Cats are not small dogs. Learn how felines differ from dogs in diet, behavior, social needs, and health, and how pet parents can give them the best care.
“Cats are not small dogs” is a mantra we hear over and over again in vet school. It’s simple but true. Cats are a unique species and differ from dogs in many ways, including their diet, behavior, social preferences, basic needs, and common medical conditions. Treating cats like dogs, at home or at the vet, can have unintended consequences for their health and well-being. Here we will discuss some of the major differences between cats and dogs, and how pet parents can use this knowledge to care for their feline family members in the best way possible.
While dogs are omnivores, cats are obligate carnivores. This means that while both species use basic nutrients such as protein, fats, and carbohydrates, felines require specific nutrients naturally found in animal tissues to stay healthy.
It is never acceptable to feed a cat dog food as their regular diet. One of the best examples of why is taurine, an essential nutrient for cats. Before taurine requirements were fully understood, many cats developed serious health problems, such as retinal degeneration and a heart condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy, as a result of eating diets that did not meet their nutritional needs. Today, complete and balanced cat foods are designed with these unique requirements in mind, including appropriate amounts of taurine, vitamin A, arachidonic acid, niacin, and the higher protein and amino acid levels cats need to thrive.
While many types of cat food are available, cats often do well on a higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate diet. Cats also evolved to obtain much of their water from their food, so feeding wet food can help increase their overall moisture intake. When choosing an appropriate diet for your cat, look for an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement indicating that the food is complete and balanced and appropriate for your cat’s life stage. WSAVA pet food selection guidelines also recommend looking for a pet food company that employs board-certified veterinary nutritionists and undergoes rigorous quality control measures and feeding trials.
Interestingly, the meow we often associate with cats is a vocalization primarily used to communicate with humans. Cats may meow to communicate their needs, whether it’s food, play, or social interaction. Increased vocalization can also be a sign of pain or illness, and should be brought to your vet’s attention if it is new, persistent, or accompanied by other symptoms.
Purring, another quintessential feline vocalization, often occurs when a cat feels safe and relaxed. However, this signal is notoriously hard to read because cats may also purr when they are anxious, frightened, frustrated, or in pain, so purring should always be interpreted in context.
Cats communicate with each other in a variety of ways, including body language and scent marking. When a cat rubs their face against something or scratches with their claws, they release pheromone markers from scent glands, leaving signals for themselves and other felines. While dogs often broadcast their emotions, feline body language can range from the obvious (puffed-up tail, flat ears, and hunched posture in a frightened cat) to the subtle (a gentle slow blink of the eyes to indicate contentment and relaxation). Getting to know your cat’s body language is a key part of being a responsible cat owner, especially as changes may be an early sign that something is off. Many common feline behavior concerns, such as urinating outside the litter box, scratching furniture, hiding, or avoiding social interactions, are not signs of spite but often reflect stress, unmet environmental needs, pain, or an underlying medical problem.
Cats do not have the same social structures as dogs, nor do they have the long history of working alongside humans. Free-ranging domestic cats are solitary hunters yet often live in colonies around available resources, especially groups of related females in which they groom one another, rest together, and even help care for kittens. In the home, a pet parent can become one of a cat’s most important social partners by providing a positive, reliable presence in their daily life. Research suggests that many cats form strong bonds with their caregivers, using them as a source of safety, comfort, and reassurance. To best support your cat, let them guide your interactions and don’t force physical touch that they aren’t comfortable with.
While cats may not require the same type of day-to-day commitment as dogs, they are far from low-maintenance pets. In fact, one of the most important parts of responsible cat ownership is investing time to make your home feline-friendly. This includes providing essential resources such as food, fresh water, clean litter boxes, scratching surfaces, hiding places, comfortable resting areas, and opportunities for play, mental stimulation, and physical exercise. Because many cats feel safest when they can observe their surroundings from above, vertical spaces such as cat trees, shelves, or window perches will often be appreciated. In multi-cat households especially, resources should be spread throughout the home and plentiful enough to reduce competition and stress.
