My dog is eating cat food left outside

Silvertabby

It's the cat I feel sorry for. The poor thing must feel so insecure, trying to eat while looking over his/her shoulder for scavenging dogs. It must be possible for the owners to put the cat food indoors, but high enough to be out of reach of their own dog.

Artytarty

^^^^ Indeed, this is very true.

tealady

Silvertabby wrote: »

It's the cat I feel sorry for. The poor thing must feel so insecure, trying to eat while looking over his/her shoulder for scavenging dogs. It must be possible for the owners to put the cat food indoors, but high enough to be out of reach of their own dog.

They could ge feeding a hedgehog.

Gavin83

You're both equally to blame. However you can't stop them putting cat food out and they can't stop dogs coming onto their property to eat it. It seems like it'll be a case of who folds first.

The biggest risk is that a dog attempts to go for the food while the cat is eating it and attacks the cat instead. In that case it would be the dog owners fault and they'd be liable for any resulting vet bills.

Ladyjane26

Silvertabby wrote: »

It's the cat I feel sorry for. The poor thing must feel so insecure, trying to eat while looking over his/her shoulder for scavenging dogs. It must be possible for the owners to put the cat food indoors, but high enough to be out of reach of their own dog.

tealady wrote: »

They could ge feeding a hedgehog.

The food is for their cat.

Ladyjane26

Gavin83 wrote: »

You're both equally to blame. However you can't stop them putting cat food out and they can't stop dogs coming onto their property to eat it. It seems like it'll be a case of who folds first.

The biggest risk is that a dog attempts to go for the food while the cat is eating it and attacks the cat instead. In that case it would be the dog owners fault and they'd be liable for any resulting vet bills.

Agree. These are not very amenable people. In my experience, cats attack dogs in defence. My dog would never attack a cat.

Ladyjane26

Silvertabby wrote: »

It's the cat I feel sorry for. The poor thing must feel so insecure, trying to eat while looking over his/her shoulder for scavenging dogs. It must be possible for the owners to put the cat food indoors, but high enough to be out of reach of their own dog.

I feel sorry for the cat too. Once a house cat, now been put outside due to the arrival of a new dog. Dogs and cats can live harmoniously.

DCFC79

Ladyjane26 wrote: »

Agree. These are not very amenable people. In my experience, cats attack dogs in defence. My dog would never attack a cat.

Just keep the dog on the lead simple.

sheramber

What if your dog ran off to eat something nice and smelly that was laced with poison? That happens when sick people put such stuff out in parks etc.

Your dog is eating cat food but use it as a training exercise to train your dog not to eat anything it finds outside.