Can Dogs Eat Cat Food ( And The Other Way Around ) ?
Cat food and dog food seem quite alike and you might have wondered if you could just switch them or use the same food for both pets. Especially, because many dogs devour their cat siblings food with great passion while turning up their nose at commercial dog food. To answer this question, we should look how dogs and cats nutritional needs differ from each other.
Protein
Dogs are omnivores and can obtain the nutrients they need from both plant- and animal-based sources. Cats however are obligate carnivores, meaning that they must eat animal-based proteins to obtain the nutrients they need to survive and maintain their health. Because cats have higher protein requirements than dogs do, their food contains more than 30 percent protein, while dog food contains around 20 to 25 percent protein.� The difference might seem minimal, but your cat needs that extra protein to satisfy her energy requirements.Taurine
An essential amino acid, taurine is found only in animal tissues, such as fish, beef and poultry. Cats cannot synthesize this compound, so they must get it from a meat source. If they don�t consume enough taurine, a multitude of health problems can result, including hair loss, tooth decay, heart troubles and retina degeneration that may lead to blindness.Vitamin A, �B1 & B3
Vitamin A plays a very important role in maintaining the health of the eyes, skin and other tissues within the body. While dogs, like us, can eat for example carrots and convert beta carotene into vitamin A, cats must consume it �from meat sources. It therefore has to be in their food. Cats as well require five times more thiamine (B1) in their diets than dogs. If cats suffer from a thiamine deficiency, they may develop a poor quality coat, lose their appetite, fall into a hunched posture, develop neurologic problems including seizures and can eventually die. Another essential part of feline health:�Vitamin B3 (Niacin). Unfortunately cats can not manufacture it in sufficient quantities, thus require higher amounts in their diet. Niacin deficiencies can lead to loss of appetite and weight, inflamed gums, and hemorrhagic diarrhea.Arachidonic acid
Arachidonic acid is one of the essential fatty acids. Dogs have two choices in getting their needed amount of this: Either through meat or through synthesizing it using linoleic acid, which is found in many vegetable oils. Cats don�t have a choice, it has to come from their diet.
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