Can You Feed A Dog Cat Food In An Emergency?
Have you had an emergency where you had a long day, got late from work, forgot to buy your pup some food, and found out that the local store is closed for the day?
Did you only have some cat food, and you had a thought that it would probably be a great idea to feed your human best friend with the cat food?
Well, dogs love cat food, and it doesn’t make it any easier as both cat and dog food look the same but are quite different; cat food also smells great!
As much as a dog might eat anything and everything offered to them from human food, cat food, and other edible food materials that we might consider gross, there is a reason why food is specific to each animal, whether cat or dog.
One cat food meal might not cause disease or death to your dog, but even when human beings change food, it can be a risk and can cause stomach or intestinal upset; this can be the same for dogs.
You definitely will not let your dog sleep hungry until the morning, and you could not bear the look in those beautiful and loving puppy eyes.
So, is it a good idea to give your dog cat food in such an emergency?
What will happen to your dog? Will they get a stomach upset or get seriously sick?
Well, then let’s dig in and find out if you can feed your dog some cat food in an emergency.
Let’s get started!
- Cats Vs. Dogs
As much as dog and cat food look similar, they are quite different in their nutritional benefits.
How is this so?
Both animals might be furry and pets all so loved by people, but they are on different lines on the food chain.
On the one hand, cats are considered carnivores, which means that they need an especially high protein amount to survive. +++++++++++++++
On the other hand, the dog can be considered carnivores, but they are more on the side of omnivores, which translates to needing to be feed with a diet that has more fiber than carnivores.
So, this means that food made for each animal has different properties that are required for growth and development, prevention from diseases, and energy provision for either the cat or dog.
Your dog might love cat food, but that shouldn’t be a reason to feed your dog with cat food.
Once in awhile, feeding your dog some cat food may not harm them, but it is not advisable to do it regularly.
Each dog is different and may react differently to cat food; this may be because of cat food’s nutritional content, dog size, age, and underlying health conditions.
Just like a person might love cake or some ice cream and eat it once in a while it may not harm them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is good for them if eaten for it may
cause harm in the body and risks that would have been avoided.
- Why is cat food bad for dogs?
Dogs can eat anything offered to them as long it is edible.
This habit might be a good thing because they would never starve to death, but it can also be bad for the dog as it may get sick.
Well, then let us dig in and find out if cat food is good or bad for dogs and what are some of the things you have to consider.
Nutrition
Every food contains different properties that are required by the body, and they come in different percentages.
Every animal is different in their dietary requirements.
From proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, dog and cat food provide each as required by the body.
Proteins and calories
Cat food contains a high level of proteins, calories, and fats, and the food may be detrimental to a dog’s health because that is not what is required for dogs.
Food with high-calorie content is safe for cats to eat but can cause obesity if feed to dogs.
That which has high protein content can cause kidney problems or even pancreatitis.
What does this mean?
A diet with high protein content like that of cats, if feed to dogs, can cause the kidney to malfunction due to getting rid of the extra proteins; this can cause serious health issues, especially stomach issues like diarrhea and vomiting.
Carbohydrates and Minerals
Dogs are very active and get their energy from carbohydrates so, half their diet might contain carbohydrates, while cats get their energy from fats, which may not be ideal for a dog.
Cat food contains different minerals from that of the dog, so it may be considered improper to have a dog’s proportions.
Zinc and vitamin E are all needed in different amounts by both animals, and what might be enough for a cat, might be less for a dog.
While amino acids such as taurine, arachidonic acids, and arginine are physical requirements for cats and are found in animal flesh, dogs don’t have a dire need.
They can get them from other food properties such as vegetable oils for arachidonic acids and can also manufacture them naturally in their bodies.
As much as cat and dog food look the same, they have different percentages of what is required in both animals’ bodies.
Therefore, as a responsible dog lover, you are advised to feed your dog with a specifically tailored diet.
Size of dog, age and underlying health conditions
You have to consider the size, age, and underlying health issues that a dog might have, which may cause worse health effects in the short or long term.
Older dogs might be at risk of metabolic threats from the high protein content.
If your dog has a few years up, it sleeves; it will require specific foods prescribed for senior dogs.
You also give specific food to dogs with a medical condition such as diabetes or kidney disease.
Your smaller dog will be at a higher risk of becoming obese when feeding with cat food.
You do know your dog better than anyone; therefore, consider these factors before feeding it cat food.
