# What's The Problem With Cat Food?



## carcharios (Jun 16, 2009)

Looking at this from a logical perspective, Tegus feed on small rodents, some fruit and vegetable matter, eggs, birds, reptiles, insects, and probably amphibians and fish in the wild. The feral house cat feeds on these same prey items with the exception of fruit. This is to say, the Tegu and House Cat occupy the same niche within their respective habitats. This being the case, specifically, what is wrong with feeding your Tegu cat food, assuming cat food has been formulated to meet the same criteria of a healthy, wild diet?

I have also read the Tegus are similar to North American Raccoons, where they often scavenge in the wild and are found overturning trashcans, etc. This would lead me to believe that most items devoured by wild Tegus are not fresh, nor are they meticulously prepared. With this in mind, one would think that it would be ok to feed Tegu's cat food. Can anyone tell me specifically why cat food is bad for a tegu - are some brands acceptable over others? Can cat food be fed to a Tegu so long as it's not the sole diet and some variety are added?

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## TehPenguin (Jun 16, 2009)

I think feeding cat food with "Human Grade" ingredients is expectable. As long as a variety of others is offered.


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## RehabRalphy (Jun 16, 2009)

These companies base their proposed products from rigorous tests and in depth studies on the animal they intend to make the product for.

Cat food - Study the cats genetics, physics, etc. trying to create a product to their specific needs. 

Tegus aren't cats though. And unfortunately, they require quite an extensive diet. 

What I'm trying to say is that the proportions for each ingredient differs among pet food. As well as vitamins. 

THEN... you have all the preservatives and crap added (dyes) to make the future consumer happy. Well for a non domestic animal, I don't see that to be very fitting.


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## carcharios (Jun 16, 2009)

RehabRalphy said:


> These companies base their proposed products from rigorous tests and in depth studies on the animal they intend to make the product for.
> 
> Cat food - Study the cats genetics, physics, etc. trying to create a product to their specific needs.
> 
> ...




Rehab, I get what you're saying, but again, cats and Tegus eat the same thing in the wild, with the only exception being fruit. Heck, my cat even eats grass from time to time. Regardless of how much R&D they do on cat food products, at the end of the day, one would think the final product would be sufficient for a Tegu. 

If vitamin proportions are being formulated to fit a cat's diet, then Tegu's hypothetically should require about the same proportions because in the wild, they're feeding on the same exact prey items - both animals evolved over hundreds of years basically consuming the same thing. Just how bad could it be to feed a Tegu cat food? In a perfect world, I agree that Tegu owners should carefully plan each meal as though they were feeding the last remaining Tegu on earth. But in reality, is this really necessary?

In terms of the dyes and preservatives issue, I can sort of see you point. But if wild Tegus are feeding on bacteria-laden decomposing flesh and human garbage - which is probably really full of preservatives, how bad could these preservatives in cat food be? If they're not affecting the cats that eat the food, are we to believe that our lizards will be harmed by them? Will they really shorten the life-span of the lizard or are we being overly cautious here? I know I'm playing devil's advocate to some extent here but I'm seriously intrigued by this dilemma of whether or not to use cat food for Tegus.


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## VARNYARD (Jun 16, 2009)

Do not feed dog food or cat food; it is very poor for a food source. Some of these contain red dyes, yellow dyes and blue dyes, and they are derived from petroleum products. They are toxic to all living things, and are not approved by USDA. Too bad pet products are not inspected by them, if they were most would not be approved for consumption. All of these have been banned for human use, but are still used in animal foods. I am sure they would also be found to be toxic to reptiles, when tested in rats, they were found to be very toxic. They also contain ash as a filler; these are made by using burnt animal matter or even newspaper. Your reptile cannot digest it, even though it might pass through a dog or cat. Ash and newspaper can cause an impaction in reptiles without any doubt.

