So similar, yet so different. How is dog food different from cat food? Is it possible to give cat food to a dog, what will happen if the dog eats cat food

Cats and dogs are the most common pets, and they often live in the same apartment. Peacefully (or not quite peacefully) dividing the territory of the apartment, pets often begin to share the contents of their bowls. Over time, the owners notice that the cat is happy to eat from the dog bowl and feels great doing it. Is it safe to feed a cat dog food?

Cats are carnivorous predators, everyone knows that. Dogs are also predators - this is a well-known fact. Therefore, cats and dogs can be fed the same food. This is the conclusion often reached by negligent owners who want to justify their desire to feed their cat with dog food.

Why You Shouldn't Feed Your Cat Dog Food

A dog, unlike a cat, is not an obligate predator, it is rather an omnivore. Plant food and food of animal origin are successfully digested in the stomach, while meowing pets digest vegetables and fruits by only 10-15 percent. In addition to this fact, there are other differences in the digestive system of animals.

One of the biggest disadvantages of dog food is the lack of taurine in it. This amino acid is not produced by the body at all, but a cat cannot live without it. With a lack of taurine in food, vision, urinary and nervous systems primarily suffer.

A cat's body needs 15% more protein than a dog. In the feed, the mass fraction of protein is too small to fully satisfy the needs of a meowing pet, especially a young and growing one.

Dog food, like cat food, has vitamins A, B, C, E. But in dog food, the emphasis is on vitamins of group A, while purrs need an increased dose of vitamin E. In addition, excess vitamin A can lead to abnormal formation of the skeleton in kittens during the period of active growth.

The energy value of dog food is too low. In the body of cats, the intensity of biochemical processes is higher, so they eat little and often, unlike dogs, which usually eat twice a day.

Why Owners Choose Dog Food to Feed Cats

First, identical brand dog food is often significantly cheaper than cat food. But do not deceive yourself - having saved on feed, you will soon have to spend money on the services of a veterinarian.

Secondly, dog food is often purchased in large packs, and it is always at hand. But cat food, if desired, can be ordered in a large package, which will last for a long time.

Thirdly, if the purr is faced with the choice of whose bowl to eat, then most often she chooses the dog bowl. But this does not mean that it is healthier or tastier, often the purr simply shows curiosity, and sometimes greed.

How to wean a cat from eating dog food

If the cat has tried dog food, but refuses its own, then you need to solve this problem. It is necessary to isolate the dog bowl from the cat.

The best way out in this situation is after feeding the dog to remove the remnants of food from the bowl in a place inaccessible to the cat. A meowing pet may refuse its food for several days, but if you persist, the animal will never starve to death if at least some food is available.

You can change the brand of cat food to pique your pet's interest in food. It is worth trying to pour new food into the dog's bowl.

Dog food can seriously harm a cat only with long-term, constant feeding. If the pet managed to steal a piece of treat from someone else's bowl, do not be upset - a small amount of dog food will not bring harm to health.

Thrifty owners often wonder if it is possible to give cats dog food - the product is more affordable and cheaper. A similar problem arises for someone who keeps a dog and a cat in the house at the same time. With such cohabitation, animals are not averse to looking into each other's bowl.

Omnivorous dogs are not threatened by such “companionship” with anything special. Their digestive apparatus can even adapt to a vegetarian diet. What about carnivorous cats? What happens if you let them eat dry food from a barking buddy's litter box?

Murok gastronomic priorities

The famous veterinarian D. Granjean likes to remind you that a cat is not a small dog. The witty remark of a French professor should be taken into account when looking for answers to questions about whether it is possible to feed a cat with dog food and what will come of it.

According to the habits and nature of nutrition, cats are one hundred percent predators, albeit domesticated. They cannot do without enough proteins and fats. The main feature of the diet of carnivores was fixed by mother evolution itself.

Scientists identify three important nuances of a healthy cat diet:

• dependence on arginine - amino acids that are rich in animal proteins;
• the need for taurine: it is not without reason that veterinarians recommend that a weakened cat be given taurine-containing beef and fish. Such diet therapy helps to successfully overcome health problems;
• the need for a sufficient amount of arachidonic acid, the source of which is animal fat.

