Understanding the Risks: Is Feeding Cat Food to Your Dog Safe?

Pet owners often receive the recommendation to feed cat food to their dogs, and that it is safe to do so. Alarmingly enough, it seems this advice is even more commonly given for pet owners with puppies or senior dogs.
Is this advice sound and is it based on sensible reasoning?

What worsens the situation, is that cat food is virtually irresistible to dogs. Dogs will easily overconsume cat food, just because they like it so much. Most dogs, regardless of breed, age, and how well-behaved they are, will sniff out and snack on cat food if it’s available. The greater protein and fat contents of cat food make it more tasty, fragrant, and therefore enticing for dogs, but will easily exceed a dog’s nutrient requirements.

So, the question remains, is cat food bad for dogs?

From a general perspective, feeding cat food to dogs does not really make sense, since it is very well known that dogs and cats have different feeding behavior, as well as different nutrient requirements. Even more so, during the different physiological stages of these animals. Cats and dogs are not the same. Dogs can consume a more varied diet that includes both plant-based and animal-based ingredients. In contrast, cats are obligate (true) carnivores, meaning they rely solely on animal protein for survival, and have greater protein and fat requirements than dogs. All commercial dog food is nutritionally deficient for cats (Ardente, 2020).

Your dog probably won’t be harmed by sneaking some of the cat’s food now and then, but it isn’t something they should consume on a consistent basis. If you are feeding your dog cat food on a regular basis, complications may arise, because cat food doesn’t have the correct balance of protein, energy, fiber, and all other essential nutrients that dogs need for a long and healthy life (Burke, 2024). Dogs can certainly survive on cat food when they are in an emergency situation, but the nutrient imbalance can lead to gastrointestinal upset, obesity, and pancreatitis. Pancreatitis requires immediate veterinary care (Burke, 2024).

The occasional stolen bite of cat food is unlikely to cause harm to your dog. However, it is not recommended to feed dogs cat food, especially not long-term as part of a regular meal. Feeding cat food to your dog is likely to have unintended consequences for their health and wellbeing.

Cat food cause digestive problems for dogs with sensitive stomachs, including gastrointestinal upset, flatulence, and diarrhea (MasterClass, 2022). Cat food is much higher in protein content than what dogs normally require, therefore if your dog regularly eats cat food, they are at higher risk for high-protein health issues like pancreatitis, liver damage, obesity, and kidney problems (MasterClass, 2022). Even if your dog eats cat food and seems to suffer no obvious ill effects, the high protein levels are extremely damaging to their liver and kidneys, and can cause long term permanent damage (Burke, 2024).

What is pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a vital organ that produces enzymes to assist in food digestion and hormones such as insulin, which regulates blood sugar or glucose metabolism (Hunter, 2023). When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the condition is called pancreatitis, and the condition may be acute or chronic (Hunter, 2023). 

Acute pancreatitis may either take a mild, edematous (swelling) form or a more severe, hemorrhagic (bleeding from within or around the pancreas) form (Hunter, 2023). The associated inflammation allows digestive enzymes from the pancreas to spill into the abdominal cavity resulting in secondary damage to the liver, bile ducts, gall bladder, and intestines (Hunter, 2023). A few dogs who recover from an acute episode of pancreatitis may continue to have recurrent bouts of the disease,
which is then called chronic or relapsing pancreatitis (Hunter, 2023).

The most common clinical signs of pancreatitis include nausea, vomiting, fever, lethargy, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and decreased appetite (Hunter, 2023). During an attack, dogs may take a 'praying position', with their rear end up in the air and their front legs and head lowered onto the floor (Hunter, 2023). If the attack is severe, acute shock, severe depression, and even death may occur (Hunter, 2023).

Liver disease in dogs

The liver is the second largest organ in the body and performs about 1500 critical biomechanical functions (Hunter, 2023). Liver disease is one of the most challenging groups of conditions to treat and manage (Hunter, 2023).

Clinical signs that a dog has liver disease can vary and include loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach ulceration, diarrhea, seizures or other neurologic problems, fever, blood clotting problems, jaundice, fluid collection in the abdomen, excessive urination and thirst, changes in liver size, and weight loss (Center, S.A., 2018). Acute liver failure results in sudden loss of liver function, which is often associated with neurologic signs and clotting abnormalities. It can occur due to a sudden injury of a previously healthy liver or due to an additional insult to an already diseased liver (Center, S.A., 2018). Early treatment is critical for dogs with acute liver failure (Center, S.A., 2018).

