The biggest differences between dogs, cats and humans.
A pack animal versus a territorial and solitary creature
The dog is initially an animal that lives in a hierarchical pack. The relationship of equality does not exist in a flock, there is always a dominant part and a dominated part. It is true that today this relationship has weakened with the domestication of the dog by humans, although, from the beginning, the dog must have a very specific place in the family home. This behavior explains why the dog finds peace in his home, unlike the cat, which, in turn, finds peace in its territory. The cat, in fact, is a territorial and solitary being. After domestication, the cat had to learn to live with its congeners, which is more or less easy depending on the cats.
Some physiological differences.
The smell.
It is the most developed, with its 60-65 million olfactory cells. The smell is the first contact with food and therefore the cat will refuse to eat if the food does not smell good, or if the cat suffers from an altered smell due to one or more of them. Another reason (example: pathologies, old age, etc.). The sense of smell in dogs is more developed than that of humans, although it is less developed than that of cats. If your dog has a bad sense of smell, his appetite will decrease, but he will continue to eat.
taste.
For humans, taste is of great importance, unlike dogs and cats whose taste is difficult to develop.
That is why it is wrong to believe that cats and dogs need to change their diet regularly so that they do not get tired of their food. Not only do they not get tired, but a regular change is likely to affect their digestive system.
Chewing.
Dogs and cats do not chew like humans. In humans, chewing is long and digestion begins in the mouth with the digestive enzymes present in the saliva. In dogs, chewing is short, and cats, on the other hand, chew very little or not at all. Unlike humans, digestion in dogs and cats does not start in the mouth, because their saliva does not contain digestive enzymes. This short chewing facilitates the development of dental plaque, which settles faster in dogs and cats than in humans. For this reason, croquette foods promote chewing, thus stimulating the mechanical effect of brushing and delaying the development of tartar.
Number of meals per day.
While the cat eats several small portions during the day, the dog has an average of 2 meals a day which he eats quickly. The man, like him, eats an average of 3 meals a day, which he eats slowly.
Intestine and intestinal flora.
In proportion, the intestine is shorter in dogs and cats than in humans. That is why it is important to provide our little companions with highly digestible foods that will allow them to get the nutrients they need for good health and longevity.
If the taste is left behind by the smell, when dogs and cats choose their food, it is also important not to change the diet of dogs and cats at the risk of altering their intestinal flora and causing so-called transitional diarrhea. In fact, unlike humans, dogs and cats have a specific intestinal flora. Man, on the other hand, has a varied intestinal flora that allows him to eat different foods at every meal and every day. During a change of diet in dogs and cats, it is recommended to change the diet in a period of 7 to 10 days to avoid transient diarrhea.
nutrient differences:
The need for protein is greatest in cats, followed by dogs and eventually humans. Carbohydrates are lower in dogs and cats than in humans, as opposed to fats, which are more needed in dogs and cats than in humans.