Another important consideration should be whether your dog is nursing puppies because it also has different nutritional requirements.
3.Side effects and risk of a dog eating cat food
Feline diets can have serious side effects for your dog.
As we have discussed above, they contain different percentages of food properties.
Cat food might not be harmful to your dog, but it doesn’t provide them with the proper nutrient and optimal nutrition. ++++++++++++++
What are the side effects of your dog eating cat food?
You should look out for symptoms if you suspect that your dog has eaten some cat food.
Some are mild, and others may be life-threatening.
We discuss these side effects below.
Keep reading to find out.
Stomach upset
A dog’s gastrointestinal system is not meant to digest food with high-fat contents found in cat food.
Therefore, if you feed your dog cat food, it causes a stomach upset, causing your dog to vomit and diarrhea.
It is essential to keep your dog hydrated when going through this and seek your veterinarian’s advice, especially if your dog has pre-existing health conditions.
Your dog can also experience bloating; the stomach can be filled with air, causing a rigid abdomen and vomiting without removing anything.
Bloating can be fatal for your dog; therefore, speak and consult with your vet urgently.
Pancreatitis
Food in high-fat content can also affect the dog’s pancreas causing pancreatitis, which can be detrimental to the dog’s health as it interferes with their digestion process.
It may be acute or chronic, and the signs might be mistaken for something less serious, yet potentially life-threatening. ++++++++++++++
Symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, appetite loss, weakness, and distended abdomen.
Pancreatitis is a health condition that you should take seriously and pay your vet a visit for consultation and treatment.
Obesity
Can dogs be obese?
Yes, they can just like humans and other animals.
As we mentioned, cat food comes with extra calories that may lead to a dog gaining weight to being obese.
Being overweight to any animal is a health risk, and it is not any different from dogs.
Therefore, visiting the vet is a good idea as they will advise you and assist you with coming up with a plan for the dog to lose weight.
There are health risks that may come up when your dog gains overweight and becomes obese.
Obese dogs have very poor quality of life, and they die early.
Dogs that are obese also deal with many different diseases which might include type two diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, heart, and respiratory disease and others.+++++++++++
You wouldn’t want that for your pup, now would you?
Kidney disease
The kidney is a vital organ in any and every animal.
It’s responsible for removing toxins from dogs’ blood and excreting them in urine from the body.
It also helps regulate the level of blood acidity and pressure and help the dog not lose water, therefore keeping the metabolic balance in check.
It can be acute or chronic, and the symptoms can be confused with other diseases; therefore, it is essential to visit your vet for early diagnosis and treatment.
Your pup’s treatment may include a diet plan, medication, fluid therapy, and kidney dialysis.
Wouldn’t it be easier to avoid all these issues by giving your dog the right food?
What then should you do instead?
Well, then keep reading.
4.What to do instead
You can always find other solutions to feed your dog instead of giving him or her cat food that might be dangerous to their health and cost you another trip to the veterinarian.
Fun food ideas
In a case where you don’t have any dog food and letting your dog starve is not an option, you can always dig into your fridge and come up with fun ideas to feed your dog with healthy human food available.
Making a tasty meal for your dog is easy and can save you from a vet visit due to a stomach upset.
Some of these ideas for feeding your best friend may include cooking some meat.
Remember that it should be boneless, lean, skinless, and should be cooked.
Add some carbohydrates and some vitamins to complete the diet.
Carbohydrates can be sourced from cooked rice, pasta, oatmeal, cooked potato, and other multiple grain kinds of cereal.
For vitamins, you can give your dog some seedless pears, apples, and strawberries. Cooked broccoli and carrots are also very nutritious for your dog.
Avoid foods with high sodium contents such as bacon.
Also, avoid giving your dog fried food, food with high-fat content, greasy, salty, sugary and processed foods. +++++++++++++++
It would be best if you always fixed your pup some delicious meal that will leave him full and healthy to be the happy and playful dog he has always been.
4.Keeping your dog from the cat food.
Your dog has just raided some cat food from either the bowl or the storage, and it keeps doing this and cannot seem to keep away.
Well, cat food does smell great, is tasty, and it does look like dog food.
So, it may not be your pups’ fault that it cannot keep away and resist the cat food.
But like we have found out, cat food has high contents of proteins, calories, and fats that can cause serious side effects and be a risk to your dog’s health.
