Has your puppy eaten some cat food? Are you worried the cat food will make your puppy sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when a puppy eats something they maybe shouldn’t have.
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In this article, we’ll take a look at cat food and whether or not it can make a puppy sick. Let’s get started!
All About Cat food
Cat food is made especially for cats, who have very different nutritional needs than puppies and dogs. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they must eat meat. A cat’s diet is pretty much only protein. While dogs also depend upon protein in their diets, they are omnivores. This means that dogs eat both plant and meat sources. They require a more varied diet than cats.
Cats also require a higher amount of protein than dogs. But what about puppies? Will a puppy get sick from eating cat food?
Cat food & Puppies
The good news is that if your puppy has eaten a little bit of cat food, he will be OK. Sneaking a bite of the cat’s food every so often won’t hurt the puppy. However, if the puppy eats cat food on a regular basis, this could be harmful.
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The reason is because cat food contains too much protein for a puppy. If he only eats cat food, the puppy will not have the right nutrition to grow up to be healthy. In addition, cat food can lead to pancreatitis, cause gastrointestinal issues, and even lead to obesity.
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Ask a Vet Live NowSymptoms of Cat Food Ingestion in Puppies
You may notice these symptoms if your puppy has had too much cat food:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Distended abdomen
- Fever
If you notice these symptoms in your puppy, then it’s time to call the vet. Try to find out the brand of cat food and have the label information available to give to the vet. It’s also helpful to try to determine how much cat food your puppy has eaten. All of this information can be helpful to the vet.
There’s no special treatment available if your puppy has eaten cat food. However, the vet may be able to treat the symptoms with prescription medications. This may include medicine for diarrhea and vomiting, for instance.
The good news is that most puppies should go on to make a full recovery after eating too much cat food!
Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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