Without these substances, the cat's diet will be inadequate. The fluffy pet receiving it will be late in development, look unsightly, and often get sick.

Feel the difference

Now let's see what happens if a cat eats dog food with the connivance of the owner:

1. Carnivorous murka receives less animal proteins: in the diet for dogs, they are 10-15% less than what cats need. If meowing pets do not eat enough protein foods, their metabolic processes are disturbed, problems with the intestines, kidneys, and hair are possible.
2. The requests of a fluffy pet in taurine are not satisfied. Normally, a purring pet should receive 1-2 g of it per kilogram of weight. This additive in dog food is provided for a third less. Taurine deficiency leads to cardiovascular and nervous disorders in cats, reduced reproductive function and vision.
3. Muroks have a special need for fats. From them, the cat's body is able to extract the arachidonic acid it needs. In the dog's digestive tract, it can be synthesized from other substances. In dry treats for huskies, a maximum of 5% fat is allowed - murks need a minimum of 9%. From whether cats eat dry dog ​​food, their full supply with the most important source of energy depends.
4. Cats cannot, like canines, switch to a carbohydrate-containing diet without disturbing the digestive process. Manufacturers take this into account: murka delicacies in packages differ from bug ones in a smaller amount of cereals. Can a cat be given dog food sometimes? In small doses, such a delicacy will not harm, but will not have any nutritional value for the mewing taster.
5. The need for purrs in B vitamins - pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine - is higher than in dogs. With a lack of these elements in the body, failures in protein metabolism will follow.

Today it often costs more than. Some owners noticed this and started to go for the trick - they buy dog ​​food for the cat. What does it threaten and is it possible to feed a cat with dog food?

To understand this issue, it is enough to recall the old catchphrase that cats are not small dogs. Initially, in the process of evolution, their nutrition varied. For example, cats have a much higher protein requirement than dogs. At the same time, cat food must necessarily contain taurine, an amino acid that dogs produce on their own. With a deficiency of taurine, a cat develops heart problems and other pathologies, which is why any cat food is enriched with this amino acid.

In addition, cats and dogs differ in the daily intake of vitamin A. Dogs can process beta-carotene as a source of this vitamin, but cats cannot. Cats also do not produce arachidonic acid on their own, it must be contained in their diet, while for a dog this will not be critical.

Can a cat be given high quality dog ​​food?

The question of whether it is possible to give cats high-quality dog ​​food, if, for example, a large package is bought for a dog, is often asked on various forums.

The answer is clear: no, you can't. Even high-quality premium and super-premium dog food does not meet the requirements that are made for cat food. The cat, of course, will eat it, but this is permissible only in the case of the most extreme measure and as a one-time action.

If the furry purr is fed dog food, then she will not get everything that she needs for health and vigor. Chronic diseases will begin, as a result, having saved on feed, you will give a hundredfold to the veterinarians.

Susan Paretts

Never feed your cat dog food. This advice applies to all types of food - a cat should not be fed both dry dog ​​food and canned food. While accidentally eating a piece of such food will not harm the cat, long-term use of food designed specifically for dogs, the health of the cat will certainly be damaged. Due to the peculiarities of digestion, it is necessary to feed cats only with food designed specifically for them. Cats and dogs have very different nutritional needs, so if they eat dog food, they won't get the nutrients they need.

Squirrels.

Dogs, unlike cats, are omnivores, so they can get the nutrients they need from both plant and animal sources. Cats are pure carnivores, which means that they need food that is based on animal protein in order to obtain vital proteins. Only such nutrition ensures the survival and health of the cat. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets a minimum protein requirement for dog food of 18 percent, which is 8 percent less than cat food (26 percent minimum). But the point is not only that there is less protein in dog food than cats need, but also that the protein in dog food can be vegetable, but vegetable protein has no nutritional value for cats and does not allow cats to maintain health.

Essential amino acids.

According to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, animal proteins from meat and organ meats contain at least 23 types of amino acids, 11 of which are vital for a cat's survival. The cat's body is not capable of synthesizing these amino acids, so the cat must get them from the food they eat. Dogs also need these amino acids, but not all. According to AAFCO requirements, only such acid as taurine must be included in the composition of the feed. At the same time, the dog's body can produce taurine, but the cat's body cannot. That is why, eating food intended for dogs, the cat will experience a lack of essential amino acids, which will inevitably lead to health problems.

