Many of us cannot imagine our lives without pets. Indeed, animals love us for who we are, despite all our flaws. They will always wait for us from work and look with devoted eyes.
Someone prefers cats, some dogs, someone more exotic animals, and someone keeps several types of animals at home at the same time. Increasingly, the question arises: "Is it worth buying animals different feed?". It would seem that if you have a dog and two cats, you can simplify the feeding process and feed everyone the same thing. In the end, before in the village everyone was fed the same thing, and no one suffered from health problems and did not complain about the quality of food.
It turns out that not everything is so simple: the types and quality of food products have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Nowadays, some types of food are useful for some types of animals and at the same time can harm others. So, is it possible to give a cat dry cat food?
Main misconceptions
As a rule, the owners believe that pet food is to some extent interchangeable. The following misconceptions exist:
- All pet foods are about the same, and all the differences are the machinations of unscrupulous marketers. Do you really think so? Look at the composition. Even dog food of different ages and breeds are very different, let alone food for cats and dogs.
- Cats and dogs are domesticated predators, they rely on approximately the same diet. Well, yes, but children, adults and retirees are people, but for some reason the same thing is not recommended. Theoretically, of course, we can eat the same thing, only an adult can have: an allergy to lactose, gastrointestinal problems, lack of protein and other health problems due to baby food. Animals also have their own characteristics.
- It all depends on how to feed the dog cat dry food: if you take into account the size of the shepherd, she just needs to give a little more food than the cat. Once again, we suggest looking at the composition: cat foods contain substances that are generally not recommended for dogs. Is cat food harmful to the dog? Of course, therefore, if you increase the dose, the consequences can be very unpleasant for the health of the animal.
- The animal’s body itself knows what it needs and what doesn’t, therefore, if the dog eats cat food, it means that it needs it at the physiological level. Remember how on the last New Year your cat ate rain from a Christmas tree? And how did your dog eat all the plastic pens and your new shoes? Is it possible for a dog to have cat dry food, because its body believes that it is necessary for it? No comments.
The main differences between cat and dog food
Before finally deciding whether a dog can have cat dry food, first we’ll look at how these two seemingly identical products differ even in smell, texture, color and shape of granules.
Firstly, the producers tried to take into account the needs and physiological characteristics of animals, so feline food contains almost twice as much protein as dog food.
Secondly, dog food contains more fiber than cat food. If a dog is fed pellets for a cat, a lack of plant enzymes will immediately affect her digestion.
Thirdly, the content of glucose varies greatly in pet foods. This is due to the difference in metabolism: a dog can be fed once or twice a day, while a cat needs to be fed several times a day in small portions. What could be dangerous a sharp increase in blood sugar, everyone knows.
Cat food is more nutritious than dog food. This is because taurine, which accelerates the elimination of toxins, is included in its composition, so the granules themselves contain more fat.
And finally, cat food has a higher acidity. So if your dog has stomach problems, the answer to the question of whether the dog can receive cat dry food is obvious.
Protein
It would seem that what could be wrong with protein? Is it possible to give cats food for dogs, despite the high content of protein in it? The question is much more complicated than it might seem at first glance.
When creating feed, manufacturers try to take into account the needs of animals for protein, which vary greatly and depend on factors such as:
- view;
- breed;
- the size;
- age;
- active lifestyle;
- the presence of diseases;
- stress;
- pregnancy;
- castration.
Protein needs are known to be higher in cats than in dogs. At the same time, an excess of protein in the diet negatively affects animals with kidney diseases.
Your dog has kidney failure, and you ask yourself if it is possible to feed the dog cat food. The consequences of such a diet, unfortunately, will be disappointing for your pet.
Protein Digestibility
The health status of a pet is affected not only by the presence of protein in the diet, but also by how easily it is absorbed by the body. Digestibility is influenced by many factors. For example, consider the source of the protein, and at what temperature the product was processed.
As a rule, animal protein is absorbed better than protein of plant origin. However, there are exceptions, such as soy protein. At the same time, among protein of animal origin, proteins from connective tissue are better absorbed than proteins from skeletal muscle.
