dog food versus cat food

[warhorse]

I had always heard that dogs should not eat cat food, and I had always had fits trying to keep the dogs out of the cat food. But, I had never heard why.

Cat food:

Crude Protein (Min.) 31.0%
Crude Fat (Min.) 10.0%

Crude Fiber (Max.) 4.0%
Moisture (Max.) 10.0%
Ash (Max.) 6.5%

Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Fish Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Liver Digest, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, (Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (a natural source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite

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Dog food adult formula:

Crude Protein (Min.) 22.0%
Crude Fat (Min.) 12.0%
Crude Fiber (Max.) 3.9%

Moisture (Max.) 10.0%
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min.) 0.49%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min.) 2.09%

Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Ground Corn, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Beet Pulp, Fish Meal, Flax, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Liver Digest, Choline Chloride, Lecithin, Garlic, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (a source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite

Dog food puppy formula:

Crude Protein (Min.) 31.0%
Crude Fat (Min.) 21.0%
Crude Fiber (Max.) 3.5%
Moisture (Max.) 10.0%

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Min.) 0.38%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids (Min.) 2.10%

Ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Rice Flour, Ground Corn, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of natural Vitamin E), Beet Pulp, Fish Meal, Whole Dried Eggs, Flax, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Liver Digest, Choline Chloride, Lecithin, Garlic, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Biotin, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Copper Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (a source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite

Other dog formulas range in protein from 22-32 and fat from 12-24.

The only reason I'm asking is that my Australian Cattle Dogs are having a hard time maintaining weight (they are de-wormed, etc.) because they run all night chasing varmints (which is good!). I was looking to up their protein and started considering the differences between the various dog food products and the cat food.

Discussion?​

 

[KattyKillFish]

my aunt has dogs and cats that eat eachother's food all the time. she hasn't had any problems with her dogs & cats. i can't think of any reason why it would be a problem as long as a cat isn't fed exclusively dog food or vise/versa

 

[breconbcs]

The main difference is dogs have different nutrient needs than cats. Like cats need more taurine in their diets (though I still don't believe they get enough in commercial foods) more than dogs.
When I have to recommend a food, I always recommend ones without grains or minimal grains (most allergies in dogs are grain based) but that being said, for a dog that is low in weight where increasing their current food intake isn't enough - keep in mind the amount on the bag is a guideline for what they call moderately active dogs, by the sounds of it you and I don't have moderately active dogs (far from it

) - so you can increase the amount you feed. If you are feeding more than 2 or 3 cups of food over the recommended I would look for a different food but only 1 or 2% higher in protein and see how that works, and if still no increase but everything else is okay, go up another 1 or 2% till you find the right balance for your dogs. One of the problems with increasing protein levels is if it's to high for the dog you can start to see behavioral issues.

 

[warhorse]

Quote:
The dogfood is out free choice and had been puppy food until the last couple of bags, I just got a cheap adult food. It may be as simple as putting them on performance or puppy, but I was just curious because I hadn't seen a huge difference inthe dog and cat labels, in general.

 

[Southernbelle]

Dogs are mostly omnivores - they need meat and some grains. Cats are mostly carnivores - their diet is mostly meat (feed companies add some grains for fillers, but it's not a necessary part of thier diet). That's why dogs LOVE cat food - more meat! The mineral balance is specific for the species, too.

 

[warhorse]

If I keep catfood out for the barncats, the dogs hoover it up. So, I had been putting minimal amount of catfood out and trying to keep the dogs away from it because I had heard it was bad for them (which makes for barncats which feel slighted). I was even considering building a "kitty creep feeder" if I had to. Looking at the small difference in protein between the puppy food and the cat food, I am inclined to just not worry so much about it, unless there is something else that is bad for them.

 

[Shared Acres]

I had a book that said that cats who ate only dog food would lose their ability to see colors. Apparantally cats see colors, whereas dog don't.

At least that's what I remember reading.

 

[breconbcs]

Quote:
And there isn't much difference in their basic requirements. Cats are carnivores and dogs (though this is debated alot) are carnivores with scavenger/omnivore tendencies. Not sure of the age of your dogs but if they are adults I'd stay way from the puppy food. Only cause the puppy food is usually higher in calcium, and other nutrients that are needed during the growth stages but can cause health problems in adults. Best would probably be a performance or for active dogs formula.

eta: around here there is almost no difference in what the cat eats to what the dogs eat, except he gets more heart meals than the dogs. Otherwise, the cat eats the same meals and eats the bone in them just like the dogs.

 

[maplesky7]

I ran into a farmer/hunter at farm and fleet once...he was buying a better brand dog food more protein because his dogs were really active and got sluggish in the day when they didn't get the right food and had a harder time keeping up with him.

My dogs are not as active and my male was gaining weight and eating the catfood as well...and needed to shed 7 lbs. so I chose one with less protein for him.

 

[turney31]

I don't know which ingredient but i was told by my Vet that cat food will eventually cause a dogs kidneys to shut down.