Cat Food

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Can dogs eat cat food?

Not Really…

can dogs eat cat food?

Why You Probably Should Not Feed Your Dog Cat Food

Yes, dogs can eat technically eat cat food as a snack and it is not poisonous for them. That being said, no, dogs cannot eat cat food, especially on a regular basis.

The America Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals does not recommend feeling cat food to your dogs on a regular basis. This is because cats and dogs are two different animals and they need to be given two different kinds of food.

Cat food had higher protein content. It is usually recommended that dog food only have about 33% protein. If you have a smaller dog, like a pug, you will need to have their food be even less in protein.

Cats are omnivores, meaning that they primarily eat meat. This is why cat food is higher on the protein levels and contains mostly meat. Dog food on the other hand has vegetables that are also suitable for their human companions and some meat in them. This is because dogs are omnivores, not carnivores (unlike what a lot of people believe!).

There is also a lot of fat that is present in cat food. This can be very bad for your dog’s health if it is being fed to him or her on a continuous basis.

What Can Happen if You Feed Your Dog Cat Food

It’s also possible to see gastrointestinal issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea, in dogs that continually eat cat food. Too much cat food in a dog can also cause pancreatitis. Sometimes, dogs that have liver problems can have their conditions made worse by eating cat food. That being said, the occasional cat food “snack” should not pose any serious health issues.


Some houses that have a dog that is also friends with a cat might experience an urge to eat cat food. This is ok in the short-term and as a snack, but should never be allowed to replace the dog’s regular food.

While dogs can eat cat food limitedly but should not be fed the food as a main meal or for an extended period of time, it is also important to not feed a cat dog food. Cat food needs to have a lot for Vitamin A. Dog food may or may not have Vitamin A since this is not a main ingredient that is important for dogs to eat. Commercial dog food companies might be negligent about providing your cat with their important Vitamin A.

There are a lot of acids that dogs can build themselves in their bodies but cats need to be able to get from their food. For example, taurine is an amino acid that all cats need to have in their body. When cats are not fed enough taurine, they will suffer from a devastating heart disease known as hypotrophic cardiomyopathy.

In conclusion, we believe there is commercial dog food and cat food labeled separately and sold in separate isles for a reason. We should not be feeding our dogs cat food. It is possible that dogs can eat cat food as a snack sometimes or even can steal one meal from the house cat, but again, this is not something that you want to do on a regular basis because a dog does not need as much protein or fat as a cat.

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  1. Havaneseforeves on

    Oh, hehe. What if a dog eats a few pellets of cat food? Maybe, half a cup, just maybe half a cup.
    Not like, regularly, just one time.

  2. Omnivore doesn’t mean they primarily eat meat. I don’t think you are qualified to speak on the subject.

  3. I think you meant “carnivore” in regards to cats, not omnivore. There is no way that cats are considered anything omnivorous, they’re actually obligate carnivores in that trying to feed them a no-meat diet will kill them.

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