# People food to pets



## Grimmjow (Jul 22, 2009)

What are you peoples thoughts on giving people food to pets? be they dogs cats whatever

Personally I do it all the time. My cat has come to expect his share of whatever Im eating and my dog (RIP Rex) ate whatever hit the floor as soon as it hit the floor. I fed the dog all kinds of food and he licked any plate clean, he used to eat chocolates by the box and never even got sick.

Just curious what other people think about it, since I always used to hear that people food isnt good for them.


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

I don't allow my dog and cat to be in the same room with us while we're eating... the dog has to go lie down in the porch, or else in her crate... and the cat knows to just stay away. This is the rule 98% of the time... the other 2% of the time is spent with my boyfriend calling the dog over to give her scraps, while I nag at him not to give her anything. I'm not worried so much about the health of the dog - on days when i know my boyfriend has been giving her food, I just feed her less of her own food... but it's the manners that I'm concerned about, and the fact that I don't want an animal that licks its own butt to be anywhere near my plate. My sister in law and her husband let their dog sit under the table at meal times, or let her put her paws on them and stand up with her nose on the table... and this happens whether there is company there or not, and it just grosses me out... but it's their house, their dog, their rules, so I can't complain too much.

If I'm going to give my animals any people food as a treat, they get it after we're done eating, and I make them work/do tricks for it. Or else I will put it on top of their own food in their dishes. 

Oh, and I am a bit more generous with raw meat... if I'm cooking then I make sure to keep a few tidbits of raw meat to give them as treats. That's one of the few instances where the dog and cat ignore each other - when I'm cooking and they're both standing in the kitchen doorway waiting for me to call them over... they just stand beside each other and stare at me hehe.


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## tanker (Mar 13, 2010)

I spoil my dogs and give them food, but not my cats. The cat I used to have before used to like licking out the yoghurt containers but otherwise he just ate his regular food. 

I usually save a bit of meat from my dinner to give to my dogs and I'll let them have a chip or two, but I only give them meat and vegetables and don't give them anything meant for people and not for dogs, that I think won't agree with them (anything with chillis for example), or anything that I've read is bad for dogs, like onions or chocolates. They'll get leftovers of people food like roast chicken, but mostly they just eat their kibble. 

One of my dogs is mad for cheese. She'd do anything for a piece of cheese.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

We feed vegetables, gelatin and even occasional hotdogs for fish. Yep. I used to do that to my tiger loaches.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I decided that if I ever get a dog I'm not feeding it table food. IMO, it's bad for their health. I do understand the feeding of veggies. Several people have told me that their vet said to feed their dogs mashed potatoes, potato skins, carrots and green beans. I have a neighbor that lets her dog have candy, chips, bread and all sorts of crap. It's no wonder the dog has health problems. I had another neighbor that used to feed his dog whole slices of pizza! That dog got so fat that she could hardly walk and they said it was from arthritis. Baloney! She couldn't even stand up to eat her food! Poor dog.


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## cmc29 (Jan 10, 2010)

I come from a long line of animal lovers. I buy my cats prescription food for special needs, but i still feed them tuna(they love it), and turkey, ham, etc, on occasion. My Wilson Rodriguez(orange cat) eats crackers and chips. I can remember my 70 year old grandfather cooking salmon and chicken for his two siamese cats until the days that they died. One was 20 and the other was 18!! They were mother and son siamese Babe and Stinker....their names summed up their behavior as well. I love cats. They're personalities are so quirky.


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## konstargirl (Mar 9, 2010)

I usually give Sardines to the fish especially to Miyavi( my betta). They love sardines!


