# My cat seems to only want to eat dog food **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 31, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823 "2007-07-31T16:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/21 "2007-07-31T22:55:39Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/22 "2007-07-31T23:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] The same would apply for the cat, eh? Free feeding can lead to obesity/picky eating habits. [/QUOTE] Why would a lack of defined meal times lead to obesity? Or do you mean keeping the bowl full at all times leads to obesity. I don’t have a cat, but my dog’s dry food is down all the time for him to eat at his leisure. If he finishes it all, more is added the next day (unless he keeps sniffing around for more food, then he’s given a bit extra). If he doesn’t eat all the food, it’s just topped off the next day to bring him up to his alloted daily cup. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/23 "2007-07-31T23:49:41Z")
The difference is that your dog still gets a measured amount: one cup a day. Some folks just keep the bowl full all the time, even if that means that Fluffy is eating 6 cups a day. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/24 "2007-08-01T00:06:21Z")
[QUOTE=Omega Glory] Why would a lack of defined meal times lead to obesity? Or do you mean keeping the bowl full at all times leads to obesity. I don’t have a cat, but my dog’s dry food is down all the time for him to eat at his leisure. If he finishes it all, more is added the next day (unless he keeps sniffing around for more food, then he’s given a bit extra). If he doesn’t eat all the food, it’s just topped off the next day to bring him up to his alloted daily cup. [/QUOTE] Free feeding means filling the bowl whenever it is empty. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/25 "2007-08-01T00:15:43Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] The difference is that your dog still gets a measured amount: one cup a day. Some folks just keep the bowl full all the time, even if that means that Fluffy is eating 6 cups a day. [/QUOTE] Yes, that would definitely be a problem. I see people recommending scheduled meal times as prevention for obesity sometimes for some reason, which is what I thought \*\*Contraptual \*\* meant. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/26 "2007-08-01T07:40:33Z")
How about the opposite: My sister’s dog likes to eat the cat food; any harm? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/27 "2007-08-01T12:25:40Z")
Thanks for the responses, one and all. Jack is really a terrific cat - he’s HUGE (not fat at all, but built like a cinderblock) and extremely social. It has only been within the past couple weeks that he’s taken to eating some dog food (he still eats his own food - it is served in the garage in such a way that the dogs can’t get to it). He hasn’t shown any signs of distress, but I’ll take the step of feeding the pups at a specific time and keeping Jack otherwise occupied. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2007, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823/28 "2007-08-01T12:45:00Z")
[QUOTE=Red Barchetta] How about the opposite: My sister’s dog likes to eat the cat food; any harm? [/QUOTE] Some dogs will get diarrhea from changes in their diet. Some dogs have medical disorders requiring a very specific diet. Cat food may cause weight gain in a dog. Other than situations like these, eating cat food (either from the dish or litter box) is no problem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-seems-to-only-want-to-eat-dog-food/413823.md?page=1)