We got yorkie mix puppy from the animal shelter a few years ago, and when I caught him snacking from the litter box, I did an internet search to find out why. I saved a summary of what I found. Of course some contradict what others say, but some of them are pretty funny:
Answers:
Dogs like to eat poop. That's really all there is to it. People find it disgusting, dogs find it delightful. Still most people want it to stop. Aside from the frightful breath that eating kitty poop must give, there does not seem to be any dire need for alarm on your part.
Not many people have the drive or the fortitude to devote their lives to
finding out why Rover eats kitty tootsie-rolls. It would seem though, from
what little is known about poop-gobbling, that there are a few reasons why
dogs (and other animals) see fit to nibble turds. Primarily, your dog is able
to smell this undigested food and eats the litter-bombs as a sort of
nutritional supplement, like a multi-vitamin. Try upgrading your dog's diet.
Dogs can't live on Twinkies and flat beer like humans can.
Kinda makes you think twice before letting your dog lick your face, doesn't it?
So, generally speaking, eating poop is not a sign that a dog is missing something in his diet.
Eating cat feces isn't good for your dog but it is more disgusting than harmful.
Dogs eat poop all the time. Mine raid the cat box. If dogs aren't eating poop,
they're smelling it, rolling in it, or carrying it around like a chew toy.
Cat poop is irresistible to most dogs, mine included. I tried a covered box
(didn't work).
Cats eat a very high protein diet, which smells and tastes wonderful to a dog.
Many dogs simply like the taste of poop. This obviously doesn't make sense to
dog owners but that's irrelevant. Some dog like to eat it and that's that.
It's warm, moist, and very much like what your dog was given as a very young puppy.
Are ya'll sure your dog actually eats the cat poop? My dog just brings it to
me, in an apparent attempt to get the cat in trouble. She doesnt seem to
understand that the "no pooping the house" rule applies only to herself,
and gets very upset when the cat uses the litterbox.
I've known other dogs that will roll around in cat poop (or any other foul
smelling ick they can find) in an attempt to get rid of the perfumed smell of
doggie shampoo.
Welcome to the wonderful world of dogs..They eat poop. Their own, the cat's, other dogs'. Not all of them, but certainly a lot of them.
Its perfectly normal.. Sometimes it means your dog isn't getting enough of
certain nutrients, but many times its just a bad habit that your dog picked
up. Kind of like smoking. Don't worry, it shouldn't hurt your dog, but it is
pretty gross. |