Question:
Is it OK for a cat to eat dog food and for dogs to eat cat food?
J.B., Fort Worth, TX Sep 06, 2009
Answer:
This is a common question to which the short answer is NO. Manufactured dog foods are usually too high in cereal content and fiber for cats to eat. Cat food, dry and canned, may be good for small dogs, but big or small, they may put on weight. With a higher protein and fat content than in dog foods, dogs eating some types of cat food run the risk of developing pancreatitis. Richer, low-fiber cat food may cause diarrhea. Check my Web site (www.DrFoxVet.com/info) for lists of manufactured dog and cat foods that I recommend. None can be fed to both cats and dogs, basically because cats are carnivores while little dogs are more like us humans --omnivores. Most dogs, like us, can thrive on a balanced vegetarian diet. But such a diet, lacking in some essential nutrients, could mean serious health problems and even death for cats.
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