Cats and dogs are very different, despite the old saying, “Cats are small dogs”. The difference between them becomes particularly evident when it comes to their diet. Cats are obligate carnivores meaning they need meat as an essential part of their diet. Dogs however can survive on plants alone. This is because, unlike dogs, cats are unable to synthesize certain amino acids contained in meat, such as Taurine. Commercial cat foods did not contain this important amino acid until 1987. This was when a link was made between a lack of Taurine in cats’ diets and feline dilated cardiomyopathy – a fatal heart disease that’s now been largely eliminated in the cat population.

How do the differences between cats and dogs, impact veterinary care?

If one of my canine patients stops eating, I don’t panic. In cats, however, we don’t have the luxury of time. Supplemental feeding needs to start sooner rather than later if we are to prevent a potentially fatal condition known as fatty liver syndrome. Of course, the unique needs of cats doesn’t end with nutrition. They have their own diseases too. Even if they share a particular condition with dogs, the feline version may have a different presentation, prognosis, and treatment.

For example, dogs tend to develop under-active thyroid glands and cats, overactive thyroid glands. Also, some drugs that are perfectly appropriate for use in dogs can have severe and even fatal effects in cats.

A vet can no longer be a James Herriot-styled “jack of all trades”. All species are very different; not just in terms of their care but even in the way that they are handled for that care to be delivered. It’s essential that when looking for a vet to treat your pets, you choose an experienced, designated small animal practitioner. They need to understand the subtle but essential differences between the species.