Can my cat eat soft dog food?
There are some who believe that it is all right to feed dog food to cats. There are others who feel that it is all right to feed cat food to dogs. It is time to set the record straight on the nutritional habits of our favorite furry family friends. “Cats are very peculiar in their dietary requirements,” says Dr. Allan Paul, small animal Extension veterinarian at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana. “They are not small dogs.” The first major difference between cats and dogs, explains Dr. Paul, is that cats are true carnivores, requiring a diet mainly of meat and meat products. Dogs are omnivores, having the ability to exist on a diet of meat and plant products. “There are certain nutrients that cats need that can only be found in animal sources,” claims Dr. Paul. “Dog foods are higher in grain products and lack some of these essential nutrients.” Taurine is an essential amino acid that is crucial for a cats health and is only found in animal tissues. With
