2001 S. Lincoln Ave. 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. 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.
Dog foods are higher in grain products and lack some of these essential nutrients. Without taurine in the diet, cats can experience heart problems, blindness, and respiratory problems. Dr. Paul remarked that the blindness caused by a lack of taurine in the diet was first seen in cats that were fed strictly dog food. Arachidonic acid, a necessary fatty acid, can be synthesized by a dog using linoleic acid. The cat is unable to do this and needs to ingest arachidonic acid in their diet.