I am not saying they will not eat it. I am saying it is dog food or cat food. There are additives in it that are harmful to reptiles. That does not mean they will not eat it if given the chance. Lots of bad stuff can be found in these products: Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, other "numbered" dyes Ground Whole Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with BHA/BHT), Natural Poultry Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Wheat Flour, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Wheat Mill Run, Carmel Color, Vegetable Oil, Wheat Gluten, Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5). BHA (Butylated Hydroxysanisole), BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), Ethoxyquin, TBHQ (Tertiary Butylhydroquinone), Sodium Metabisulphite Corn bran, peanut hulls, rice hulls, soybean hulls, oat hulls
Dyes are another unnecessary ingredient in pet food, since pets do not care about the color of their food. This is strictly aimed at making products look more appealing to humans, for example by hiding the gray color of poor quality rendered products or visible variations in ingredients, or attempting to make a food look like it contains more meat by adding red dye. While natural substances like caramel coloring are harmless, they are still unnecessary and generally only serve to make a food look more appealing and uniform to the human eye.

The bottom line is, get you tegu on a proper diet, do not try to cut corners by feeding this garbage. Your tegu will be much happier and healthier because you made the right decisions. 

But regardless, how can you make the claim that this cat food is good for cats? And if it is so good, than why are the top breeders of cats and dogs now feed a raw diet? Could it just be that these products have been known to even kill cats and dogs? 

Bottom line is, no one regulates these pet foods, and the companies that make these products are going to put whatever they want into them. They tell us it is good, but is it?

Do you really want your tegu to be as healthy as a wild tegu eating someoneÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢s garbage? Homeless people eat trash as well; do you want that added to your diet? 

Somewhere we must use common sense, it costs a little more to give your tegu the very best, is he worth it?


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## MMRR - jif (Jun 17, 2009)

Most pet foods are not inspected nor regulated for quality thus the big problems recently with melamine contaminated pet foods that were pulled from the market after it killed a multitude of family pets. I don't want to take the chance of feeding my Tegus a poor quality food and then find out later that it contained a toxic ingredient. Heck, I get confused every time I go to buy food for my dogs and I have recently switched their food due to reports of a trusted brand being inferior and possibly contaminated. 

There is one brand of canned canine food that I will purchase and feed to my carnivores and that is Wysong products. Their canned dog food in the venison, rabbit, duck, chicken, and turkey varieties contain only the whole meat source and water. I feed this infrequently, maybe twice a year. 

The majority of the animals that I feed daily are herbivores and it sometimes takes me hours to prepare fresh greens and vegetables for 60 plus animals. I find it so much easier and more convenient to just take some rodents, liver, or turkey out of the freezer, let it thaw, and then serve it as is or just having to give it a dusting of vitamins. Wish I had more carnivores and way less herbivores...I'd have more free time on my hands.


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## carcharios (Jun 17, 2009)

VARNYARD said:


> Do you really want your tegu to be as healthy as a wild tegu eating someoneÃ?Â¢Ã¢â??Â¬Ã¢â??Â¢s garbage? Homeless people eat trash as well; do you want that added to your diet? Somewhere we must use common sense, it costs a little more to give your tegu the very best, is he worth it?




But you make my point for me; in the wild, tegus eat decomposing matter. Those food items are probably riddled with maggots, bacteria, fungi, etc. Tegus have evolved to consume decomposing flesh, fruit, etc. This is not something that is unhealthy or unnatural for them. The lizards have adapted over thousands of years to eat these food items - food items that would make you and I extremely sick. And saying that homeless people eat trash as well is not the same because homeless people did not evolve to eat trash. They're doing it because they have no other food. Tegus on the other hand have evolved to eat decomposing matter with no ill effects. It's why they could be classified as scavengers. So are you really making your lizards "happier" by feeding them food that appeals to you? Just a thought.


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## Jer723 (Jun 17, 2009)

well heres the point, do you want your tegu to have the best or feed it cat food, i dont really think the food appeals to us more then them, have you ever seen a tegu scarf down ground turkey, i think it all appeals to the tegu also, bottom line, if u feel the need to feed catfood do it, nobody can stopyou but this is everybodys opinion, i think wed have you rather have you not ask if your going to do it anyways, just a thought.


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## carcharios (Jun 17, 2009)

To date, I feed my tegus the diet listed on the forum to the best of my abilities. I was just trying to determine why it is seen as wrong to feed these guys cat food. I think it's good that we challenge commonly held views here and there so that we can fully understand why we're doing the things we do. 

