DOG FOOD VS. CAT FOOD

[Luciledodd]

I have a problem with Jethro, he is eating Rosie's food and now she has started eating his. I used to put Josie Wales food on the counter in the bathroom so Rosie couldn't eat it. Josie would not eat Rosie's food. But this little s*** knocks everything off of the counter including his food. Then he goes down stairs and eats Rosie's food. I bought Jethro a sack of Wellness Salmon yesterday and he loves it. Rosie took a bite shook her head and left. Then she must have decided that it was good after all and came back and cleaned the bowl. My first schnauzer lived to an old age and ate the cat's food all the time and it didn't bother her. The cat was mostly and outside one and ate a lot of mice, etc. So I never worried about their food. But everyone on this forum has got me paranoid about food and I am wondering what to do. I know that a cat can not live on dogfood alone because they are true carnavours. I am thinking about mixing the food and just let them eat out of the same bowl. Jethro eats people food also--never had a cat that would. He seems to love the greek yogurt bowl. We dare not put anything down that we are eating to even go to the bathroom. We have to take our food with us or have someone guard it.

[marlowe'sgirl]

I have a cat who is a food ninja too! She will knock a piece of pizza off your plate if you turn your head or swipe a floret of broccoli onto the floor. She LOVES my Hav's food. They both eat Orijen and at one point the same flavor just one for cats and one for dogs BUT the dog one just tasted better to her.

The first few months I had my Hav, I let him mostly free feed because he wasn't a food inhaler. I assumed that because the food was gone, it was because he was eating it. Well, not exactly. He had a cat helper and she gained 2 lbs seemingly overnight. We're still working on her losing that weight.

I've trained my Hav, Marlowe, to eat in 15 mins then take up his bowl. I basically have to watch his food bowl like a hawk. The second he turns his head and sometimes when he doesn't (he's SO far from food aggressive), there's a cat head in his bowl snarfing up his food. She comes out of nowhere just to steal some kibble. My cat's food in on a high counter, so I've never had to worry about Mars getting into it. I should have known I was in trouble with my cat though. When I had her boarded at the vet's for a week, they let each cat roam their little room for a few hours a day. She spent that time tearing a hole into the tamper resistant plastic bag that kept some of the special vet diet food, then gorged herself. They said they kept their extra food in that room for years and never had a cat get that bag open, but yup, my cat succeeded.

[Brady's mom]

I would check with your vet. I seem to remember that my vet once said that it is okay for the dog to eat cat food, but not for the cats to eat dog food. I don't remember why.

[Anna6]

Your pets sound hilarious. I bet if you mix it no one will eat it.

As for dogs eating catfood, while walking Nina, I ran into this elderly couple with their adorable jack russell terrier. We got to talking and I found out the little girl was 15 yrs old. She looked super healthy and definitely not 15 yrs old. So I asked what she ate. They told me Little Ceasar. They offer her kibbles dogfood but she only eats the kibbles from their cat. So maybe that is the key, give your dog cat kibbles.

[Suzi]

I think I missed that you got a new kitty If you just put one of each down twice a day and close your eyes and don't worry you will probably have two happy pets.