To the untrained eye, cat and pet food can look fairly comparable once they’re served up side-by-side.
What’s extra, for those who’re fortunate sufficient to share a house with each cats and canines, you’ll have seemingly witnessed the latter fairly fortunately chowing down on meals meant for the previous when given even half an opportunity.
These observations naturally elevate the query: can canines eat cat meals?
Is it protected for canines to eat cat meals?
The excellent news is cat meals isn’t toxic for canines.
“Usually talking, it’s not harmful for canines to eat cat meals, however it is harmful for cats to eat pet food,” says Laura Ward, DFA’s in-house animal nutritionist. Due to this fact, mother and father needn’t fear if canines end off a complete portion of feline meals.
That being stated, it might probably do no hurt to keep watch over your canine if it occurs and name the vet for those who discover any worrying signs, similar to facial swelling, itchiness or labored respiration. In the event that they’re particularly unfortunate, your canine may need ingested an ingredient to which they’re allergic.
Ought to canines ever eat cat meals?
The reply to that is no, probably not. It is perhaps stating the plain, however cat meals is uniquely formulated for a cat’s particular wants.
“Cats are obligate carnivores,” says Ward. “This implies they require meat of their weight loss plan and have a better requirement for protein and fats, in addition to different vitamins — together with taurine.”
On condition that it’s richer and filled with tasty meat, you possibly can’t actually blame your canine for having their head turned by cat meals, however you shouldn’t allow them to indulge themselves. If you happen to’ve ever overdone it on the breakfast buffet, you’ll know why.
What can occur to canines that eat an excessive amount of cat meals?
“A canine’s dietary necessities are typically oversupplied by feeding cat meals,” says Ward. “If an grownup canine eats cat meals often, this isn’t normally a difficulty, however the oversupply of vitamins is prone to trigger gastrointestinal upset in canines with delicate digestion.”
If these digestive woes proceed for longer than 24 hours, you need to give the vet a name.
Sadly, the issues don’t cease there.
“The oversupply of vitamins in cat meals may trigger weight acquire and weight problems in some canines, whereas the upper fats would even be a difficulty for canines predisposed to pancreatitis.”
Any canine will be recognized with pancreatitis, however breeds with a better threat of creating the situation are likely to lean on the smaller facet, similar to Miniature Schnauzers and English Cocker Spaniels.
What’s so completely different about pet food?
See our checklist of Greatest Canine Meals manufacturers right here
Simply as cat meals caters to the dietary wants of cats, the identical will be stated for pet food and canines.
“In distinction to cats, canines are carnivorous omnivores, which implies that their weight loss plan is extra versatile,” says Ward.
Certain, this implies pet food could have its justifiable share of meat, however there’ll normally be some carbohydrates and greens within the combine, too. It additionally tends to be much less heavy in energy and fats than cat meals.
How can I cease my canine from consuming cat meals?
As many mother and father will know all too properly, canines will be grasping creatures and strangers to self-restraint, so cat meals must be stored as removed from intrepid snouts as doable.
Mother and father taking care of each cats and canines are really helpful to feed them in separate rooms to keep away from your canine being tempted by what’s in a cat’s bowl. If that’s not doable, you might additionally take into account placing cats’ bowls on surfaces off the ground.