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## CaterpillarGiraffe (Jun 17, 2009)

Sure, Tegus in the wild feed on decomposing matter, dead animals, garbage, etc. I've been on vacation and seen them eating all sorts of things.
But it's like snakes being domesticated - A wild snake can eat wild mice and animals because it has grown accustom to dealing the the bacteria and unhealthy matter that could be in it.
If you fed your captive bred snake a wild mouse you caught outside, it could have parastites and those parasites will kill your captive bred snake.

With wild Tegus, they're used to being thrown french fries, chicken wings and pizza from vacation resorts, but there's more than unhealthyness in cat food, like bobby stated.

The dyes are unhealthy, preservatives are unhealthy, etc.

Cats also have digestive systems and intestines that are way larger and different than a Tegu.

Tegus digestive systems work much differently, and their bowels are smaller. Newspaper and ash that could be in cat food may not pass through a Tegu.

Also, feeding fresh fruits, meats and laboratory raised mice are much more healthy than a $2 can of cat food.


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## Jer723 (Jun 17, 2009)

> "Also, feeding fresh fruits, meats and laboratory raised mice are much more healthy than a $2 can of cat food.



(that was supposed to be a quote. lol)

i completely agree, i know this was up for discussion, and now i think youve stated it the best way possible, i agree 100 percent rainey.


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## VARNYARD (Jun 17, 2009)

Well I guess after you have been shown the truth about this poor garbage you are asking to feed, it only shows one thing, your tegu is not worth the very best.

Look out garbage cans, you are more than game as you hold the very best diet for a tegu for at least one keeper.

I am sorry, but I will not sugar coat my answer.


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## Jer723 (Jun 17, 2009)

i agree, the truth is and this is what i think, no matter what anyone thinks, none of us are tegu experts, and the internet isnt always right, but on here, we wouldnt lie to you carcharios just because we think ground turkey fruits and vedge are more appealing to us. we just want your tegu to be healthy and we are passing on our knowledge, and out of all the people on here id take bobbys word for it, hes one of the seldom tegu breeders and i think he knows what hes talking about, we just want whats best for your tegu man, i know you just wanted to ask a question but now its answered. lets not start any hard feelings on here over cat food.

Jerry


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## VenomVipe (Jun 17, 2009)

Cat food is so processed it is not good to feed to reptiles. It is specificaly or cats and not for tegus even though they may eat SIMILIAR foods. It is formulated just for cats and its not fust different meats because there is a lot more to it. Tegu food just doesnt come in a can.


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## crimsonrazac (Jun 17, 2009)

I don't really care for the "well in the wild they... ect ect" side of the debate.. they may do these things in the wild, but think of how many tegus die at early ages in the wild... or do they really eat all of these persevitives and ash in the wild? Do you want a healthy animal or not... its up to you. If you want a very healthy animal feed it the proper food and give it good conditions. I


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## Tux (Jun 17, 2009)

In the wild they don't eat garbage if they can easily find real food, the point is if you want the healthiest, happiest, longest living tegu you will feed a good diet not one that saves you literally a couple dollars a week at the detriment of the animal. Cat food has pretty high phosphorus levels and fat content (among other things), really it isn't even good for cats. 

As for decomposing flesh, wild tegu's will have stronger stomach acids than their CB counterparts not to mention I still don't believe a tegu would choose the decomposing animal over the non-decomposing one.


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## FoxxCola (Jun 17, 2009)

I generally go by the rule, "if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it's probably not good for you." (or your pets)

That being said, would you eat a can of cat food because you are similiar to a cat, as you both eat meat and vegtable matter? then because you eat similar things, cat food is probably a suitable main diet for you as well.

Sure, it is good that we challenge commonly held views here, but why would you want to change something that is obviously working and is allowing our tegus to live longer, happier, healthier lives? I would much rather spend the extra time preparing my tegus meals for the day, than feeding my tegu something that I am not even sure if it is good for them or if they can even digest it properly. Why throw unessissary variables like that into the equation?

But then again, I only want what is best for my tegu..


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## JohnMatthew (Jun 17, 2009)

Also, on average don't animals live about 1/2 as long in the wild as opposed to captive conditions? Some things you can provide better for your tegu in captivity than it'd get in the wild. You have access to vets for things such as purging parasites or surgeries and such, 100% of the time clean water source, and 100% of the time a good balanced diet.. Animals do what they have to in order to survive, that doesn't mean it's "best" for them :-D


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