Many household has more than one pet in their home. Sometimes cats and rabbits live in the same house and there is a chance that the rabbit might eat the cat. He may like it and cherish it unknowingly what it might do to him. As a responsible mother, you can as can rabbits eat cat food.
The answer is yes, cat food is not toxic to rabbits but they are also not appropriate and healthy for rabbits. Rabbits may consume for small periods but large and regular intake of cat food might lead to kidney stones and intestinal infections. Therefore, avoid giving cat food to your bunnies
What are the major elements of rabbit foods??
High fibres
Rabbits like food that has high fibres. For this hay and pellets are appropriate. In most of the rabbit diet, fibre made up to 80 percent of the total food. Fibres are easily digestible by the stomach of rabbits and rabbits like to eat fibre-rich food. Therefore, food which has less fibre is not appropriate for rabbits
High Calorie
Everyone knows that rabbits have small stomachs and they can not process large amounts of food. Therefore, the calorie of the food should be kept in mind. They should be given food which has a large amount of calories and less amount of protein. Vegetables and green leaves are perfect for the rabbits because they have high-calorie consumption and are easily digestible to the rabbits
Why cat food is dangerous for the bunnies?
Following are some of the major reasons why you should avoid feeding the cat food to the rabbits.
A cat is a carnivorous animal
In the evolutionary path, cats are strictly carnivorous, meaning they live on eating prey and animals and do not eat plant or green vegetables. They have separate dietary needs and their food is similar to their carnivorous nature. On the other hand, rabbits are herbivores in the evolution and they live on eating plants and green vegetables. They can not process and eat the meat and bones meanwhile cats easily eat the bones and meat. Therefore, the stomach and food processing of both animals are different and cat food is not a good option for the rabbits due to their evolutionary nature and internal organ settings
Cat food is rich in protein
On average, cat food is 20-30 percent protein. These proteinic elements are necessary for survival and according to the dietary needs of cats. Carnivorous animals such as cats and dogs need strong protein intake. The high-protein food is dangerous for the rabbits. Rabbits can not process the protein due to their herbivorous nature. due to lack of digestion, the stomach of the rabbit will react badly and can cause many issues. The protein-rich diets are not good for the health of the rabbits who need mild fabric-rich diets such as hay and pellets. Therefore, avoid the cat food
Cat food might cause kidney stones and urinal infection
The rabbit stomach and intestine do not process high protein and heavy metals. They are moved to urine where they get stuck and make the stones. High calcium in the diet can affect the small kidneys of rabbits. Rabbit kidney might make stones which is very painful and can lead to many other severe problems. Many doctors also found cat food as the prime reason for urinal infections. Therefore, avoid feeding cat food to your rabbits. Instead, use the fresh vegetables and hay to feed your rabbits. It will keep them healthy and happy
Cat food has high carbohydrate
Another issue with cat food is that it has a high amount of carbohydrates in them. Carbohydrates are dangerous for the small dietary needs of rabbits. Rabbits might feel bloating and stomach issues due to these carbohydrates. The stomach of the rabbit releases gases from consuming carbohydrates. These gases cause stomach issues in the rabbits. Therefore, it is advised not the feed cat food to your rabbits
Cat food does not fulfil the dietary needs of Rabbits
The dietary needs of rabbits are different from the cats and their food intake is also different. If the rabbit started to feed on the cat food, he might face many issues such as laziness and sickness. The dietary needs of rabbits should be remembered and they should be fed with appropriate food. If you disturb the diet of rabbits, they might feel sick and create a mess in the house.
Cat food has some toxins
Many cat foods have heavy metals such as the high amount of magnesium and iron. These metals are good for cats but for rabbits, they can be dangerous. Rabbits can not consume heavy metals and these metals cause clogging in the blood leading to heart failure and other issues. Therefore, we recommend completely separating the food of cats and rabbits because of their evolutionary growth.
Cat foods can cause dental decay in rabbits
Cat foods have low amounts of calcium and are sticky. Rabbits like to chew the food and they do not like sticky food. Cat foods with low calcium cause decay in the rabbit’s teeth. This only happens if you feed the cat food for a longer period. In the smaller run, there is no such issue. The stickiness of cat food around the rabbit teeth is also dangerous for the rabbits. You should consider these issues before feeding the rabbit.
How much Cat food is safe for the rabbits?
It is okay if your rabbit eats a few pellets of cat food but if your rabbit keeps on feeding the cat food every day, this is very concerning. In this scenario, you should end the cycle and separate the food of both animal
How to spot the toxic effect of cat food on rabbits
If your rabbit has the following issues, it means it is in high distress and you should consult the doctor as soon as possible
- Laziness
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Distress
- High intake of water
- Irregular bowel movement
In all these cases, cat food can be a potential reason and you should consult the doctor as soon as possible
How to separate cat food from rabbit food?
- You can use the height factor, Rabbit cannot lift themselves and cannot jump. Therefore keep the cat food at a little higher height and the rabbit cannot feed it
- You can also use the separate rooms to feed or use the cage to avoid mixing them both while feeding the food
Can rabbits eat Cat pellets?
No, cat food in any form is not good. You can give it in little amount but regular feed in the form of cat pellets is dangerous for the cat pellets. You should not avoid cat pellets
Can rabbits eat dry or wet cat food?
No, cat should not feed dry or wet cat food, the answer is similar to the whole blog. Do not feed dry or wet cat food to the rabbits
Final Verdict
Summing up the debate, Cat food is not made for rabbits rabbits are herbivores meanwhile cats are omnivores. Both have different dietary needs, evolutionary lineage and digestive glands. Therefore, feeding cat food to rabbits might damage the stomachs and kidneys of rabbits since cat food can not fulfil the dietary needs of rabbits. Therefore you should avoid it and give only rabbit-proof food. A low amount of cat food may not be toxic. Cat food is not toxic in small amounts but their large quantity will be harmful to the rabbits.