Dog Community

Anyone here with a Dog and a Cat?

Posted : 11/13/2006 12:40:52 PM

Hello!

My dog loves cat food.

My cat loves dog food.

Anyone know if this is a problem?

The cat gets free roam of the house so its really difficult to prevent him from eating dog food.

The dog is only 4 months old but if he see's an opportunity, he's eating cat food.

What to do... [

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Boxermom4

Posted : 11/13/2006 12:46:34 PM

I do remember reading somewhere a million years ago that dogs should never eat cat food, it's very bad for them. I know i'd be alot more helpful if I had all the information, sorry.

Ratsicles

Posted : 11/13/2006 12:51:54 PM

I *think* the main problem with dogs eating cat food are the high protein levels.

Could you place your cat's bowl somewhere out of reach of the dog? A countertop or table or something you don't mind the cat getting on should work.

As for your dog...does he get his food free choice? If you give him meals, you could try just giving him his meals in his crate, or if he doesn't have one, just shut the cat (or the dog) in another room while he eats his meals.

If you feed him free choice though, I'm not really sure what you could do. [&:] Maybe try switching him to meals?

papillon806

Posted : 11/13/2006 12:53:44 PM

I would put your dog on scheduled meals as it is VERY bad for a cat to be eating dog food if it makes up the majority of their diet. Cat food contains taurine and vitamin A (most dog foods contain beta-carotene which dogs can convert into vitamin A where cats need a direct source as they cannot convert it). This could lead to major problems like "night-blindness" and symptoms associated with taurine deficiency.

As far as the dog eating cat food---it's not a big deal if it isn't making his stomach upset. Wouldn't hurt to not allow him to do this though for behavioral reasons.

Pitter Chi

Posted : 11/13/2006 1:02:16 PM

Unfortunately, I don't allow the cat to go on tables and such. Fear of the cat swiping our dinner...

The dog does not have free choice feeding. We feed him a cup in the morning, half a cup in the afternoon and a cup in the evening. Sometimes he doesn't eat all his food in the morning/evening.

papillon806, Thanks for the excellent information ^^

I'll find some sort of cat-proof cover over the food now.

ColleenC

Posted : 11/13/2006 1:20:50 PM

It really isn't good for the dog to be eating the cat food. It may not be horrible, but it is not healthy. I would pick up the dog food if the dog does not finish it right away, and if you want to free feed your cat, find a cover for it so the dog cannot get it.

cyclefiend2000

Posted : 11/13/2006 2:17:17 PM

we block off the room where we keep our cat's food with a baby gate. the cats can get in and out, but the dogs can't.

it also gives the cats a sanctuary to get away from the dogs anytime they want.

houndlove

Posted : 11/13/2006 2:26:38 PM

We also have a cats-only area that keeps the dogs from eating the cats' food (which they'd do gladly) and also snacking from the litter box (which they'd also gladly do), and it also keeps the cats sane, as they always have a place they can go to get the heck away from the dogs.

We block the basement door off so that only the cats can shimmy through and the basement is their area. The cats free feed but the dogs don't, but the dogs also never ever ever leave a morsel of food behind after they have a meal!

cyclefiend2000

Posted : 11/13/2006 2:30:12 PM

ORIGINAL: houndlove

We also have a cats-only area that keeps the dogs from eating the cats' food (which they'd do gladly) and also snacking from the litter box (which they'd also gladly do), and it also keeps the cats sane, as they always have a place they can go to get the heck away from the dogs.

We block the basement door off so that only the cats can shimmy through and the basement is their area. The cats free feed but the dogs don't, but the dogs also never ever ever leave a morsel of food behind after they have a meal!

that sounds almost identical to our setup. except we dont have a basement, so the cats get the office as their main sanctuary and our bedroom most of the time too.

edit: we free feed our cats too. [

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chelsea_b

Posted : 11/13/2006 5:47:31 PM

It may not be horrible, but it is not healthy.

I'm really not trying to be argumentative, but I honestly don't see why. I had a little bag of Timberwolf Organics cat food that the cats would not eat, so I fed it to Cherokee. I don't think there's anything wrong with feeding cat food to dogs, nor dog food to cats, as long as it has vitamin A and taurine, as someone said. The brands of food vary so much between nutrient levels, calories, ingredients, and everything, that I can't see how there'd be anything wrong with it.

Edie

Posted : 11/13/2006 6:13:38 PM

Cats will literally starve to death of malnutrition if fed solely on dog food,they need larger amounts of nutrients than is contained in most dog foods. Dogs eating cat food is not nearly as bad,my dogs regularly finish off the cats food!

ColleenC

Posted : 11/14/2006 3:50:26 PM

Cats need much higher levels of protein because they are obligate carnivores. They also need much higher levels of nutrients such as taurine. It can be hard on dogs kidneys and livers...."Feeding protein in excess of what is needed adds undue pressure on the kidneys and liver of the animals and can lead to future problems."(Nutrition and Care of Companion Animals, N.A. Irlbeck) There is a reason there is cat food and there is dog food. It used to be the same thing, but studies found they have different requirements for nutrition, so they made different foods. Neither should be fed the others food on a regular basis.

Margaret Tyler

Posted : 11/18/2006 12:14:25 PM

ORIGINAL: pitterchi

Unfortunately, I don't allow the cat to go on tables and such. Fear of the cat swiping our dinner...

The dog does not have free choice feeding. We feed him a cup in the morning, half a cup in the afternoon and a cup in the evening. Sometimes he doesn't eat all his food in the morning/evening.

papillon806, Thanks for the excellent information ^^

I'll find some sort of cat-proof cover over the food now.

Cat food will put alot of wieght on you dog. It looks like you have a puppy. The high amounts of calcium in the cat food will hurt the growth of your puppy. Dog food does not have enough nutrients for the cat.

I have 2 cats and a dog. The dog eats scheduled meals. You should be following the feeding instructions (on the bag) on the dog and cat food anyways. I would split the recommended amount into 2 or 3 feedings a day.

I have 2 cats, 1 dog. The cats eat on top of the washer and dryer and they never, never try to sneek our food of the counter or table. They did tried when they were kittens but I sprayed them with a water bottle and they never tried it again.