Will a cat go blind from eating dog food?

Answer 1

Yes, a cat can go blind and develop other health problems if fed nothing but dog food, or fed dog food as the majority of the diet.

If the cat eats dog food instead of cat food, then yes, dog food can seriously malnourish the cat after a period of time. Cats have far more nutritional needs than a dog and dog food doesn't contain these essential nutrients such as Taurine. A small amount of dog food will not harm the cat, but this must NEVER consist as part of cat's daily diet.

Cats cannot synthesize Taurine in their bodies (unlike dogs and most other mammals), so they must get it straight from meat. Animal tissues such as poultry and fish are natually high in taurine. Not enough taurine in the cat's diet can lead to heart problems and blindness.

Answer 2

Answer:

I don't know exactly what problems it will cause, but it is definitely very bad for the cat. Dogs are actually omnivores, like humans. They can actually survive on a vegetarian diet. Cats, on the other hand, are strictly carnivores: they need meat to survive.

So, since dogs don't need to eat as much meat as cats do, dog food has less protein, and more non-animal ingredients like grains and vegetables. The best cat foods, on the other hand, are those that are grain-free and have only a small amount of non-animal food like vegetables.

So, a cat might not go blind eating dog food for years, but it would certainly die at a much younger age from it.

Answer:

Actually, there is a chance of a cat developing diminished eyesight, or even the complete loss of sight if fed solely on dog food for years, as well as heart problems.

Cats cannot synthesize taurine, so they must get it straight from their food. Animal tissues such as poultry and fish are natually high in taurine. Not enough taruine in the cat's diet can lead to heart problems and blindness. Dogs, like most mammals, can synthesize taurine in their bodies, so dog food does not contain this compound.

Vitamin A is another component cats cannot produce. Dogs can use a compound called "beta carotene" (its what gives fruits and vegatables such as carrots the red-orange colour) and turn that into Vitamin A. Cats cannot. They need to get Vitamin A from meat.

There are also number of fatty acids cats cannot synthesize in their bodies but dogs can, so feeding a cat food specially made for them is the safest option as all the nutrients are included in the food.

Answer 3

Yes, a cat can become blind and have heart problems if fed solely on dog food.

Cats have far more nutritional needs than a dog and dog food doesn't contain these essential nutrients such as taurine.

Cats have a higher protein requirement than dogs. Meat is mostly made out of Protein and Fat, and cats use these as their primary energy source.

Cats cannot synthesize Taurine (unlike dogs and most other mammals), so they must get it straight from meat. Animal tissues such as poultry and fish are natually high in taurine. Not enough taruine in the cat's diet can lead to heart problems and blindness.