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## Knifegill (Feb 9, 2011)

Typically it's the food that's bad for us that's bad for them. Sure, you've got things like grapes that are toxic to dogs, but on the whole if you're eating healthy meats and vegetables, so can your pets. That twinkie that's bad for you is also bad for Fido. Most grains and breads are useless and harmful to us, and also to our pets. Many dog foods are also just bread and bones, so don't think that those dog foods are always good for your dog, either.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

knifegill said:


> typically it's the food that's bad for us that's bad for them. Sure, you've got things like grapes that are toxic to dogs, but on the whole if you're eating healthy meats and vegetables, so can your pets. That twinkie that's bad for you is also bad for fido. Most grains and breads are useless and harmful to us, and also to our pets. Many dog foods are also just bread and bones, so don't think that those dog foods are always good for your dog, either.


+1


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## brownmane (Jan 7, 2011)

I have 3 cats. Each has his/her own opinion about what they like. One is blind (Chauncey)and so can't see what is on the counter, but occasionally he teams up with the other cat (Simon) and Simon will go after the baggie of cat treats and knock it onto the floor and then both of them munch on them. Chauncey sits with me when I am feeding my fish and has even tried to steal the container of fish food. My oldest cat, Taz, loves anything milk related.

I had a chihuahau and she loved raw carrots. When I was a kid, we had a dog who was part dachshund and she used to go into the garden and actually dig up the carrots to eat!

You do need to be careful though. My mom has a malamute that loves a slice of bread with peanut butter and has no problem. However, my mom used to have a Jack Russel that also liked the peanut butter and bread (and anything else that she could find). She died of pancreatitis after eating peanut butter one day. The vet said that peanut butter can do that to dogs.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Knifegill said:


> Typically it's the food that's bad for us that's bad for them. Sure, you've got things like grapes that are toxic to dogs, but on the whole if you're eating healthy meats and vegetables, so can your pets. That twinkie that's bad for you is also bad for Fido. Most grains and breads are useless and harmful to us, and also to our pets. Many dog foods are also just bread and bones, so don't think that those dog foods are always good for your dog, either.


Agreed.


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## stevenjohn21 (Dec 4, 2010)

I feed my Sunfish hotdogs at the weekend as a treat. And i also feed my mollies & platys peas every now and again.


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## Ostara (Sep 19, 2010)

I sometimes give mine regular food. My dog loves anything and everything, but I don't allow her to have it as often as I used to. Now she knows that if there's food out in the kitchen, she has to be out of the room. Occasionally I put some bits in her food, and she loves any kind of fruit we have. She'll just go out to the garden, hop the fence, and graze on plums, apples, and any boysenberries that she can get to without getting pricked.

As for my cats, one doesn't care for anything but his food because he was a stray and has never had any "people food" before. The other is a garbage gut. She loves anything and everything, including my fishes' algae wafers, shrimp pellets, and crisps. She comes charging in chattering at me when she hears the tank cupboard open, the little brat. Admittedly I don't help the problem. She's just so darn cute with her huge owl eyes staring at me that I can't resist giving her tidbits. :roll:


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## Guppie luver (Feb 2, 2011)

ya same with my cat drew she will eat my fish food if she can get to it,my oldest cat maxs steals my cheetos and chips or anything he can get, and lexy only eats cat food most of the time except when shes eating french fries she goes nuts!


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## konstargirl (Mar 9, 2010)

Dogs and cats are carnivourus. They eat most of the time. In nature they graze on grass, but they don't necassary eat the grass. for the cats, we just give them raw meat and fish.


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## Guppie luver (Feb 2, 2011)

ya it is so funny


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Knifegill said:


> Typically it's the food that's bad for us that's bad for them. Sure, you've got things like grapes that are toxic to dogs, but on the whole if you're eating healthy meats and vegetables, so can your pets. That twinkie that's bad for you is also bad for Fido. Most grains and breads are useless and harmful to us, and also to our pets. Many dog foods are also just bread and bones, so don't think that those dog foods are always good for your dog, either.


 
Totally agree here. There are a few foods on the "toxic to dogs" list but as a rule, healthy foods are healthy foods. My dogs often enjoy a meat left overs as long as I have not added a bunch of salt or anything. Also, my dog that just had major surgery was taking 6 pills a day. He gobbled them down in a bit of chicken vegetable soup. It was home made and not full of salt and crap. 