Kidney Failure in Dogs

The kidneys work to regulate hydration, release hormones required to produce red blood cells, remove toxins and maintain a normal balance of electrolytes (WCRAH, 2024). If a dog experiences kidney failure, the kidneys no longer perform these functions efficiently (WCRAH, 2024).

Kidney problems in dogs can be acute or chronic. Acute renal failure causes kidney function to suddenly decline (in hours or days), while chronic kidney failure happens more slowly over time and involves more gradual loss of kidney function (over weeks, months or years) (WCRAH, 2024).

Symptoms of kidney failure in dogs can vary dramatically between cases because the kidneys are responsible for so many functions within the body. If your dog is suffering from kidney failure you may notice one or more of the following signs: weight loss, nausea and vomiting, pale gums, loss of balance, or stumbling, chemical smell to breath, significant loss of appetite, notable increase or decrease in water consumption, increase or decrease in volume of urine, mouth ulcers, blood in urine, lethargy, and seizures (RAETC, 2024).

Is it ever safe to feed cat food to dogs?

As mentioned previously, a dog grabbing a bite of cat food occasionally, or receiving it as an occasional treat, probably won’t cause any harm to the dog. Cat
kibble can even make for healthier, well-balanced treats or training rewards compared to some human foods commonly used, like cheese, or peanut butter, which provide a concentrated amount of primarily one nutrient (Ardente, 2020).

Keep in mind though, that dogs consuming cat food, even as an occasional treat, could become problematic if there are underlying reasons for why excess protein or fat is not ideal. Examples of such situations include: 

• A dog with a sensitive gastrointestinal tract may vomit or have diarrhea after eating cat food because the food is simply too rich. 
• A dog with kidney or liver disease needs to consume moderate amounts of protein, not excess, to promote optimal functioning of those organs. 
• An obese dog, or one with a predisposition for developing pancreatitis must consume a lower fat diet to promote weight loss or limit pancreatic inflammation.

For all these dogs listed in the examples above, feeding any amount of commercial cat food, whether it’s infrequent or on a long-term basis, could
exacerbate health issues (Ardente, 2020). 

In certain circumstances, for some dogs who is critically ill, suffering from diagnosed conditions, such as those battling cancer and experiencing
weight loss, muscle wasting, and a poor appetite, cat food may be an ideal alternative to many dog foods (Ardente, 2020). This, however, needs to be done
only under the recommendation and careful supervision of your veterinarian. Cat food tends to be more palatable, provide more calories per serving, and offer a more nutrient-balanced option compared to many diets pet owners start making at
home and feeding to clinical patients (Ardente, 2020). The other alternative is to contact a qualified companion animal nutritionist or veterinary nutritionist to formulate a patient specific balanced diet.

Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements, so feeding your dog cat food on a regular basis can cause long-term issues for your dog’s health.

 

References:

Ardente, A. 2020. Can dogs eat cat food. petMD. <https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-cat-food>.

Burke, A. 2024. Can dogs eat cat food? American Kennel Club.<https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-cat-food>.

Center, S.A. 2018. Disorders of the liver and gallbladder in dogs. MSD Veterinary Manual. < https://www.msdvetmanual.com/dog-owners/digestive-disorders-of-dogs/disorders-of-the-liver-and-gallbladder-in-dogs>.

Hunter, T. 2023. Pancreatitis in dogs. VCA Animal Hospitals. <https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pancreatitis-in-dogs>.

Hunter, T. 2023. Nutrition for dogs with liver disease. VCA Animal Hospitals. < https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/nutrition-for-dogs-with-liver-disease>.

MasterClass, 2022. Can dogs eat cat food? 3 health risks if dogs eat cat food. MasterClass. <https://www.masterclass.com/articles/can-dogs-eat-cat-food>.

RAETC. 2024. Kidney failure in dogs – signs & symptoms. Rossmoyne Animal Emergency Trauma Center. <https://www.raetc.com/site/blog/2021/07/06/kidney-failure-in-dogs-signs-symptoms>.

WCRAH. 2024. Renal Failure in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment. Western Carolina Regional Animal Hospital & Veterinary Emergency Hospital. <https://www.wcrah.com/site/blog-flat-rock-vet/2021/05/17/renal-failure-dogs>.