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30 November 2021

📌 HOME FOOD Blog: Why You Shouldn't Feed Dogs and Cats Table Food

Why You Shouldn't Feed Dogs and Cats Table Food

Feeding pets table scraps may seem like a harmless gesture of care. However, this practice can have serious consequences for their health. Let’s explore why this should be avoided.

Physiological Features of Digestion

The digestive systems of dogs and cats differ significantly from those of humans. For example, a dog’s intestine is shorter, requiring food to be digested quickly. Human food often contains spices, salt, sugar, and other additives that can be harmful to animals. Excessive consumption of such foods can lead to digestive issues, diarrhea, and even pancreatitis.

Toxic Foods

Some foods that are safe for humans are toxic to animals. For example:

Chocolate: Contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs.
Onions and garlic: Can cause anemia in cats and dogs.
Grapes and raisins: Can lead to kidney failure in dogs.

Weight and Metabolic Issues

Human food is often high in calories. Even small portions can significantly exceed an animal’s daily calorie needs. For example, 28 grams of cheese for a 9 kg dog is equivalent to 1.5 hamburgers for a human. This can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

Dangers of Bones and Fatty Foods

Chicken bones can splinter and damage an animal’s digestive tract. Fatty foods, such as fried meat or sausages, overload the pancreas, potentially leading to pancreatitis.

Behavioral Issues

Feeding from the table creates a habit in animals of begging for food during the owner’s meals. This can lead to undesirable behaviors such as begging, aggression, or stealing food from the table.

Scientific Studies

A study published in Vet Record found that 86% of raw pet foods contained dangerous bacteria, including E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. Notably, the E. coli O157 strain was detected in 23% of products. Harmful parasites such as Sarcocystis cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii were also identified. This highlights the risks associated with feeding animals raw, unprocessed meat, both for the animals and their owners due to the potential for infection transmission.

Scientific Study: Benefits of Commercial Dry Dog Food

In 2024, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) published a large-scale study involving over 43,000 dog owners and 27,000 dogs. The study aimed to examine the impact of different types of diets on dog health.

Key findings of the study:

Benefits of dry food: Dogs fed commercial dry food showed better health outcomes compared to those fed homemade or raw diets. Specifically, they had fewer cases of liver, kidney, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Risks of alternative diets: Dogs on homemade diets had a 1.6 times higher risk of liver disease, 1.3 times higher risk of kidney disease, and 1.4 times higher risk of gastrointestinal issues compared to those fed dry food.
Consistency in feeding: Approximately 90% of dog owners reported feeding their pets the same food daily on a consistent schedule, which supports good digestion and overall health.

This study underscores the importance of balanced and consistent nutrition for maintaining dog health.

Alternatives: Healthy Nutrition

To provide animals with all necessary nutrients, choose:

Commercial dry foods: Balanced in composition, tailored to the animal’s age, breed, and physiological condition.
Natural diets: Only with consultation from a veterinary nutritionist to ensure proper diet formulation.

Conclusions

Feeding dogs and cats table food can lead to serious health issues. To ensure a long and healthy life for your pet, follow veterinary recommendations and choose appropriate nutrition: