Can puppies and kittens share food?

Oh, this is actually a really common mix-up in multi-pet households — buying one food for both the puppy and the kitten feels logical, but it can cause real problems for both animals. Puppy nutrition is one of the most important investments you'll make; the right food in the first year sets the foundation for long-term health, and the differences between puppy foods — and between species entirely — are more significant than most people realise. Before I point you in the right direction, can you tell me a bit more about your puppy? What breed are they, how old, and what food have you been buying for both of them?

Right, so here's the problem — kitten food is actually formulated to be extremely high in protein and fat because kittens have very specific metabolic needs, and it also contains taurine at levels cats require but dogs don't need supplemented in the same way. For an 8-month-old Goldendoodle, eating kitten food long-term means he's getting the wrong calcium-to-phosphorus ratio for bone development, too much of certain nutrients, and not enough of what a medium-to-large breed puppy actually needs at this stage. Goldendoodles are typically medium to large depending on the cross — is your boy more standard or miniature sized, and roughly how much does he weigh?

22kg at 8 months is pretty typical for a standard Goldendoodle — he's likely to end up somewhere around 25–30kg fully grown, so he's in large-breed puppy territory. That actually matters a lot when choosing food, because large-breed puppies need controlled calcium and phosphorus levels to support steady bone and joint growth. If calcium is too high, it can cause skeletal issues down the line. So you want a food specifically labelled for large-breed puppies, not just any puppy food. The one I'd point you to is Royal Canin Maxi Puppy — it's designed exactly for this: large-breed puppies from 2 months up to 15 months, with the right mineral balance for bone development, tailored protein levels, and it supports the joints too, which matters for Goldendoodles who can be prone to hip issues. It's widely available on Amazon UK, comes in 3kg or 10kg bags, and since you've already been using Royal Canin the transition should be easier on his stomach. Your kitten stays on her kitten food, your puppy gets what he actually needs — problem solved.

Definitely transition gradually — even though he's moving from one Royal Canin product to another, any diet change can upset a dog's stomach if done too fast. Do it over about 7 days: start with 75% kitten food and 25% Maxi Puppy for the first couple of days, then go 50/50 for a few days, then 75% Maxi Puppy and 25% kitten food, and by day 7 you're fully switched over. Watch his stools during the transition — if things get loose, slow it down a bit. At 8 months he's got about 4–5 months left in the puppy phase before you'd start moving him onto an adult food, so you'll get good use out of a 10kg bag.

Great choice — the 10kg will see you well through the rest of his puppy months. Once he hits around 12–15 months you can start transitioning him to a large-breed adult food. And no stress about the mix-up — you caught it at a good time and he'll be absolutely fine. Enjoy them both!