Even though your cat will probably try to eat dog food if you offer it to her, cats really shouldn’t eat dog food. While cat and dog food seem similar, they’re actually quite different in terms of nutritional content. So when asking whether cats can eat dog food, the short answer is no, they shouldn’t.
Why Cats Shouldn’t Eat Dog Food
Even though most people assume cats can eat dog food, the reality is that cats’ and dogs’ nutritional needs are different. Both cats and dogs are considered carnivores, meaning they eat a diet of only meat. However, dogs are actually closer to omnivore, meaning they can eat some plants as well. For this reason dog food contains more plant material than cat food.
Cats, on the other hand, are strictly carnivores. While they technically can ingest plant material, they can really only get nutrients from meat. So cat food contains mostly meat in order to meet this dietary requirement.
Cats vs. Dogs Dietary Needs
The difference between cats and dogs in terms of their dietary needs has to do with their domestication. It’s believed that because dogs have been pets for longer (and by more people) than cats, they developed a gastrointestinal tract that can process plants. While dogs were living in houses and being fed by people, it was advantageous for them to develop the ability to eat people food. Cats have not been domesticated for as long and was widely as dogs, so they did not undergo the same dietary changes.
Cat require about 50% more protein than dogs. Along with this, their jaws cannot move in a sideways motion, which is important for grinding. Grinding is an essential way animals break down plant material, therefore cats are not suited to break down plant material.
Taurine and arginine are two amino acids (small protein parts) that cats need to get from cat food. Without enough of these amino acids supplied through food, cats are at risk of developing heart disease, eye disease, and neurological disease.
Aside from protein, cats must get a specific omega-6 fat called arachidonic acid from cat food. Dogs can produce this omega-6 fat from eating other fats, but cats cannot do this. This essential fat plays a large role in cell membranes and maintaining healthy skin.
Finally, cats have extremely specific vitamin requirements. Unlike dogs, cats are unable to manufacture Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B3 from other sources. Oily fish is a great source of vitamins A and D, whilst liver and chicken are great sources of vitamin B3.
All of these nutritional differences point to why cats cannot eat dog food.
How a Cat’s Diet Works
Cats are able to make energy in the form of glucose from protein. In fact, their system is specially designed to do this, even more so than a regular omnivore’s (like humans). Glucose is necessary in many bodily functions, from brain fuel to energy that propels the muscles.
While omnivores can get amino acids (small protein parts) from plants, cats are completely unable to do this. They must get all their amino acids from meat.
Cats actually can make glucose out of carbohydrates, but it’s not necessarily a dietary need because they can make glucose from protein. Therefore, it’s not a requirement to have carbohydrates in a cat’s diet.
Conclusions
After evaluating the research, it’s clear that cats cannot eat dog food. Gastrointestinal differences between cats and dogs make their diet incompatible. While your cat may seem like they want to eat dog food, it’s not a viable diet in the long run.
