Some dogs steal cat food and the other way around. Even you yourself may on occasion have thought: If dog and cat food looks kind of the same, would it be alright if I’d swap ‘m? The clear answer is: nope. Do not feed your cat dog food, and this is why: They are different and there are some very good reasons for this. Let me take you through them.
Top Differences in Dog and Cat Food
- Cats need more proteins than dogs: cat food contains > 30% protein, while dog food contains 20-25%.
- Cats need taurine, an essential amino acid, which is found only in animal tissues, such as fish, beef and poultry. Should be no less than 0.1 percent in dry foods.
- Vitamin A is critical for cats, and must consume the vitamin from meat. Dogs can convert beta carotene into vitamin A, so a carrot will do.
- Cats require arachidonic acid, a fatty acid, which they can only get from meat. Dog can recieve this fatty acid also through linoleic acid, which is abundant in vegetable oils, like sunflower and safflower oils. Felines also need more niacin.
- Taste and texture. Cats prefer a finer texture than dogs. They also prefer salty & meaty tastes over sweets.
The ‘choosiness’ from cats stems from its higher position on the food chain, Watson* believes. They are true carnivores.
* References:
A very interesting article at ktnv.com called ‘Cat and dog food differences explained’, featuring the insights by pet nutritionist Hilary Watson. The answer is really clear: it’s not a good idea to feed your cat dog food.
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