I do also give my dogs kibble. I use the grain free foods and supplement with a bit of lowfat, plain yogurt and some meats and veggies.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

I know this thread is over a month old, but I felt like I really wanted to chime in. I have worked in the vet industry for many years from kennel work, to dog training, to rescue & foster, to vet tech work, even use to run a dog & cat advice line via the internet. 

As far as table scraps go for pets, it isnt the greatest idea. However, some foods work great, even as staples, while other human food can cause anything from obesity to upset stomaches to death. 

In the vet world, if a dog has an upset stomach (as in it has been having runny feces or vomiting), the best food to feed is boiled white rice, baked or pan seared chicken breast (boneless and skinless), and either peas or green beans or carrots....all seasoning free with no added flavors like butter, oils, or sugars. 

The biggest issue with giving a dog (or cat) table scraps is the seasonings humans use to flavor their food, most of these are harmful in various ways to our pets. Once in a while (like once a week or less) it is okay to give your pet a little something they normally shouldnt get in their doggie or kitty diet... like that little piece of steak you didnt eat. 

Another prime reason not to feed pets table scraps is that they taste so much better than their kibble, and sometimes will refuse to eat what they are suppose to if they know they can convince you to give them the rest of your food or such. 

Dogs and cats have stomaches that are not designed to digest most of the foods humans can digest (just like our bodies cant digest wet dog food due to the high portions of ground animal bones). And dog and cats have specific dietary needs that they cannot get from human food.

Is it okay to give your cat the juice of the can of tuna you opened to make yourself lunch? Yeah, once in a while, but it can and will give your cat the runs...which can lead to dehydration.

Is it okay to give your dog a piece of cheese, a spoon of peanut butter, or that hot dog you accidentally dropped? Yeah, again though, only once in a while or when having to give medicine if you dont know how to give pills without the treat. 

Is proper dog and cat food the best source? Yes it is. 
Canned/wet dog and cat food however come with their own issues...
Canned cat food is higher in nutrients and is great in the right cases, however always feeding it can cause gum disease and loss of teeth (same in dogs). 

Even grocery store or Walmart bagged dog food can come with its own issues...always compare nutrition lables and ingredients...you want a meat to be the first thing listed, not a grain or corn. 

Allowing a cat to eat dog food is bad as it doesnt have enough protein for cats, and cat food is bad for dogs because it has too much protein for them. 

And just a few reminders...
Always have you pet spayed or neutered to help control the pet population and to prevent cancers that can occur if left intact. 
Always provide fresh clean water for your pet, and get your dog or cat to the vet at least once a year for a check up and their shots.


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

Great post!

Hehe I'm guilty of feeding my cat dog food in the past, but it's only happened a few times when I've run out of cat food and couldn't make it to the store. 

With the thing about wet cat food causing tooth/gum issues... what about mixing it with dry food? That's what I've always done with my cat. I worry about feeding dry food only because my cat will NOT drink water from his own dish... and I don't want him to get dehydrated and suffer other health complications due to that. I literally have NEVER seen him drink from his dish. He will only drink the dog's water (and he's lucky if he can get to it without being squished by the dog) or else he will sit on the fish tank and dip his paws in the water as it flows out of the filter and then lick his paws.


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

What ever you feed just make sure it is healthy for the animal. There are good options for both wet and dry foods as well as raw diets. My kitties were Science diet for about 13 years then my oldest went diabetic and was put on insulin. That changed everything about how I looked at pet food. A lot of it is garbage IMO. The science diet was. Even the prescription diabetic foods by Hills and Purina were crap(though Purina was the better of the two). Eventually we settled on the canned fancy feast, but even then only certain flavors were okay. This food isn't good for their teeth though. We were able to get him off the insulin within about a week, so we were lucky there.It made my kitties do a flip flop. The begger never begs anymore, and the non-begger is always after your food. I had the diabetic one almost transitioned to raw food at one point, but not everyone in my family was comfortable with it. That though would be my preferred diet to feed them.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

iamgray said:


