NO, DOG AND CAT KIBBLE IS NOT THE SAME…
From a dietary perspective, dogs could be considered “non-obligate carnivores,” while cats are “obligate carnivores,” but you all know that. Now I’ll tell you some things that probably not everyone knows.
WHAT ARE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DOGS AND CATS
1) Cats must eat more protein than dogs.
The minimum accepted protein content in food for an adult cat should be around 30% of dry matter, while for an adult dog, the minimum protein content on a dry matter basis can be as low as around 20%.
As a result, if a cat regularly eats dog food, it may not meet its minimum protein requirements and could eventually develop serious deficiencies that affect growth and maintenance.
2) Cats must consume an amino acid called Taurine
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays very important roles in vision (in the retina), heart muscle contraction (myocardium), and the nervous system. It is also a component of bile, which helps digest fats and therefore absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
Taurine is found mainly in meat, but it is often added to commercial cat foods anyway if they do not meet the recommended minimum levels.
Dogs, on the other hand, can synthesize taurine from other amino acids (methionine and cysteine).
3) Different use and metabolism of essential fatty acids.
But what are they? Where are they found? And why are they called essential?
They are components of the fats consumed in the diet. They help build the membrane of every cell and are essential for certain metabolic and inflammatory processes. They are vital to our pets’ health.
There are many fatty acids, but the most important ones, known as essential fatty acids, are the following for dogs and cats:
Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, which belong to the Omega 6 family
Alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA, which are instead Omega 3
In adult dogs, alpha-linolenic acid can be converted into EPA and DHA, albeit with difficulty, and linoleic acid can be converted into arachidonic acid.
Cats, on the other hand, have almost no delta-6-desaturase enzyme activity, so they cannot carry out this final conversion. In fact, cats need to obtain a minimum amount of arachidonic acid from their diet at every stage of life, whereas the recommended minimum for dogs applies only to linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is abundant in vegetable oils, for example. This is why it is preferable to add vegetable oils to our pets’ diets rather than olive oil, which contains less linoleic acid.
The main symptoms of essential fatty acid deficiency include flaky skin, poor coat quality, skin lesions, alopecia, impaired reproductive function, and delayed growth in puppies.
I hope I’ve made it clear, then, that dogs and cats have different nutritional needs. When it comes to complete dry foods, these two pets need foods tailored to their specific characteristics.