NO, DOG AND CAT KIBBLE ARE NOT THE SAME…
From a nutritional perspective, dogs can be considered “facultative carnivores”, while cats are “obligate carnivores” — you all know that already. Now I’ll share some facts you probably don’t all know.
WHAT ARE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DOGS AND CATS
1) Cats need to eat more protein than dogs.
The minimum acceptable protein levels in adult cat food should be around 30% of dry matter, while for adult dogs, the minimum protein on a dry matter basis can drop to approximately 20%.
As a result, if a cat regularly eats dog food, it may not meet its minimum protein requirement and over time will develop significant deficiencies for growth and maintenance.
2) Cats need to get an amino acid called Taurine
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays extremely important roles in vision (at the retinal level), cardiac contraction (myocardium), and the nervous system. It is also a component of bile, which aids in fat digestion and thus the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
Taurine is found primarily in meat, but it is often added to commercial foodsfor cats if they can’t reach the recommended minimum levels.
Dogs, on the other hand, can synthesize taurine from other amino acids (methionine and cysteine).
3) Different utilization and metabolism of essential fatty acids.
What are they? Where are they? And why are they called essential?
They are components of fats consumed in the diet. They help build the membrane of all cells and are fundamental in certain metabolic and inflammatory processes. Their presence is critical for the health of our pets.
There are many fatty acids, but the most important ones — the so-called essential ones — for dogs and cats are the following:
Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid, which belong to the Omega 6
Alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA, which are of the Omega 3
In adult dogs, alpha-linolenic acid can be converted, albeit with difficulty, into EPA and DHA, and linoleic acid can be converted into arachidonic acid.
Cats, on the other hand, with almost no activity of the delta6-desaturase enzyme, cannot carry out that last conversion; in fact, for this species, there is a minimum amount of arachidonic acid that the animal must obtain through its diet at all life stages, while for dogs, the recommended minimum only applies to linoleic acid — which is abundant in vegetable oils, for example. This is why it is better to add vegetable oil supplements to our pets’ diets rather than olive oil, which is lower in linoleic acid.
The main symptoms of an essential fatty acid deficiency include flaky skin, poor coat quality, skin lesions, alopecia, reproductive function disorders, and growth retardation in puppies.
I hope I’ve made it clear that dogs and cats have different nutritional needs. So when it comes to complete dry foods, these two pets must have foods tailored to their specific needs..