Dog Food for Cat

Many a times people tend to have both dogs and cats as pets and this tends to pose a problem during meal times. Cats by nature tend to be very finicky when it comes to food whereas dogs absolutely look forward to their meal times. Dogs tend to enjoy cat food because it is high in proteins and calories. However cat food for dogs is not a good idea because the high protein present in cat food is not easily digested by dogs and results in them suffering from loose stools or diarrhea later. Hence it is always advisable to discourage your dog from eating cat food as cat food is specially prepared keeping in mind the metabolism of cats which is very different in dogs. Dogs that eat cat food very often are known to gain weight excessively and even miss out on vital nutrients which are present in dog food. Dogs by nature eat both plants and meat whereas cats eat only meat, hence while consuming cat food; dogs miss out on the vitamins obtained from plants.

Similarly although cats are fussy eaters, there have been cases wherein cats are also known to consume dog food if it is easily available. One of the vital ingredients in cat food is taurine which is not present in dog food. Hence dog food for cats is a risky option as it deprives the cat of vital taurine which in turn results in heart problems and other serious health issues down the line. When dogs and cats live together and eat each other’s foods the end result is an obese dog and a thin or malnourished cat. One of the ways to prevent your dog from eating cat food is to place the food at a height. Cats are excellent jumpers and hence will be able to reach the food but this won’t be possible for dogs. However this solution is more suitable for cats that are young rather than older cats. Another option to stop cats from eating dog food is to train your dog to eat all its food fast so that it is not lying around for the cat to access. This can be achieved by taking away the food bowl as soon as the dog stops eating and moves away from the bowl. Another harmful consequence of cats eating dog food is the deficiency of arachidonic acid which is not present in dog food but is added as a supplement in cat food.