Can cats eat dog food?

[Clodagh]

I ran out of cat food yesterday so last night and tonight the cat had millies wolfheart with chicken stock, it ate every bit, do I really need to go back to cat food? (I probably will anyway, but it has cleaned its bowl far better than when it has Go Cat). I know that is probalby rubbish food but it is a feral that just arrived and presumably eats mainly mice and rats so I just got the Go cat as I couldn't not feed it anything.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

No you can’t feed dog food to cats long term because it doesn’t have all the things they need at the right levels. Taurine in particular is essential to cats as they don’t manufacture it themselves. If they are deficient they can die from it. I think there was a case where some brand of cat food didn’t have the right levels and so cats became ill.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

The issue is that dogs are omnivores and cats are obligate carnivores who have lost the ability to produce certain amino acids (eg taurine) so it is essential that they eat food with the correct amino acids in. For the odd, one off occasion, dog food is fine, but not permanently.

 

[Clodagh]

No problem, thank you people. I am shopping tomorrow so he/she can go back on cat food.

 

[Clodagh]

Another cat question! The cat had two nights of MWH with meat scraps and stock, tonight when I went to feed it for the first time it came to the wall while I was there to eat. I always talk to it while I sort its food and water out but never see it (I just assume it is within earshot). It came within 6 feet of me which is a huge step forwards. So was it becasue
1. Weather is cold, cat is hungrier.
2. It prefers other food to Go cat
3. It is getting used to me and this would happen anyway.

I can't think of any other alternatives!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

Maybe a combo but also probably prefers the wet food and it will smell more enticing. One of mine loves kibble but the other rarely touches it unless it’s the treat kind. Both go bonkers for tinned tuna that I give as a treat or to entice them in. They also won’t touch any wet food other than Felix as good as it looks pouches.

 

[Clodagh]

Thank you. I might try sneaking some more exciting bits in. I am offended it won't speak to me, I have only had kittens dumped before and they are easily won over. So it can eat anything dogs can, scrap wise - tinned sardines? Raw egg? Raw pheasant?

 

[LovesCobs]

oh dear, my cat prefers Millies Wolfheart to cat food and mostly has that! he goes to my neighbour for seconds though so maybe he gets his taurine from that. Though its a good quality food how would we know if it has it in?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I ran out of cat food yesterday so last night and tonight the cat had millies wolfheart with chicken stock, it ate every bit, do I really need to go back to cat food? (I probably will anyway, but it has cleaned its bowl far better than when it has Go Cat). I know that is probalby rubbish food but it is a feral that just arrived and presumably eats mainly mice and rats so I just got the Go cat as I couldn't not feed it anything.

I was always told by vet you can give cat food to dogs but NEVER dog food to cats

 

[Clodagh]

oh dear, my cat prefers Millies Wolfheart to cat food and mostly has that! he goes to my neighbour for seconds though so maybe he gets his taurine from that. Though its a good quality food how would we know if it has it in?

LOL! MWH do cat food but OH would go mad! Their dog food is a very high meat content though, isn't it, so it maybe contains taurine anyway?

 

[Umbongo]

Dog foods may contain taurine, but not anywhere near the amount that a cat needs. Dogs can synthesise taurine from other amino acids, so manufacturers generally won't be adding more to supplement.

Signs may be slow to develop (months to years). Mainly affect the eyes and heart first, and will eventually lead to death.....better change to cat food!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I love the way this feral cat is already training the kind hearted OP to provide only suitably tasty food .

 

[LovesCobs]

Dog foods may contain taurine, but not anywhere near the amount that a cat needs. Dogs can synthesise taurine from other amino acids, so manufacturers generally won't be adding more to supplement.

Signs may be slow to develop (months to years). Mainly affect the eyes and heart first, and will eventually lead to death.....better change to cat food!

Thanks, I’m presuming he’s ok because of the second helpings he gets (he leaves after breakfast and goes next door for seconds and then waits for seconds at tea time as well!) I will go and get some cat food and add that in!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

dupe

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Thank you. I might try sneaking some more exciting bits in. I am offended it won't speak to me, I have only had kittens dumped before and they are easily won over. So it can eat anything dogs can, scrap wise - tinned sardines? Raw egg? Raw pheasant?

mine love raw eggs, they also get duck/chicken necks and duck wings raw when I have them. mine only get whiskas pouches and raw odds and ends, they supplement that with hunting, duck pellets and raiding the bins.

 

[Clodagh]

Fantastic, MOC, as it seems to have single handedly solved the rat problem I am sure it is quite efficient at looking after itself.
Do you give it bird bits still in feather? I thought badly shot pheasants I could cut the legs off with game shears?

 

[Clodagh]

I love the way this feral cat is already training the kind hearted OP to provide only suitably tasty food .

I don't even like cats!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Fantastic, MOC, as it seems to have single handedly solved the rat problem I am sure it is quite efficient at looking after itself.
Do you give it bird bits still in feather? I thought badly shot pheasants I could cut the legs off with game shears?

no, I get the ducks dressed for me-it would not bother my two one jot though, wild prey comes with fur and feathers they also love chicken feet so I'd have thought pheasant feet very Waitrose lol! and when they get a rabbit, they eat it head first so bones are not an issue. mine get all my older and/or dirtier eggs.

