Can a dog be given cat food and a cat can be given dog food?

If a cat and a dog live in the house, an individually selected diet may at first seem like overindulgence. In this article, we find out whether cat food is harmful to dogs and whether dog food is harmful to cats.

Food for cats and dogs: the difference in form and content

Different feed lines are not a marketing ploy of manufacturers, but concern for the health of animals. Nutritional characteristics in cats and dogs are very different:

• hunting instinct. Cats are strict, or true, predators that are accustomed to chasing prey and feeding exclusively on captured prey. Dogs, on the other hand, are opportunistic predators and, if necessary, can eat plant foods.
• The structure of the oral cavity. The lower jaw of a cat works only in two directions – up and down, and to crush large pieces of food, you need to move the jaw from side to side, as dogs and people do. Perhaps this is due to the increased exactingness of cats to the consistency of food, while hungry dogs can swallow pieces, almost without chewing.
• Protein metabolism. Cats require twice as much animal protein as dogs. In addition, cats need a specific amino acid – taurine, which is not synthesized in the body.
• Metabolism of vitamins. Vitamin A can only be obtained from food. Dogs, like omnivores, can synthesize this vitamin from its precursor, beta-carotene.
• Fat exchange. Unlike dogs, cats are not capable of synthesizing linolenic and arachidonic acids, so they must be fed with them. These and other fatty acids suppress inflammation and support the reproductive system.

What happens if you feed your cat dog food

From dog food, a cat will not be able to get enough protein, and therefore, essential amino acids for it. Here is what their deficiency can lead to:

• vision problems, up to blindness;
• hearing problems, up to deafness;
• disturbances in the digestive tract;
• hair loss;
• skin diseases.

Why can’t dogs eat cat food?

It seems that for dogs, cat food should be a treat: it is more fragrant, tasty and nutritious. In fact, this only complicates the situation – the dog will have to be monitored twice as carefully. Even one meal of unfamiliar food can cause her to vomit and diarrhea.

In the long run, a dog that eats cat food will get too much protein, iodine and phosphorus. Such a diet can lead to obesity, metabolic disorders and diseases of the internal organs.

What to do so that pets do not eat each other’s food

All of the above may be clear to the owner, but incomprehensible to pets. What if they switch bowls and the cat eats dog food and the dog eats cat food? Here’s what Hill’s Veterinarians recommend:

• Separate pets during feeding. Spread it in different rooms, or at least put the cat’s bowl in a place inaccessible to the dog – on a windowsill or a high shelf.
• Teach pets to eat food immediately, and not come back for more.
• Keep food packages out of the reach of both pets.