Given this information, is it possible to feed a cat dry dog ​​food? Yes, but it will not bring any benefits at all. Dog food contains more vegetable protein, which is practically not absorbed by the cat's body. It turns out that the cat will spend internal resources on obtaining and digesting food, but will not receive any useful substances from it, and, in some cases, even calories (if the level of undigested protein is 50-100%).
With a long stay on such a diet, your pet may develop: vitamin deficiency, protein deficiency and various gastrointestinal disorders.
Taurine
This substance is included in almost all cat foods, but is not included in food for dogs. Let's see why.
Taurine is vital for cats, since it is it that allows cats to digest fats in the small intestine. The body of a purring pet is not able to produce enough taurine to cover all its needs, therefore, in order to maintain the cat’s good health, food with a high content of this substance must be included in his diet.
The body of dogs, on the contrary, does not need additional taurine supplementation for normal functioning, therefore manufacturers do not include it in the composition of dog food.
What threatens a change in diet? Can a cat be given dog food? With prolonged consumption of dog food, a cat will inevitably develop a lack of taurine in the body, which is fraught with degeneration of the retina, impaired cardiovascular system and impaired immunity.
Acidity
The acidity of cat food is higher than that of dog food. In addition, the acidity in the body increases the taurine contained in cat food.
Can a dog dry cat food? Taurine increases acidity, therefore, if your dog has problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then such a diet will negatively affect your pet: abdominal pain, stool disorders, appetite and vomiting disorders are possible.
Signs of Cat Food Abuse
Regular consumption of cat food by a dog can lead to health problems:
- overweight problems;
- metabolic disease;
- digestive disorders: diarrhea, vomiting and constipation;
- gastrointestinal diseases: gastritis, gastric ulcer, esophageal erosion;
- stunted growth and development of the musculoskeletal system;
- hair loss;
- development of diabetes;
- diseases of the kidneys and other internal organs;
- the development of allergic reactions.
Some signs may not appear immediately, but after a few years, so you should not wait for their appearance and encourage a similar diet of your pet. In this case, we advise you to find out why the dog prefers cat food, eliminate the cause and adjust its nutrition.
Why does a dog eat cat food?
As a rule, if your dog defiantly refuses his food and goes to a cat bowl whenever possible, this happens for one of the following reasons:
- the dog is constantly overeating, so it can no longer see the usual food;
- the dog “bites” between the main meals, which also contributes to overeating;
- regular feeding with "delicacies", after which the dog can’t even look at dry food;
- ordinary dog ​​food looks unappetizing or tastes too harsh (bitter, salty, spicy, etc.);
- the cat’s bowl is too easily accessible, therefore, after eating, the dog devastates her too;
- insufficiently active lifestyle does not allow the dog to burn enough calories, so he has no desire to eat;
- monotonous food contributes to the fact that the dog perceives cat dry food as a kind of delicacy, therefore, he gladly abandons his diet in his favor;
- the dog may have health problems and / or lack of certain vitamins in the body.
The above reasons should be eliminated and adjusted to the right nutrition for your dog. Remember, your dog does not understand what kind of food is harmful to him, therefore, to monitor his health and diet is the task of the owner only.
How to wean a dog to eat cat food?
There is no universal recipe, but here are some suggestions that can help you:
- feed your pets separately and at different times;
- place the cat bowl out of the reach of the dog, for example, on the refrigerator;
- do not use cat food as a treat to encourage the dog;
- do not succumb to blackmail and do not give the dog cat food, even if she refuses to eat anything else (hungry - eat, do not worry);
- if the dog does not eat anything other than cat food, add dog food to the cat bowl, but be careful not to get a similar problem with your cat.
How to choose a quality feed?
And finally, a little advice on how to choose high-quality food for cats and dogs: pay attention to the list of ingredients on the package. The law obliges to list the ingredients in descending order, but some manufacturers resort to various tricks: for example, they use only one source of protein, which negatively affects the digestion of the animal and reduces the intake of beneficial substances into the body.
Another well-known method: the manufacturer places herbal ingredients separately, at the very end of the list, so buyers often ignore them. When choosing cat food, pay attention to the presence of cereals - they can harm your pet.