Cats and dogs develop many of the same broad categories of disease, including dental disease, obesity, arthritis, skin disease, and gastrointestinal upset. However, certain medical conditions are especially common in cats, particularly as they age. Chronic kidney disease, for example, has been reported to affect up to 40% of cats over the age of 10 and up to 80% of cats over the age of 15. Other common conditions include hyperthyroidism, diabetes, lower urinary tract disease, and chronic gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal lymphoma.
It’s also important to remember that ill cats may present differently than dogs. Diseases can be easy to miss because cats often hide illness or show only subtle changes until the disease is advanced. Symptoms to watch for include weight loss, increased thirst, vomiting, and changes in appetite, vocalization, energy level, social behavior, or litter box habits. Additionally, certain behaviors that are normal in dogs can be highly concerning in cats, such as panting or open-mouth breathing.
If a cat is diagnosed with a medical condition, pet parents may be required to give them medication at home. While some cats will take medication in a treat such as Churu or a pill pocket, others are notoriously difficult to medicate, and doing so long-term can have significant effects on the human-animal bond as well as their quality of life. Your veterinarian can help identify the least stressful effective option, such as having the medication compounded into a flavored liquid, mini melt, or in some cases, a transdermal formulation for absorption through the skin.
Despite needing regular preventive care, cats are less likely than dogs to see a veterinarian. The 2025 AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook reported that only 59.4% of cat owners had brought their cat to a veterinarian in the past year, compared with 74.8% of dog owners. Other data show that cat owners are more likely than dog owners to seek veterinary care only in emergencies or not at all. This gap may be partly because cats often hide signs of illness so well, many owners perceive indoor cats as low-risk or low-maintenance, and the process of getting a cat into a carrier and to the clinic can be stressful for both cats and their people.
Despite this, cats need many of the same preventive care measures as dogs, with some unique differences. Both species need routine wellness exams, vaccines, parasite prevention, dental care, weight management, and age-appropriate diagnostic screening tests. Cats, however, require different vaccines and screening diagnostics (for example, FIV/FeLV testing in kittens and outdoor cats). Parasite prevention must also be chosen carefully, because some flea and tick products formulated for dogs, especially those containing permethrin or other pyrethroids, can be highly toxic to cats.
Caring for cats means not only protecting them from disease, but also making veterinary care less stressful and more accessible.
A feline-friendly clinic is a veterinary practice that takes cats’ unique needs seriously. These clinics use gentle handling techniques, distraction and positive reinforcement with tasty treats, and cat-appropriate equipment. The clinics are often designed to reduce stress, with quieter waiting areas, separate entrances for dogs and cats, thoughtful exam-room setups, and staff trained in feline behavior. Pet parents can look for a Cat Friendly Practice® through FelineVMA/Cat Friendly Homes. Even if a clinic does not have a formal designation, asking how they accommodate nervous cats can help pet parents find a team that will make veterinary visits safer and less stressful.
If you’ve ever tried to get your cat ready for a vet appointment only to have them run and hide at the first sight of the carrier, you are not alone. One of my favorite tips for cat parents is to leave the carrier out and accessible at all times. Offering your cat treats in the carrier and making it a part of their normal environment can help create a positive association. During vet visits, using a pheromone spray such as Feliway, covering the carrier with a light blanket, and placing it on an elevated surface can also help your cat feel more comfortable.
Prescribing medication for cat parents to give at home a few hours prior to the vet visit is becoming increasingly common. One of the most frequently used medications for this purpose is gabapentin. This medication can help provide mild sedation, reduce anxiety and aggression, increase patient compliance, and make the vet visit easier and less stressful for all involved.
Cats are not better or worse than dogs; they are simply different. When pet parents understand feline nutrition, behavior, environmental needs, subtle signs of illness, and the importance of preventive veterinary care, they can create a home and healthcare routine that truly supports their cat’s well-being. By caring for cats as cats, rather than treating them as small dogs, we can help them feel safer, stay healthier, and thrive as the unique companions they are.
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https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/feline-veterinary-visits-092825/?utm
https://catfriendly.com/find-a-veterinary-professional/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29099247/
https://www.vettimes.com/news/vets/international/avma-issues-cat-owner-call-2
