How bad is Cat Food?

[fsprm2]

Hi, how terrible is cat food for iguana's(Meow Mix)? I ask this because Vendrall has recently developed a taste for it - lately I've been catching him eating out of the cat's dish and he seems to really really like it because I'll push him away or even relocate him to another room and he just keeps coming back for the cat food - he even beat up the cat for it! And it's not like I'm starving him, I feed him twice a day and he never finishes off what I feed him there is constantly food in his bowl but he keeps going after the cat food.

[Patrick]

Cat Food is Bad! Pick up the Cat food when he is out and about Cat food will cause a early Death for your Guy! Someone will Be along with a longer Answer why it is bad!!!

Patrick

[prism_wolf]

I've come along!!

Igs often find the taste of cat food pretty tasty! It is, however, a road to a shortened life. What he's eaten may not have hurt him, but if he continues to eat it it can cause some serious kidney issues...such as failure. Cat food is very high in animal protein. It's made for carnivores, after all. An iguana's kidneys are not set up for the massive amount of animal proteins pumping through and with several years of continuous consumption will lead to renal failure from overworked organs. This can cut down a 20 year lifespan down to 5 if fed enough. Igs are meant to process plant proteins...not animal...:-)

[IguanaKing]

Yup, you definitely don't want to let him eat cat food. Cat food contains animal protein which is very bad for iguanas. But, you also don't need to be overly alarmed by this, a few accidental interactions between him and animal protein aren't going to do him permanent harm. Just make sure he's not provided with the opportunity to eat it. Hercules did the same thing with my cat's food. The cat was originally my brother's, and I babysat with him at my apartment while my brother was in Afghanistan. When my brother came home, the cat went back with him, and I still had the dish with dry food in it on my kitchen floor when I started letting Hercules free-roam again. I left him alone for only a few minutes, then came into the kitchen to find him chowing down on the cat food. I never even thought he'd be interested in it. I imagine its a lot like people eating things that are really bad for them...because they taste so good.

You probably already know this, but its probably not the best idea to have your iguana and cat interacting without supervision anyway. Just in case somebody gets angry with somebody else and decides to get nippy. Just put the cat food away during the times that they're allowed to play together.

[fsprm2]

Thanks a ton for the quick replies, everyone here is always so friendly and helpful