Can cats eat dog food?

Dog and cat live together in a household, an interest in each other’s food is inevitable. Maybe the food of the other four-legged friend is tastier? Envy of food may also play a role in some dog-cat relationships. We explain why it’s not a good idea to feed a cat dog food and how harmful it is to velvet paws.

Dog food and cat food – What is the difference?

“>Both the dog and the domestic cat are carnivores, i.e. meat eaters Dogs are descended from wolves, so much of their diet should consist of meat and offal.

But dogs can also carbohydrates well tolerated and partially also utilized. Vegetables and fruit are also usually part of the dog’s diet. Rice, potatoes and other carbohydrate sources are also contained in most types of dog food. They are cheap sources of energy. Ours In my opinion, however, there should be as much meat as possible in dog food – unfortunately this is rarely the case.

Cats, on the other hand, contain a lot stricter carnivores than dogs. They can eat carbohydrates do not use them, they can burden the gastrointestinal tract and even lead to indigestion such as diarrhea.

Ein good cat food therefore contains at least 95% muscle meat and offal. This corresponds to the composition of mice and other small prey. Here the only vegetable part is the contents of the stomach. In this case, the carbohydrates contained are already pre-digested.

The length of the intestines in cats and dogs clearly shows how much more cats are specialized in meat:

“>The cat’s intestine is only half the length of a dog’s in relation to its body size. Their digestive system is therefore highly specialized for digesting high-calorie animal foods.

Conclusion: Ideally, dog food and cat food should consist almost entirely of muscle meat and offal, it provides both animals with all the nutrients. Unfortunately, this is often not the case with dog food, so Dog food not good for cats But there are other differences in the diet of cats and dogs:

Cats have special Needs of her food

“>So cats need more meat than dogs. They also need taurine: This is an amino acid that they cannot produce themselves from other amino acids – unlike dogs.

Velvet paws need taurine for metabolism and heart function, as well as for maintaining eyesight and maintaining fertility in female cats. Taurine is added to cat food in most cases to ensure that the animals are adequately supplied.

Cats absolutely need a protein-rich feed with sufficient taurine

In addition, house tigers cannot utilize any vitamins from plant-based food, they lack the necessary enzymes for this. Vitamin A and vitamin D in particular are absorbed through meat and offal.

The ratio of calcium to phosphorus also plays an important role in healthy cat nutrition role. A ratio of approximately 1.2 to 1 ensures kidney health and bone formation.

What happens when cats eat dog food?

“>The answer to the question “Can cats eat dog food?”…

It’s like so often:

The dose makes the poison!

If your cat occasionally steals some food from the dog bowl, then that’s no big deal. If they eat otherwise good cat food, they’ll eat whatever they need.The situation is different when cats are constantly fed dog food. This can lead to serious symptoms and deficiency symptoms:

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Cats and dog food: Dangers of permanent feeding “>Cats and dog food: That doesn’t go well together. We strongly advise masters and mistresses not to feed their cats dog food all the time. Otherwise, the cat is at risk of various diseases:

Digestive problems such as flatulence or diarrhea Dull Fur scale Skin irritation Degeneration of the retina (retina of the eyes), deterioration of vision up to blindness Infertility in female cats Heart muscle diseases Tips: Your cat will no longer steal dog food

“>Even if small amounts are harmless, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your cat steals dog food.

“>Most dogs gobble down their food quickly, so that a cat hardly has a chance to steal something. Often the dog also warns with a growl or a snap in the air.

“>But there are exceptions where the dog has great respect for the cat and even lets itself be chased away by it. Some cats are not intimidated either and steal cheekily with long claws…

“>These tips will help:

“> Spatial separation: If possible, feed the dog and cat in different rooms.

Sequence: First, your cat gets its cat food, only then is it served to the dog, so your cat is already eating and is less interested in the dog’s bowl.

Remove leftovers immediately: If the dog leaves a residue, it should be removed immediately.

Stow well: Cats are skillful robbers! Therefore, bags of dry food should be secured in tupperware, otherwise they are guaranteed to be chewed through. Opened cans of dog food always have a lid, especially since there is a risk of injury – and the food belongs in the fridge.

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Hello! My name is Dominik Hollenbach, I am the founder of Katzenkram. I’ve lived with cats since I was a child and have always been intensively involved with these fascinating creatures.

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