I dont believe in not feeding them at all, mine hunt most just after they've been fed and they are fed twice a day.

 

[SOS]

Other posters have talked about taurine and that cats are obligate carnivores so won’t repeat that! For a diet to be suitable for a cat it will say a ‘complete’ food on the label somewhere, this means that diet fed alone, at the correct amount, fulfils all the daily food requirements of the cat.

I had a feeling raw eggs were not suitable for cats so had a google. Whilst I couldn’t find anything published many sites are saying they are not suitable as although the cat hopefully so resistant to e.coli and salmonella as an adult, they contain avidin which blocks a vitamin absorption.

Safe foods would be boiled chicken, boiled eggs... boring plain stuff! The cat is most likely hunting on the side and filling himself up that way. I’d avoid tinned sardines as they are so oily and obviously milk/cheese. Also bear in mind food portions need to be much smaller compared to a dog. Dogs can easily scoff a chicken breast without thinking twice but to a cat that breast is way too much!

Good luck with your little cat, with routine food and seeing your are not a threat they do come out of their shell fairly quickly! 🐱

ETA: they are best at hunting on a full stomach! A cat hunting for food will be hungry and therefore not as efficient and stops each time it catches one. A well fed cat hunts for fun.... that’s when it gets dangerous for the mice! I have seen mine playing (tormenting) three at a time.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

re the avidin thing -they say it about dogs too but personally, an adult dog or cat is more than capable of having 2-4 eggs per week with no issues. mine are yard cats that get a huge varied diet.

 

[SOS]

re the avidin thing -they say it about dogs too but personally, an adult dog or cat is more than capable of having 2-4 eggs per week with no issues. mine are yard cats that get a huge varied diet.

It’s interesting, I would like to find out more about it but very little published so hard to tell if correlation or causation. I don’t doubt that they are probably fine having a raw egg... we are quite lucky that in the UK you don’t really see specific deficiency’s in dogs and cats, as on a whole people are much more educated. I’m sure if we looked at cats diets abroad, I.e rural europe, there may be some wacky findings. But even then, it’s unlikely the cats are being fed purely raw egg!

 

[Clodagh]

Well I have just cooked a mountain of pheasant for tomorrow so the damaged breast can go in it's bowl tonight and we shall see. (Only about 2 tablespoons worth). Dogs will be most put out!
I really am not specifically cooking for it, that is going too far! When I make stock it can havesome.

 

[Clodagh]

re the avidin thing -they say it about dogs too but personally, an adult dog or cat is more than capable of having 2-4 eggs per week with no issues. mine are yard cats that get a huge varied diet.

My dogs eat loads of eggs in summer. Rotten/half fertilised/DIS/you name it. Not my choice!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

It’s interesting, I would like to find out more about it but very little published so hard to tell if correlation or causation. I don’t doubt that they are probably fine having a raw egg... we are quite lucky that in the UK you don’t really see specific deficiency’s in dogs and cats, as on a whole people are much more educated. I’m sure if we looked at cats diets abroad, I.e rural europe, there may be some wacky findings. But even then, it’s unlikely the cats are being fed purely raw egg!

it's something I looked into quite alot re the dogs as I have alot of eggs lol. Very little evidence anywhere and quite alot of opinions so as with most things, moderation is probably key. I do scramble it if they have poorly tummies instead of giving them chicken. They didnt get many when pups and actually one of them doesnt get them at all. My cats are dustbins, they will eat anything (including an old bag of James Wellbeloved that I forgot I had in the back of the shed that must have been a couple of years old) and as mentioned, duck pellets (but not chicken, dont know why but all my cats love duck food).

 

[ihatework]

Well I have just cooked a mountain of pheasant for tomorrow so the damaged breast can go in it's bowl tonight and we shall see. (Only about 2 tablespoons worth). Dogs will be most put out!
I really am not specifically cooking for it, that is going too far! When I make stock it can havesome.

I think this kitty is going to grow on you!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I don't even like cats!

Haha, trying to convince yourself, are you ?

Pheasant, indeed.

 

[Clodagh]

Haha, trying to convince yourself, are you ?

Pheasant, indeed.

It really made me laugh MOC saying 'pheasant was a bit Waitrose'. I can confirm cat likes pheasant.

 

[Keith_Beef]

"My" garden cat, Tabitha, must be eating elsewhere in addition to what I feed her; if I go away for two weeks, she is very happy to see me come back, but doesn't look like she's lost any weight or condition.

I generally give her one pouch of supermarket own-brand food, which looks identical to Whiskas pouches. Then she gets some meat scraps, when there are any; usually bits of chicken breast, lamb, beef or pork that I've cooked for our supper. Her favourite, though, seems to be beef heart; fried in butter is fine, but she prefers it grilled on the barbecue. When I'm cooking that for us I always save a few strips, that I then cut into smaller pieces for her.

 

[Celina27]

Hi,
No! it’s not a great idea. cats can't eat dog food.
Vitamin A must be supplied in cat food, many dog foods won’t have the amounts a cat requires for a lifetime of optimum health.

 

[Maddyley]

I don't think so, maybe there's possible that cat will get ill if cat eat dog foods.