Difference between Dog and Cat Food

Key Difference: A basic difference between Dog food and Cat Food is that dog food contains more Vitamin A as compared to cat food. The difference between dog and cat is that dogs are omnivores and cats are carnivores.

Most dog and cat owners think that dog and cat foods are the same. However, a doctor of Veterinary strictly prohibits it. Dog and cat are two different pets with different demands and habits. One cannot compare these two species with each other. In the following context, one will come to know the main differences between dog food and cat food. Before anyone goes further, one point should be very clear between dog and cat, which will easily discriminate between their foods is that, dog is an omnivore and cat is a carnivore.

Dog food is a food purposely proposed for consumption by dogs. As dogs are carnivore, they also have sharp, pointy teeth, and have short gastrointestinal tracts better suited for the consumption of meat like all other carnivores. A raw food diet is acceptable for dogs or some dog owners prefer to prepare food for their pet dogs by buying the ingredients from the healthy food stores. A normal human food is toxic to dogs. They are very dangerous for dog’s health, which includes grapes, chocolates, onion, tomato, raisins, etc.

Cat food is a food purposely proposed for consumption by cats. The essential component of cat food is vitamin A. “Dogs can convert beta carotene into vitamin A. Beta-carotene, a precursor to the vitamin, is visible as the red-orange pigment abundant in certain plants and fruits. Canines and people can therefore eat a carrot and receive a good daily dose of vitamin A, but cats must consume the vitamin from meat sources. Thus, it is recommendable to nourish your cat pet ‘Holistic’ or ‘Super Premium’ types of foods. This means they are “meat based” and also more nutritious and good balanced, with a higher quality of proteins than “meat meal” and including a package of “vitamins and minerals” that has been designed to be more thoroughly absorbed by your pet’s body.

Comparison between Dog Food and Cat Food:

	Dog Food	Cat Food
Animals are	Dogs are Omnivore	Cats are Carnivore
Amino acids	Dogs have 11 essential amino acids.	Cats have 12 essential amino acids.
Vitamin A	Dog food contains more Vitamin A as compared to cat food.	Cat food contains less Vitamin A as compared to dog food.
Beta-kerotene	A dogs body converts beta-kerotene to Vitamin A.	Cats do not have this ability, and so pre-formed Vitamin A should be included in the diet.
Arachidonic acid	Dog food does not contain Arachidonic acid.	Cat food contains Arachidonic acid
Proteins	Dog foods are lower in proteins and fats as compared to cat food.	Cat foods are higher in proteins and fats as compared to dog food.
Food served in	Dog food is usually served in separate bowls.	Cat food is also served in bowls.