Can cats eat dog food in an emergency? How about for a couple of days while you wait for your car to get fixed? What about wet food and dog treats?
These are just a few of the questions you may be asking yourself if you’ve stumbled upon this article. Well, in this article we will dive deep and answer these questions so that you can ensure your cat will stay healthy and safe.
Table of Contents
Can Cats Eat Dog Food in an Emergency?
Yes, your cat will be okay if you give it dog food every once in a while. However, feeding your cat a daily serving of dog food every day over an extended period of time is definitely not recommended.
The reason you shouldn’t make dog food a regular part of your cat’s diet is because cats and dogs ultimately have different dietary requirements. Cats are mainly carnivores so the main staple of their diet should always be meat.
Dogs, on the other hand, are omnivores. This means that dog food consists mainly of meat, grains, and vegetables. Too much grain in a cat’s diet could potentially cause an array of health problems.
Can Cats Eat Dog Food for a Couple of Days?
The answer to this question is very similar to the answer above. Yes, your cat can eat dog food for a couple of days if you have no other options. But you should get them off this diet as soon as you can.
If you really do not have access to cat food for the time being, consider feeding your cat cooked chicken, turkey, or small amounts of deli meats. Just make sure it’s cooked meat and not raw meat. Raw meat could make your cat extremely ill, much like if us humans were to eat raw meat.
It’s also important to make sure that any cooked meat you feed your cat is low in salt and fat.
Can Cats Eat Wet Dog Food?
The simple answer is yes, but not very often. Wet dog food has the same type of ingredients as dry dog food like grains and vegetables. Again, cats are carnivores so a diet that is mainly meat is the best type of food you can give them. Try the cooked meat alternatives we talked about in the last section instead of feeding your cat wet dog food.
Also, too much wet dog food could cause digestive problems for your feline companion such as an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Can Cats Eat Dog Treats?
If your dog’s treats are meat based, then yes you can definitely give your cat a dog treat. Many dog treats are meat based so your cat should be able to digest the treat just fine.
However, there are some dog treats that are grain based. Avoid giving your cat grain based food of any kind. Food that has corn, soy, or wheat listed as an ingredient is what you want to avoid giving your cat.
Another thing to keep in mind is that dog treats tend to be really dense and hard. This might make it really hard for your cat to eat the dog treat, and will make choking more of a hazard.
And if your cat does manage to break off and swallow a chunk of your dog’s treat, it might cause intestinal blockages in your cat. The harder, larger, and more dense the dog treats, the more of a risk this will become.
How to Stop Your Cat From Eating Dog Food
If your cat keeps eating your dog’s food, then you should definitely intervene. As stated above, dog food should never be a consistent item on your cat’s menu because dog food does not provide much nutritional value to your cat.
One thing you can do is feed your dog in a totally separate room than your cat. I know this might seem inconvenient, but if your cat eating your dog’s food has really become a problem, at least try this method. You might have to put your dog on a scheduled meal plan instead of just leaving their food out.
You might also try to figure out why your cat prefers your dog’s food instead of theirs. Maybe they simply don’t like the way their food tastes. Try switching brands and flavors up to see if that works.
Do you give your cat the same dry food everyday? Try alternating their dry food with wet cat food every once in a while. Maybe they just need a little variety. Contrary to what many people think, wet food can be a great alternative for your cat.
Wet food comes in all sorts of flavors like duck, chicken, salmon, and turkey. You can also buy grain free wet food. Many cats do not get enough water in their diet, and wet food can provide more water for your cat to consume.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in a bit of a bind with no money or it’s midnight and you’ve realized you’re out of cat food, then yes, feeding your cat a little bit of dog food will be okay for now. However, make sure it’s not something that you’re feeding your cat for a long period of time.
