Final answer:
Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements; dogs are omnivores while cats are obligate carnivores needing specific nutrients like taurine. They belong to the same taxonomic group up to the Order Carnivora but have different Family classifications, leading to these distinct dietary needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that dogs and cats have the same nutritional requirements and can be fed with either dog or cat food interchangeably is false. While dogs and cats belong to the same Order, Carnivora, their dietary needs differ significantly. Cats are obligate carnivores and require specific nutrients found only in animal flesh, such as taurine, while dogs are omnivores and can have a more varied diet. Feeding cat food to a dog could provide an excess of protein and fats which can lead to health issues. Conversely, feeding a cat dog food could lead to a deficiency in essential nutrients it must derive from meat, resulting in serious health problems.
At what levels are cats and dogs considered to be part of the same group? Cats and dogs are in the same group beginning with the Domain level and including sublevels such as Kingdom, Phylum, Class, and Order (Carnivora), but they diverge at the Family level into Felidae (cats) and Canidae (dogs), which leads to their different nutritional requirements.