What happens if you feed your dog cat food?

It's no secret that pets often eat from each other's bowls. But can dogs eat cat food? Although many dogs are crazy about it, it is not worth giving it on a regular basis. The nutritional needs of four-legged animals vary greatly. Regular consumption of cat food will negatively affect your dog's health. There is a high risk of developing diseases such as fatty liver, gastritis, stomach ulcers, hair loss, diabetes, and urolithiasis.

Differences in nutritional needs of dogs and cats

Despite the fact that both cats and dogs have lived near humans since ancient times, their specific characteristics cannot be canceled. Let's note the main points:

Cats are obligate (unconditional) predators. Therefore, 80% of the diet should be meat and offal. Cats need a higher dose of protein. Taurine is also vital for them - an amino acid that plays an important role in digestion, blood clotting, heart function, immune protection, etc. Cats do not produce taurine spontaneously in their bodies, just like vitamin A. Previously, they received the necessary substances from the brains of mice, but hunting cats are a rarity today.
Dogs are also predators, but facultative ones. They do not need as high doses of protein as cats. Dogs are closer to omnivores. A third of the diet consists of food of plant origin, which cats have difficulty digesting.In addition, the dog’s body produces both taurine and vitamin A.

Dogs often eat from a cat's bowl. But this is not because their food is healthier or more nutritious. The reason is rivalry and greed, the desire to show who is boss in the house. Curiosity also plays a role - food in someone else’s bowl smells and tastes different.

How are the feeds different?

Having separate dog food and cat food is not a marketing ploy. The contents of the packages vary. Manufacturers produce it taking into account the nutritional needs of a particular species.

Dog food contains:

less protein;
more plant components;
higher content of vitamins A, C, D3 and K (and in cats – E and H);
more magnesium and calcium, while for cats – phosphorus and iodine;
does not contain taurine, whereas this is a mandatory ingredient in cat food.

In addition, cats' diets are more acidic, while dogs' diets are more alkaline.

All ingredients are selected taking into account not only species, but also physiological characteristics. Dog food from the same company may have a different composition depending on its age, breed, body weight, and pregnancy. Purebred dogs are very picky about their diet. Any violations of the diet are extremely undesirable for them.

How to stop a dog from eating cat food?

If there is no cat in the house, then you just need to stop buying cat food. Most likely, in the first few days the dog will pick at the food offered or refuse it altogether. You need to wait out this period and not succumb to manipulation. Ignore the plaintive looking eyes. Over time, the dog will understand that there will be no other food, and will begin to eat normally.

It is more difficult to cope with the problem in a family where a dog and a cat live together.Simply not buying food will no longer work. But there are tricks that will help maintain your dog’s health and keep your cat’s bowl safe:

Feed your cat and dog in separate rooms.
Train your pets to eat a portion at a time so that bowls do not sit with leftovers for 8 hours and do not tempt the animals to finish one after another.
Place the cat's bowl at a height that the dog will not be able to reach.
Buy an interactive bowl for your cat. You need to get food out of it with your paw, which is quite difficult for a dog to do. You won’t be able to eat with your muzzle - the bowl consists of dense and high silicone protrusions.
Make one from a box or purchase a cat shelter. Place the bowl inside the house. In it he can retire and have lunch.

Poor appetite may be caused by illness. A healthy dog will never die of hunger next to a full bowl of food. At most, he spends a couple of days being naughty, begging for “yummy food.”

If there is no other food

It happens that the store only has cat food left. In this case, you should pay attention to several parameters before purchasing.

The most suitable product for dogs:

without fish and salt in the composition;
with a protein amount of about 15–20 g per 100 g;
without soy, starch, flavor enhancers;
without taurine.

In order not to risk your pet’s health, it is preferable to take premium quality food. It doesn't matter whether it's dry or wet. But it should be borne in mind that canned food is used as a supplement to the main diet - it is a kind of delicacy. If the task is to feed, it is better to take the dog dry food. Just don’t mix it with natural food. This is harmful to digestion and will completely disrupt eating behavior.

So, you should not feed your dog cat food.If she eats it 1-2 times, it's okay. But with constant feeding, the animal’s health will be impaired. And while backyard breeds have strong immunity and can survive on unsuitable food for a long time, purebred dogs will begin to suffer from an unbalanced diet almost immediately. Develop good eating habits. Don't be tempted by the fleeting satisfaction of your dog's whims. And remember: just because a pet eats something with pleasure, this does not mean that such food is useful and necessary for him.