Can Dogs Eat Cat Food?

Most dogs will devour any food they find. Starting from dog food, cat food, food that accidentally falls, and even trash that dogs find while walking. Some human foods may still be safe for dogs to eat. Meanwhile, eating trash on the street can make your pet sick because it is contaminated with bacteria.

When it is compared to dog food, cat food generally contains high-protein meat. This may be one of the reasons why cat food is attractive to dogs because the smell and taste of meat are very strong.

So, can dogs eat cat food? If your pet dog tries cat food, it will not do any harm. However, Royal Canin highly discourages intentionally feeding cat food to dogs, especially over a long period. Giving cat food to dogs can hurt their health because cats and dogs have different nutritional needs. The nutritional needs of dogs and cats are distinguished because cats are true carnivores, which means they need protein as an energy source, while dogs are semi-carnivorous animals.

Research reveals a surprising fact that cat food actually should not be eaten by dogs. According to a veterinary health expert, nutrition for cat food is different from dog food. Worry not, Royal Canin produced cat and dog food that you can choose based on your pet's needs. Seeing this, it can be seen the difference in nutrition needed by the two animals. As true carnivores, cats need more meat. Meanwhile, dogs need more nutrition because dogs are semi-omnivorous animals. As one of the pet food brands, we would like to give a brief explanation of dog and cat food

The Risk if the Dog Eats Cat Food

To answer the question, can dogs eat cat food? As long as Royal Canin’s experience, cat food is not recommended for dogs in the long term because it does not have the balance of nutrients a dog needs. The difference between cat and dog food lies in the protein content. Cat food has a higher protein content because cats can only get their energy source from protein. Meanwhile, dogs do not need food with a protein content as high as cat food. Thus, feeding your dog with cat food repeatedly can be detrimental to the dog's health.

If your beloved dog often eats cat food regularly, you should start overcoming this habit. If this habit is continued, the dog is at risk for complications because it does not have the balance of protein, fiber, and all the nutrients that dogs need. Nutritional imbalances can cause digestive disorders, obesity, and pancreatitis in dogs.

Pancreatitis is a serious disease that requires immediate veterinary care. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, hunchback, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, distended stomach, and fever. To be honest, dogs may eat cat food to survive in desperate conditions. However, this will disrupt the balance of his body's metabolism.

Can Dogs Eat Cat Food? Remember that Cat Foods Can Make Dogs Vomit

Some of the symptoms to look out for if you suspect your dog has eaten cat foods are vomiting and diarrhea. An unwell stomach may occur due to the higher fat content in cat food.

How can you get your dog to stop eating cat food? If you have a cat and a dog, feeding them at the same time can be a challenge. Maybe that is why you are wondering, can dogs eat cat food? Here are the tips that you might want to try

First, try feeding them in different rooms or at different times of the day.

Furthermore, if your cat has been slowly getting to his food throughout the day, you might want to try placing the bowl on a windowsill or counter which is placed where the dog cannot get to it.

The Differences of the Nutritional Needs of Cats and Dogs

Cat nutritional needs:

Protein, fat, fatty acids, calories, water.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin), riboflavin, Vitamin B6, niacin, Pantothenic acid, Vitamin B12, Folic acid, vitamins A, D, E, K.
Minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, selenium, etc.

*Note: even though cats need lots of protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, cats have a threshold consumption limit per day.

Dog nutritional needs:

Water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins.
Vitamins A, D, E, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid, choline, cobalamin (B12).
Histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tryptophan.

*Note: even though dogs need a lot of protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, cats have a threshold consumption per day.

Foods That Should Not Be Given to Your Beloved Dogs

If you are still confused about can dogs eat cat food, here are some foods that cannot be eaten by dogs:

· Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the foods that can make puppies sick. Certain substances in chocolate, such as methylxanthines, are toxic to puppies. If a puppy eats even a little chocolate it can cause vomiting.

· Grapes

Grapes are safe for humans, but they can cause kidney failure in puppies

· Cooked Bones

Never give cooked bones to your dog. It would be better to feed your dog raw bones. Because cooked bones can break into small pieces--which may be sharp--when chewed, endangering the dogs.

· Chewing Gum

It is very dangerous if chewing gum is given to your dog. Chewing gum contains compounds that release too much insulin which can lead to kidney failure.

· Bread Dough

It's better not to give bread dough to your dog, because it can cause gas in the digestive tract.

· Alcohol

Never give a dog alcohol as it can cause bad breathing, coma, or even death. Many people deliberately give their dogs alcohol just for fun and entertainment. This is a very cruel act.

As animal lovers, sometimes we can have more than one type of pet. For example, dog owners may have pets other than dogs. A few dog lovers also have cats that live in the same house as dogs. Can dogs eat cat food might be a perfect question for someone who has a cat and a dog in the same place?

So, those are the answers to frequently asked questions about whether can dogs eat cat food. Hopefully, with this information, you can understand more about your pet's health. Share if this article is useful!