Can Rabbits Eat Cat Food?

Cat is the second most popular pet in the USA. That is why cat food is available in almost every pet parent’s house. So, people who have rabbits, probably have cats in their house. So, the mess up is very common.

No, rabbits should not eat cat food. Cats are carnivores. So their menu includes a high amount of protein, carbohydrates as well as fat. On the other hand, rabbits are herbivore animals. Their diet includes fiber-containing food. So, the leading meal of rabbits is hay, vegetables, pellet food, and some particular fruit in a small amount. 

However, if your bunny eats cat food or dog food in a small amount, don’t worry. It’s not lethal to them. But you have to ensure that your bunny can not get the opportunity to eat cat food or dog food.

Difference Between Cat Food And Rabbit Food

Well, you have got the answer already. Now let us understand the difference between cat food and rabbit food deeply.

Understanding the Ingredients of Cat Food

Most people love both cats and rabbits. So, people have the trend of having both cats and rabbits as pets.

It is peculiar to hear that rabbits eat cat food, which could happen in a particular case. 

You know cat food contains a high amount of protein, fiber as well as carbohydrates. We provide dry and canned cat food to your rabbits.

Dry Cat Food

Most Dry cat food includes the following ingredients.

• Meat or by-product of the meat
• Grain or by-product of grain
• Fish meal
• Milk-based products
• Nutrient supplementary

Canned Cat Food

Canned cat food contains more than 75% moisture. The primary ingredients of canned cat foods are almost the same as dry cat food. But the canned cat food includes more meat ingredients. And this type of food can be stored for a long time if it is not opened.

Understanding The Rabbit Food

I have already mentioned the principle of rabbit food at the beginning of the article. For your convenience, I have made a list of safe food for rabbits here.

Hay

Hay is the primary food for rabbits. Different types of hay are available in the market like timothy hay, orchard hay, meadow hay, oat hay, grass hay, and others. For the baby rabbits, you could offer alfalfa hay.

You should ensure at least 80% hay of their daily meal.

Grass

Rabbit loves to eat grass. You could allow them to explore in the field or yard for eating fresh grass. For safety, you could use a rabbit exercise pen or harness.

Vegetables

The rabbit can eat vegetables. Almost all types of vegetables like celery are safe for rabbits. But you should give a small amount to them. Otherwise, they could face digestive problems.

You could offer 10-15% of vegetables for their daily meal.

Fruit

You can offer fruits like grapes as a treat. The fruit is not a regular food for rabbits because of an excess amount of sugar.

Pellet food

Pellet food is the best way to ensure the supply of proper nutrients to your rabbits. Yes, of course, you should not give pellets more than 15% of the total meal.

Can Rabbits Eat Dry Cat Food?

No, it would help if you do not give any cat feed to your rabbit, whether it is dry or wet. If your rabbit eats a handsome amount of dry cat food, please consult your nearest vet as soon as possible.

The rabbit loves to explore crunchy food items. So, if they get a chance, it is a common phenomenon that rabbits eat dry cat food.

Instead of cat food, provide this healthy pellet to your bunny.

How To Prevent Your Rabbit from Eating Cat Food?

It is not a hard job, indeed. Generally, we give cat food in an open bowl.

You should place the cat food bowl in a safe rabbit if you have both a pet cat and a rabbit. Maybe it could be in the cat cage or enclosure.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have understood why you should not allow your bunny to eat cat food. So, take the precaution if you have both rabbits and cats.