Why Do Cats Need A Diet Higher In Protein Than Dogs?

Cats need a high protein diet, much more so than dogs (irrespective of breed)
Can you tell me why? Protein is needed for growth and repair to cells…so why do cats need extra?

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6 Responses to “Why Do Cats Need A Diet Higher In Protein Than Dogs?”

  1. Leolupus on November 29th, 2009 at 4:23 pm

    Cats are exclusively carnivorous – they feed only on meat. They have a short digestive tract adapted to processing a high-protein diet consisting solely of meat. Dogs, on the other hand, are more omnivorous – their gut is longer and better able to cope with some degree of vegetable matter in the diet.

  2. Webseiten erstellen mit XSitePro on November 29th, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    The down and dirty reason is that cats NEED the protein to survive. If I cat is fed a vegetarian diet, they will go blind, have liver and kidney failure, and eventually die. Their bodies are completely dependent on the protein, where dogs can and should be supplemented with veggies, and can even do quite well on a vegetarian diet. The big difference is their livers, where proteins are filtered and broken down.

  3. CatRapto on November 29th, 2009 at 11:43 pm

    Felines, being the Supreme Hunting Critters that they are [Large & Small; Wild or Otherwise], are more exclusively Carnivorous than Canines [of All persuasions], at least generally speaking, even when scavenging. Dogs, over the course of their evolution, have taken a more opportunistic approach to Dietary concerns. There are exceptions, tho: 1 is the Flat-Headed Cat of Meso &/or South America, which regularly supplements its diet with fair helpings of fruit. Another, I recall reading of, was a Colony of Domestic [?] Cats at a western University, I believe, totally fed since Kittenhood on nutrients derived from Vegetable Proteins. They’d carefully researched the needed proportions, and the Cats THRIVED; don’t know How they handled Tastes & Smells …

  4. Rhoeas on November 30th, 2009 at 5:46 am

    I think you are confused over the difference between cat food and dog food,concentration of protein.
    Cat food has more protein packed into a small amount because cats have tiny stomachs.
    Dog food has that same amount of protein in a larger quantity of food to fill up their larger stomachs so they don’t get hungry.

  5. critterm on November 30th, 2009 at 7:37 am

    Dogs are more omnivorous than cats which are carnivorous. Therefore cats need a higher level of protein in there food.

  6. yagoubid on November 30th, 2009 at 1:22 pm

    Is that true, I doubt.

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