Can Cats Eat Dog Food? (Vet Approved Advice)

For owners of both cats and dogs, we have all dealt with that moment where one starts eating from the other’s bowl. And this often raises a whole load of health concerns. Can cats eat dog meals? Can dogs eat cat food? Is it all similar stuff? That’s why we have created an all-you-need-to-know guide on the subject…

Is dog food bad for cats?

Whatever the brand or content of canine food, one fact remains true, it is not designed for cats and should, therefore, not be consumed by cats. Even if a particular dog meal isn’t necessarily bad for your pet to eat at one time, it certainly isn’t good for them. The needs of dogs and felines are entirely different.

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need fats and proteins from animal sources to get all the nutrients they need to remain healthy. On the other hand, dogs are omnivores who need a mixture of meat, vegetables, and grains.

If your kitten consistently eats a canine meal, they will lack the nutrients they need to stay healthy, causing deficiencies in their diet and making them very poorly. As we said above, if you see your feline friend eating a mouthful of dog food one time, it is no cause for concern. However, you should take steps to make sure they are only consistently nourishing themselves from their own specific meal.

What’s in cat food (that isn’t in dog food)?

Cats need more protein and fats from animal sources due to their obligate carnivore dietary requirements. As such, pet food usually contains more flavor, vitamin A, niacin, protein, and arachidonic acid than dog food. Of course, specific ingredients and nutrients overlap between canine and feline meals, but the concentration usually differs depending on their needs.

• Flavor. Manufacturers usually make feline food far tastier than canine meals because pets are known to be fussier creatures. The average cat has just 470 taste buds, compared to 1,700 in dogs. Therefore, their food has much more flavor for them to enjoy the taste. For this reason, dogs also commonly show much interest in the feline meal.
• Protein. Cats get a good chunk of their energy from protein. They need higher protein concentrations than dogs, which eat grain and vegetables. Unlike dogs, feline friends can also not create their own arginine and taurine amino acids, so they are added to a feline meal to prevent the risk of heart, digestion, and eye problems.
• Niacin and arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid, an essential fatty acid, is found in feline meals because pets cannot produce it on their own, unlike dogs. Niacin is also a necessary part of a cat’s diet and is found in animal tissue, which is added to the feline meal but not as much in omnivore canine food.
• Vitamin A. Dogs and cats both need vitamin A. However, the former can produce it on their own, and the latter cannot do so efficiently, so feline food contains a whole lot more. If your feline friend consistently eats dog meals, they won’t get enough vitamin A which could cause them to become weak.

READ MORE: Cat Nutrition Requirements Guide (Vet Advice)

How many calories does a cat need per day?

Of course, the number of calories your cat needs per day depends on your pet’s size, age, and breed. However, the general rule is between 24 and 35 calories per pound. For example, if your feline friend weighed 15 pounds, they would need between 360 and 525 calories throughout the day. This same rule can also apply to dogs, but the calorie needs of the two animals are very different. Cats get most of their calories (energy) from proteins and fats found within animals, while dogs eat meat, vegetables, and grain.

Other than dog food, what else should cats not eat?

There are several different things you should never feed your feline friend, including a canine meal. Remember, it is all about providing your pet with the balanced diet they need to stay fit and healthy. Just because they appear to enjoy a meal doesn’t mean it is automatically good for them.

For example, if you put a can of tuna into a bowl, your pet will likely go to town on it. However, tuna does not have all the minerals and vitamins your feline friend needs on a daily basis, so swapping their specialist feline food for cans of tuna would only result in deficiencies and health problems.

Some of the other foods you should avoid are chocolate, sweets, raw fish, raw meat, onions, garlic, eggs, bread, dairy products, and alcohol. Just because humans can eat something doesn’t mean pets can. Some of our meal can be poisonous to your feline friend.

Is cat food bad for dogs?

For the same reason why cats should not eat canine meal, dogs should not eat feline friend food either. Why? Because it is not designed for them. Experts design feline meal to include the perfect blend of everything an obligate feline carnivore needs in their diet… not so much for an omnivore canine.

Cat food contains way more calories, fats, and proteins than canine meal, meaning your dog could suffer from obesity and pancreatitis if they consistently eat feline meal. However, as we said, with cats and canine food, you should not be worried if you notice your dog having a bite of feline food every now and then. It is not poisonous to them. But it also does not represent a healthy and balanced diet.

How to stop my cat from eating dog food?

If you notice that your cat is consistently eating dog food, or the other way around, you need to do something about it. Chances are, they are doing it because they enjoy the canine meal for whatever reason, or they are just being greedy. So if you do not take steps to prevent it, they will likely carry on and experience health deficiencies.

The easiest way to stop this from happening is to feed your pets at separate times or in separate rooms. Let your dog into the room to eat their canine meal , then once they are done, let the cat in to eat their cat food. If your dog is showing interest in the feline meal but not the other way around, you can also feed your cat up on a counter where the dog cannot reach the food.

You can also try using automatic feeders if your pets’ spots are not accessible by the other pets, or train your animals to use feeding stations like a feline meal box (which your cat can squeeze inside but your canine cannot access).

Supervise your pets at mealtimes to make sure they are eating the correct meal, and therefore getting all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need for their specific diet.

READ MORE: What Can Cats Eat: Recommendations from a Vet

FAQs

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