If you have both a dog and a cat living in your home, you already know that sometimes your dog just ends up eating the cat food. And sure, it can be a bit frustrating, especially for the cat, but the real question we have is whether or not it is safe for them to do that?
We all know that while we love both dogs and cats, that doesn’t mean they are the same. A feline and a canine are two separate creatures. And this means that the nutritional needs between a cat and a dog are two different things.
But what does this mean for our cat food eating dog? Is it safe for them to be stealing their feline sibling’s food?
Can dogs eat cat food safely?
On the one hand, cat food is not dangerous for our dogs to eat in general. However, like we already mentioned, it is not the same level of nutrition they need.
In fact, according to the Chewy Blog,
"there are important differences between the dietary needs and tolerances of dogs and cats. Feline foods often are higher in protein and fat, while canine cuisines typically contain more fiber and carbohydrates.Adverse reactions to a dog eating cat food include weight gain and obesity, vomiting and diarrhea. Other issues can stem from deficiencies or excesses of important vitamins and minerals."
So if you have ever noticed your pup randomly getting sick and were worried about it, this could in fact be the problem. And if you have noticed this problem popping up in the past, it is definitely something to be careful of.
Knowing that cat food doesn’t give our dogs the same level of nutrition they need, we definitely think it is better to keep the cat’s meal away from the dog, whether that means feeding the cat in a separate room or even making sure their food is in an elevated spot the dog can’t reach.
Whatever we need to do to keep the dog away from their sibling’s food, that may just be our latest resolution.
What do you think of dog’s eating cat food? Do you try to keep it away from your dog? Has your pup ever had an issue with eating kitty food? We want to know.