, a little won't hurt her, but it does not have the nutrition needed for dogs, it's for cats.

Get your dog a good quality dry like Canidae and put the cat food out of her reach.

If your dog likes wet food, mix the dry with a little canned, but dry is better for dogs, less tartar on their teeth too.

Answer 8

It won't kill them but is not nutritionally balanced for a dogs health. It can cause upset stomach and severe hair loss. I would recommend putting the cat food up on something that the cat can get to but the dog can't.

Answer 9

it's not ok but that's normal for dogs to like cat food better, cat food has more fat and protein.

look at this website it explains the different nutritional needs and why its important for cats and dogs to get their own food

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1399&articleid=2575

Answer 10

It shouldn't hurt the dog, but no it won't provide them with all the nutrition they need. Though it's more unsafe for cats to eat dog food.