> Great post!
> 
> Hehe I'm guilty of feeding my cat dog food in the past, but it's only happened a few times when I've run out of cat food and couldn't make it to the store.
> 
> With the thing about wet cat food causing tooth/gum issues... what about mixing it with dry food? That's what I've always done with my cat. I worry about feeding dry food only because my cat will NOT drink water from his own dish... and I don't want him to get dehydrated and suffer other health complications due to that. I literally have NEVER seen him drink from his dish. He will only drink the dog's water (and he's lucky if he can get to it without being squished by the dog) or else he will sit on the fish tank and dip his paws in the water as it flows out of the filter and then lick his paws.


As far as feeding the cat dog food in a pinch, the motto seems to be "better some food than no food". lol

Mixing it together is perfectly fine. And wet cat food isnt so bad, even if fed daily, as long as there is some dry food to help get the tarter off the teeth as well as helping to keep the teeth and gums strong by having to eat the crunchy food. I always suggest though, when feeding cats a staple of wet food, to always make sure treats are crunchy verses moist, same with dogs. Although I feel as though only wet food in a dog seems to be harder on their teeth and gums than it is on a cat...especially on the smaller and/or less active breeds.

Some cats are very picky about their water bowls. Some prefer moving water like one of the fountains they sell. Some prefer plastic bowls, others metal, others ceramic. Dogs can be this way sometimes too. For instance, my chihuahua will only drink from one of her ceramic bowls. My mainecoon cat will only drink from ceramic or plastic and is scared of the fountain things or moving water in general. However, most of the time my cat prefers to use the dog's water bowl anyways, lol.

Try a new bowl made of different material or getting some sort of automatic waterer for the dog's bowl. Cats dont always look as though they have drank from their bowls, so he could be drinking exactly what he needs without you knowing. (With your cat dipping his paws in the outflow of the tank filter, I would be inclined to say that he has a high liking for moving water, in which a fountain watere would be a good idea, they are fairly expensive, but if you price around there are some $15-20 models available...Petco use to sell one of the cheaper models. If he doesnt use it, the dog might.)

If you get to the point where you are very concerned you can always take him to the vet. However, another way to tell, and it might not be that easy if you arent sure what you are looking for, but the best way to tell if a dog or cat is dehydrated is to pinch the scruff of the neck, if it bounces back nicely they are fine, if it slowly drags and stays lumped from the pinch, then it probably is dehydrated. (I say pinch as in the way you would grab the scruff of the neck of a pup or kitten when trying to safely transfer them or such as the mother does to her babies to move them.) Also, pale gums are a sign of dehyration, this is easier to tell in dogs as their mouths are darker than cats when normal, cats tend to have a very light pink mouth and gum line which makes this route a bit more difficult for the untrained eye. 

As far as brands of pet food goes...it can be said by some that it is based on opinion, pet's reactions, and financial situations of what one is better than the other. 
Cheaper brands are full of fat...and one brand that might shock to hear that is used to fatten up skinny or malnurished dogs is Pedigree. Yep, that stuff is pretty high in fat content, but still good dog food, you just have to pay special attention to your dog's diet if on Pedigree. 

Purina is pretty good in general. But Purina also makes crappy cheap dog food (VERY high in fat) such as Alpo. But their dog & cat chow lines are good food, as well as their ONE line. 

Science Diet is one of those foods that most dogs (some will) wont eat unless started on it as a pup since it has such a bland taste to it compared to others. Science diet is most helpful for dogs with food allergies since they are one of few non-prescription dog foods that have a line made from duck. 

Holistic dog and cat foods have become very popular these days, and for good reasons. Comparing them to regular dog food it has a lot more to offer, but they are certainly not a wise choice for someone on a budget as the smallest of bags can be over $20. 

