When I talk about cat vs dog nutrition, I can’t help but remember a fun animated series from the ’80s and ’90s called CatDog or GatoCan here in Galicia. It told the adventures of a quirky creature that was half cat, half dog.
This little creature, though completely surreal, perfectly captured the personalities of each animal. While the dog half was jovial, carefree, and good-natured, the cat side was smart, bold, and responsible, just like any self-respecting cat.
Cat vs Dog: Why Should Their Nutrition Be So Different?
That a cat is not a dog and vice versa is obvious, not just in personality but also in physical appearance, and especially in physiology. Even so, some people still treat them the same in many ways, including feeding them the same diet.
Looking at that curious CatDog, many of us wondered about its reproductive or urinary system but what about its digestive system? This might seem like a trivial question, considering that both species have a “similar” digestive tract. In fact, even at veterinary school, in dense subjects like anatomy and physiology, they were often studied together.
Yes, both have more or less the same main components, but in reality, they work in very different ways. These differences, which may seem like small details, are key to understanding the digestive system in cats vs dogs, and therefore the need for different cat vs dog nutrition.
Dogs have more teeth and taste buds. Their stomachs are proportionally much larger, allowing them to eat large volumes of food at once, whereas cats tend to eat small amounts frequently. Regarding intestinal length and transit time, cats have shorter intestines and faster digestion, adapted to break down fats and proteins, not grains.
What Should a Proper Diet for a Cat Include?
You CAN´T feed a cat like you would a dog, not even close. While it’s true that pet food lines are clearly separated, and owners usually pick the right bag at the store, feeding habits often tell a different story. Dogs often sneak cat food because they prefer it (link to the article) and cats sometimes end up eating dog food (which can cause problems) simply because there’s no other option left.
People who feed large colonies often buy dog food bags because they’re bigger and cheaper. Some even still feed leftovers from our own meals, which is bad enough for dogs but can be downright dangerous for cats. The most serious issue? Cat foods formulated as if they were meant for dogs.
Often, the only real difference between a dog food bag and a cat food bag is the picture on the package. Cereal can be fine in moderation. But while cereals shouldn’t be the main ingredient in dog food, they absolutely cannot be the primary ingredient in cat food. A cat’s digestive system is designed and built to have protein as the main ingredient at all times.
Additionally, due to the design of their digestive tract, daily intake, and physiological needs, cats require a diet with significantly higher fat and protein content.
Not to mention many other specific needs, such as the optimal taurine intake in a cat’s diet, something cats cannot naturally synthesize, unlike dogs.
Therefore, we can’t feed our cat like it’s a CatDog, it will always need a specific, complete, and natural diet.
The Importance of Choosing a Cat-Specific Food: The Case of Lenda Gastro
Although cats are tough animals that rarely show signs of illness or weakness, their digestive tract is quite sensitive. It’s common for them to suffer from digestive issues such as malabsorption, intestinal inflammation, allergies, or pancreatic problems, with the most frequent being IBD (inflammatory bowel disease).
In all cases, diarrhea is usually the symptom that brings them to the vet. We then look for a highly digestible diet that still provides the necessary fat and, above all, protein, with the added benefit of including probiotics.
To address this, Lenda offers within its Veterinary line the Gastro food for cats, whose main ingredients are hydrolyzed white fish and salmon, designed to maximize protein digestion and minimize the risk of allergies and digestive disorders.
