Dog Information

What is the difference between cat and dog food as far as ingredients?

My kitten eats dog food and my dogs eat the kitten food . We don't feed it to them purpose it just occasionally happens. Also my kitten likes dog treats better than her own cat treats . why do they like the opposite food ? Is it harmful to their health?

Public Comments

1. Cat food...higher in fat and protein...has more taurine...cats need that. Dog food..lower in fat and protein. Dogs can get kidney failure and obesity from eating cat food, and cats can go blind and have heart failure from not getting enough taurine if eating dog food. So, YES, it is harmful to their health to eat the opposite food. They do not make cat and dog food just to make people spend more money.
2. yes it is harmful to their health
3. they are different animals
4. It's not good to feed the wrong food to different species. Cats need a lot higher protein (can cause diarhea in dogs), also they need taurine and minerals the dogs don't. Dog food is ultra high in vitamin A because they need that, but that amount in a cat's food would cause health problems very quickly since cats can't handle that amount. Feed the kitten where the dog can't get the food--on top a counter or in a closed bathroom. The kitten needs to eat it's own food, for good growth, nourishment and all the vitamins and minerals--to eat the dog's food all the time will have deficiencies showing up, and won't let the bone growth develop right in the kitten. The treats should not be a problem, provided you're only giving one treat a day to them. This should not be a significant portion of their daily food intake.
5. Cats need flavor--they eat what tastes the best. Dogs eat to eat. But, they too will chose the best flavor if given a choice. If dogs and cats eat each others food occasionally, that is not a big deal. If the cat is not eating its food, I would read the ingredients and see if maybe it is mostly filler instead of meat proteins and fats. Change foods if it is. Bottom line is you need to see the ingredient list. Post it and let us see what you are offering your pets. The taurine that is required by cats is important to have in cat food, especially if the cat is not outside catching birds, mice, etc or not eating meat.
6. Cat Food Ingredients >>>>> Taurine is listed when added to manufactured, dry cat foods that are low in animal-based protein and, hence, unsupplemented taurine levels. Wet cat foods also list taurine as an ingredient because they must contain as much as twice the amount of taurine found in dry food for cats to maintain adequate blood taurine. Scientists are just beginning to understand how the canning process affects the complex taurine balance in the cat. Best Deal with the Cat-foods are available on this online store ---->http://www.agritura.com/index.php/cat/c381_Cat-Food.html Dog- Food Ingredients >>>>> Following is the list of all essential ingredients of any dog-foods. Animal Fat, Beet Pulp (Sugar) - CONTROVERSIAL, Beef Tallow, Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Products, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Corn, Poultry By Product Meal, Rice Bran, Rice Flour, Rice Gluten (Glue), Sorghum, Soybean Meal So, Iwould like to recommend for the best dog-foods that is manufactured by AGRITURA ------>http://www.agritura.com/index.php/cat/c380_Dog-Food.html