What then should you do to keep your dog away from the cat food?
Will it be possible to solve this food issue?
It will require some work, effort, and adjustment on your part to bring some change.
Work will mostly be needed in your dog’s feeding routine, and it will be all worth it when your pup is safe and is free from harm.
Are you still there?
Well, dig in to find out how to bring some significant changes to your house for your dog.
Training your Dog
Dogs generally learn most things from training, so it would be a good idea to train your dog to eat that specifically for him or her.
How will you be able to accomplish this?
You can use different bowls of food to feed your pets.
It is quite challenging for the dog to know the difference between that bowl meant for him or the cat.
So, assisting each animal in knowing where they should eat is essential.
You can do this by getting bowls that are different from each other.
They can be different in size, shape, or color.
You can then train your dog to eat from that specific bowl and to know that the other one is off-limits for him.
You can also teach your dog a particular command.
Dogs do well with commands, and just like the ‘Sit’ command, you can teach your dog a command that keeps him away from the cat food.
The command may need time a few weeks, but you will get great results with consistency and determination, and your dog will know to keep away from the cat food.
A good example of a command may be “Leave It’, introduce the cat food until he can successfully ignore the food. +++++++++++++++++
Separation your Pets
Another right way to keep your dog from the cat food may be through separation.
You may be required to separate your pets during feeding time so you can avoid any opportunity of the dog accessing the cat food.
You can have separate feeding areas.
Having different rooms to feed your pets may work.
You can feed your dog from the kitchen and your cut from another room.
This way, they will always know where to eat their food from, and the dog will not have access to the cats feeding room and vice versa.
In the case where you don’t have different rooms to feed your pets from, use a higher surface to feed the cat.
Place the bowl of the cat on a surface that your dog can’t reach.
The cats can quickly jump on surfaces such as counters, bookshelves, or cat trees, but dogs can’t.
Using different sized gates and doors could also assist in the separation of feeding areas.
You could invest in doors and gates that keep the cat in and the dog out.
You can get a gate that the dog cannot crawl under or jump over to separate the kitty’s feeding area.
However, your cat will be able to use the space left under the gate to crawl in, and since cats can easily access high places, it can go over the gate.
You could also fix a small door for the cat to go through, but the dog cannot fit through.
This way, your dog will not have access to the cat food.
In these modern days, some doors and gates can only be accessed by a remote.
Remote can be placed on the cat’s collars to activate and open when the cat goes in or out of the feeding area.
Feeding your Pets at Different times
You could also adopt a new routine where you feed your pet at different times.
It could be a thirty minutes time difference, but it could work and save you a lot of trouble.
Here you can keep the dog in his or her crate as the cat eats, and after the cat is done, you put away the food that’s left and feed the dog.
Proper Storage
Drugs are kept out of the reach of children for a reason, and they are stored in a place where children cannot access then.
Cat food, too, should be kept out of the reach of our loved and pawed best friends; this is to prevent the dogs from accessing cat food and avoidable risk.
So, place that cat food on a cupboard so the dog cannot raid it or close the door behind where you store the cat food.
Are you still there?
We are almost done, scroll down and keep reading.
Final thoughts
Looking into those hungry puppy eyes is difficult, and there is no way you could let your pup starve or have a rumbling stomach.
Will cat food kill your dog?
The answer is no, but it can have dire adverse health effects; if you see your dog react to cat food by vomiting or diarrhea, you need to avoid giving your dog cat food and taking it to the vet checkup and treatment.
As much as cat food can be a favorite for dogs and be readily available, it shouldn’t be a reason for your dog to eat it regularly.
It can be an occasional snack, but you should be very careful and look out for any signs that your dog may have for obesity, pancreatitis, or kidney disease.
Cats and dogs might both be furry and be the favorite pets for humans, but they are quite different in what they eat and what is right for them. While cats are obligate carnivores, dogs are omnivores; therefore, whichever food might be a balanced diet for a cat doesn’t necessarily work for a dog.
Monitoring the feeding routine of your pet is vital as it gives you the chance to observe and make the necessary adjustment; it may need a little work and dedication, but it yields long term results that will keep your dog safe and healthy.
If it is an emergency, it would be more advisable to fix your pup some human food that’s readily available and has good nutritional value, check your fridge, and come up with meal ideas that your dog will enjoy.
I believe this article has helped you know whether you can use cat food to feed your dog in the case of an emergency.