My chihuahua (who had a weight issue when rescued, obesity), her staple diet comes from Eukanuba's line...the petite bites for overweight less active small breeds. Even though she is in normal chihuahua weight (took almost 4 years!!! She came to our family at 11 pounds with her belly dragging, waddling, and had to have a special harness to prevent chaffing between her armpits), she is still on the weight management food since she isnt very active now that she is an older dog and it would be very easy at this point in her life to pack the pounds on if she isnt kept on a strict diet. 

My cat on the other hand, hates the nicer brands and will refuse to eat them. He LOVES Purina's Cat Chow Indoor Formula. However, it doesnt treat his chronic hairballs, so we use crunchy treats made for hairballs that has worked very nicely over the years (he hates gels and such for hairball control). (Works for my pockets though! lol)

It's always important to compare crude fat and protein as well as other nutrients on dog and cat food's prior to choosing your pets' food. And it is always important to never completely switch their food all at once, it should always be done over a 1-2 week period of mixing the two foods (old and new) until it is all new to avoid stomach upset. 

Also, always consult a vet before switching your dog or cat from puppy food to adult food, and from adult food to senior food, as not all dog and cat's mature at the same rate. The general rule of thumb though is that (for dogs) small breed dogs switch from puppy to adult around a year old, and go from adult to senior around 8 or 9 years old, while large breeds go from puppy to adult around 2 years old, and from adult to seinor between 7 and 8 years old. With shorter life spanned dogs, such as great danes, it can vary significantly and vet advice should always be gotten and followed. Cat's are more generalize when it goes from kitten to adult, but a more active cat can stay on adult food longer before swithing to senior cat food. 

As quality pet owners, we can only do our best for our pets. And the best you can do is to offer nutritious food, fresh clean water, medical care, and your love and affection (as well as shelter, mind enhancing activities, as well as the needed exercise and such that your particular pet requires).


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## Mikaila31 (Dec 18, 2008)

It wasn't the fat that bothered me. Its the grain, which has no place in a cat's diet. First ingredient in science diet is corn. Even their prescription diabetic food the main ingredient was corn:evil:. This is what eventually made him go diabetic. Once we found a good low carb food he was fine. My cats were not meant to eat grains. A lot of dry foods seem packed with these. There are however a few select brands that do offer completely grain free dry foods. I have been thinking of trying these. Binky's Page: Resources for Feline Diabetes is a site made for diabetic cats, however their food charts are useful even if your cat is not diabetic. My cat was eating a diet what was 35% carbs for 13 years, then he went diabetic. He's sugar levels have stayed nice and low now as long as his food is no more then 10% carbs. My other overweight cat has also lost weight on the same diet.


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## ozarks bullies (Feb 14, 2011)

All things in moderation... 

My dogs get a good quality dry food daily (Blue Buffalo large breed puppy for the pups and Diamond Natural chicken & rice for the adults), and I'll give them all kinds of other stuff that's considered "people food"... green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, lettuce, broccoli, eggs, raw chicken (their favorite), pumpkin, yogurt, and cottage cheese (only for weight gain when needed)... occasionally they'll get a piece of bread or lunchmeat or cheese just because I spoil them. I keep them lean so I'm not worried about them getting too fat. They know not to come begging for food because I do not feed them from my plate... I can sit on the couch with something tasty like BBQ chicken and Scout (dog in avatar) can lay right next to me and not even look at my food... heck, I could probably set my plate on top of her and she'd never budge...

My rescue kitties get Nutro Max dry cat food (or whatever gets donated to me) and an occasional can of wet food... My personal cat will only eat Natural Balance or Pro Plan dry cat foods...


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## konstargirl (Mar 9, 2010)

konstargirl said:


> I usually give Sardines to the fish especially to Miyavi( my betta). They love sardines!


And now I give bits of raw ground beef( when I make something out of ground beef) in my cat Misa's food and sardines too. I want to convert her to the raw meat diet. I try giving her bacon, but she just sniffs at it.


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