Can Dogs eat cat food – Dangers of the forbidden snack
Whoever has both Cats and Dogs might be very familiar with this. The cat didn’t eat everything and our little furry tornados are already on their way to the cat bowl.
But what might look like a tasty treat can be dangerous and unhealthy for our dogs.
Let’s explore what you should pay attention to in this article.
TL;DR: Dangers of Dogs eating cat food
Eating cat food over an extended period can cause problems for dogs. Namely:
– Pancreatitis
– Upset or bloated stomach
– Liver problems
– Kidney problems
A bit of cat food may not be so bad from time to time, but regular cat food consumption can be dangerous for our dogs. Here is why:
Is Cat food bad for dogs?
Regular cat food intake for dogs is bad in nearly all cases. Cats are purely carnivorous. This means they get all their protein from animals and have higher protein and fat requirements than dogs.
Dogs also only require 10 amino acids while cats need taurine on top.
Because cat food has more fat and protein, it becomes much more appealing for dogs. And probably everyone reading this knows the situation where our little tornadoes want nothing more than to clean out the cat bowl.
To sum it up: The occasional snack from the cat bowl is not bad and causes no harm to a healthy dog. It becomes dangerous when your dog has health issues or regularly eats cat food.
Which problems does regular cat food intake cause for dogs?
As we already explored, some cat food here and there is not too bad. But over time the added amino acid, higher fat content, and just general oversupply of minerals can cause stomach problems, pancreatitis and liver and kidney problems.
In comparison to cats, dogs are not purely carnivorous. So there will be some miners that are missing in cat food for dogs.
Cat food may be good in some cases
In rare cases, cat food may even be good for dogs.
But you should always talk with a Vet before changing the diet of your dog.
Cases in which cat food might be good:
- The dog is having cancer and fights with weight loss or muscle wasting
- Treats for limited training treats which may be healthier than human food (cheese, peanut butter)
What about cats eating dog food?
If you are interested in whether cats can eat dog food we wrote an article about this HERE