Other ingredients.

For a normal life, cats need arachidonic and linoleic acids obtained from animal fats. Dogs require only linoleic acid, so dog food does not contain arachidonic fatty acid. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), arachidonic acid is essential for cats to maintain coat and kidney health.

In addition, the correct diet of cats and dogs should contain varying amounts of vitamins and minerals. Dogs, compared to cats, need fewer B vitamins, including niacin and thiamine, and less folic acid. For this reason, feed for them contains less of the listed components. When feeding a cat with dog food, a shortage of these substances is inevitable, as the composition is balanced specifically to meet the nutritional needs of dogs.

Consequences of feeding cats food for dogs.

As a result of feeding dog food, cats develop various diseases. Lack of taurine, which is not found in dog food, leads to blindness, heart problems, and deafness. Other possible effects caused by the wrong balance of vitamins can be lethargy, cramps, posture problems, poor coat condition, reproductive disorders and even death of the cat. In addition, if a cat eats a lot of dog food, an incorrect balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals causes gastrointestinal upset. Accidentally eaten a piece of dog food will not have a noticeable effect on the health of a cat, but with systematic consumption, harm is guaranteed. In addition, if a cat eats enough dog food, there will simply be no room in her stomach for her own healthy food.

Separate food for dogs and cats.

If both a cat and a dog live with you, you need to carefully monitor that each animal eats only its own food. Free access to a large bowl of food to feed the dog makes life easier for the owners, but can lead to the cat constantly snacking on dog food. Feed your dog twice a day, based on the amount recommended by the dog food manufacturer. Make sure that while feeding the dog, the cat does not steal food from him. Since cats tend to eat small portions, but many times (up to 20 times a day), a cat should not have free access to dog food. Place your cat's bowl of food on a windowsill, shelf, or table so the dog can't get to it - after all, feeding your dog cat food is just as bad as giving your cat dog food.

When several animals live in the house, the owners begin to feed them the same food. Owners prefer to buy portions of cat food. Moreover, the taste preferences of pets can be surprising: having tasted the product intended, the four-legged barking friend will demand exactly it for breakfast. But veterinarians call for a balanced and careful consideration of the formation of the diet of your pets.

Specifics of food for four-legged friends

The food of different brands, intended, differs in composition, but has a number of common features that radically distinguish it from food.

The protein component is more significant, since the need of the cat's body for amino acids is higher (often the addition of taurine sulfonic acid follows, which does not at all correspond to the needs of the dog).

The mass fraction of fats is greater, since arachidonic acid is not synthesized in the metabolic process (in contrast), and triglyceride acids are an additional source of energy.

If a dog constantly takes cat food, she is at risk of gaining excess weight.

There are fewer cereals and carbohydrates (their high content causes malfunctions in digestion), while the dog's diet suggests a higher content of the energetically valuable carbohydrate component.

Enriched with B vitamins (a slightly different vitaminization has been developed for dogs), which are involved in the processes of energy exchange, synthesis and breakdown of amino acids obtained from protein.

Should you feed your dog cat food?

Both graceful cats and loyal dogs have long lived next to humans and seem very similar in many ways. But their lifestyle and physiological processes are significant.

Cat food is always high in fat and nutrition, which is why dogs love it.

The comfortable diet of animals varies: for dogs, two meals a day are enough for optimal well-being, and a cat should eat more often, but little by little due to the high content of glucose in the blood, its food is more high-calorie. Consistently eating energy-rich cat foods can lead to dog obesity.

In addition, a high proportion of the protein component increases the risk of kidney ketonization, can affect the ears (threat of otitis), eyes (redness and discomfort), skin (rash). And among the most frequent consumers of cat food - dogs of small sizes - allergic reactions of various kinds are possible.

You can feed the dog a little cat food, but in exceptional cases.

Thus, for constant feeding, it is better to use specialized food, adding freshly prepared dishes to the pet's diet. At the same time, veterinarians note that only regular and constant use of foreign food can lead to serious health problems.