is there any difference between cat food and dog food?

[seabeyond]

we have had this cat hang out at our house, off and on, for over a year. last couple times it has been around, we have put out water and dog food. figured better than nothing. but it has little ones this time. so, is there really any difference between the two? thinking about picking up a small bag.

i have tried to find homes, but no cat person wants them

i dont do cats.

i hear one neighbor found a home for her, but she came back.

[pitohui]

1. yeah there's an amino acid dogs can eat will eventually kill the cat

i'm allergic to fur so i'm relying on the way back machine and i'm mainly answering NOT because i'm an expert but to bump yr question so somebody else can give you the right answer

short answer -- it's my information that cats will die of kidney disease if fed on dog food, you must feed them properly formulated cat food

if this info is wrong, PLEASE somebody speak up now

googled now, i recalled it in reverse, cats NEED the taurine, dog food don't have it because dogs don't need it but the take home message is the same -- if you keep feeding a cat dog food it will die sooner than it had to

[seabeyond]

2. gosh, in a way i thought it a silly question. but i am glad i asked. i will google then

since you brought up something that might be a pretty big deal. nothing for me to buy a bag and have it on hand. thanks, i appreciate it.

[Kali]

3. yes in addition to the taurine cat food is much higher in protein

dog food, especially the cheaper brands are mostly corn, cats need a much higher percentage of protein than dogs - makes sense dogs are scavengers as much as predators, cats are strictly predators

there are some other fine tuning sorts of differences but protein is the main one

[seabeyond]

4. thanks kali, i will pick some up. appreciate it, you two.... nt

[LostinVA]

7. And kitties HAVE to have their protein from animal-based sources

And lots of it, too, or they will die. Kitties are definitely on Atkins.

[meow2u3]

8. Cats also need more fat in their diets than do dogs

Since cats have to have meat (or the nutrients found only in meat), they also need more fat. It makes sense since meat not only is rich in protein, but also rich in fat. Cats are obligate carnivores, whereas dogs are more or less onmivores.

[HopeHoops]

5. Yes. Apparently dog food sucks because dogs prefer to eat cat food.

Cats, however, usually won't touch dog food.

[applegrove]

6. Cats are more often hunters than dogs who are often scavengers. More protein in cat food I think.

[Orsino]

9. Not if I've forgotten to buy them.

I could end up as either or both.

[Curmudgeoness]

10. I can't tell, it all tastes the same to me.

Actually, there is good advise here. Get a bag of cat food, or kitten food would be better. The adult, if she is scavanging food, could use the extra nutrients in the kitten food too.

Poor things. Too many cats in this world and everyone gets asked at least a couple times a year if they would adopt this or that sob story! I have a sob story right now that is hard to turn away from---a kitten with part of a rear leg missing, she is rather wild and we can't get near her. She will probably lose the rest of the leg, so vet bills for leg, spay, shots, and who knows what else---if we can catch her. But then, what happens to her! Sigh.

[seabeyond]

11. this is a beautiful cat. very sweet adn friendly. her babies dont come near people

i think though, it is so use to be out and about it wont stay put. it lives in our boat with a tarp, i think.

[Curmudgeoness]

12. It is really sad that the babies are wild. Will never be adopted

and homes just can't be found. I know how that goes, I used to trap wild kittens and have them fixed (I had a very patient vet). Can you get her fixed?

[seabeyond]

13. i dont know. i hadnt thought about it. i wonder what would happen ot kittens.

i have just seen them from a distance. kids say they wont come near

i am not a real animal person. not for any mean or uncompassionate reason. just not comfortable with the unknown in animals. i will think about it though, talk to a friend that is a cat person.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. Thanks for thinking about it. I am sure your area would have some

help with low cost spay, or as we do in my neighborhood, several of us put what we can toward the cost. We always have cats show up around here, and too many people are feeding them, so more come. It all started with a mother cat having kittens under a porch, and that was our first communal spay. It really is too important, you know she is fertile and she will be pregnant again...and again.