Vegetarian/vegan cats, dogs, etc..

[Shadowdrake]

During my time on the internet, I have run into these people who have made the decision to feed their cat, dogs and other carnivorous pets a vegetarian or even vegan diet. So since most similar discussions here are about such diets for humans, I thought a thread like this might be overdue.

I don't personally care too much about people who insist on making their cats or dogs do on such diets, to put it nicely. My own cats get the best food I have been able to find where I live, as well as samples of what I eat myself when it suits them.

What are your thoughts an oppinions on the matter though?

[+Sherapy]

Only a dog can be a vegetarian, not a cat a cat is naturally carnivorus

[Nxt2Hvn]

Interesting topic... I myself feel my pets pet food that does contain some kind of meat or meat product.

I do however, have a friend who is vegetarian.. and is not vegetarian because of health reasons.. but because he is such an animal lover... so his cats and dogs eat vegetarian pet foods.

I personally have not seen any here in Tennessee.. but I am sure you can purchase it at the big pet stores.. like Pet Smart and such...

He lives in Scotland and says it is very common over there.

I can imagine that it is expensive.... anyone here ever purchased vegetarian pet foods?

[crouton]

On the show, Animal Cops, on the Animal Planet channel, there was one episode that included a woman (who was, I think, mentally impaired and was not well off financially) who fed her cats a vegetarian diet, consisting, IIRC, of rice and vegetables. The result was that the cats went blind, because there is some kind of protein in meat that cats can't do without. And it is irreversible, meaning that even if the cats were to be fed a complete diet now, their eyesight would not return. While I don't know about dogs, I would imagine they too would suffer if put on a vegetarian diet. Anyway, cats need the meat.

[hyperactive]

correct, cats are carnivores and not only need meat as the core of their diet, but thrive on higher protien foods (compared to those cheap filler based petfoods sold in grocery stores).

Dogs on the other hand can live on a meat-free diet.

[TheOracle]

Great stuff !. No you are forcing your dietary choices onto your pets too. Well done, give yourself a pat on the back.

[robbieb]

WOW dogs dont need meat....... people look at nature u see a wolf eating a carrot noooooo. a dog is a wolf in fact a dog is a grey wolf infact a dog is a subspecies of grey wolf that has had its ancestory traced to three wolves in the middle east know as the three eves. one of these three female wolves dna in mitochondrial dna can be found in any dog around today. they eat meat there body is desigined to run off protein aswel. combustion is the process animals go threw peopel are set to run using carbs cats and dogs protein people can use protein to run but there is a problem they may in fact start to loose muscle mass if they only have protein becuae the body may start to eat ther muscles. dogs and cats are set to run on protein so if they only get carbs then they are more likely then not going to gain weight. tihnk aobut it people cats and wolves have bene around alot longer thne we have and they have been eating meat and thriving WHY cahnge it thre is not need its foolish.

[hyperactive]

Dogs have evolved from carnivorous meat eaters into omnivores capable of digesting both animal and plant nutrients. They are no longer the same as their close relatives, the wolves, who are strict carnivores living on meat alone. Although they may prefer meat-based foods dogs can survive on vegetable proteins as long as other nutrients are added. Good nutrition and a balanced diet are essential for your pet’s health

http://webpages.csus.edu/~sac57551/

yes robbie, dogs do not need meat. They can, and have been demonstrated to do well, on a meatless diet.

[novaceleste]

My cats love bananas and broccoli. I have thought about a vegan diet, but think they would probably dis-own me.

[robbieb]

didnt say it doenst happen just said its not natural i go for a natral aproach.

[+Sherapy]

didnt say it doenst happen just said its not natural i go for a natral aproach.

Robbie whats not natural?????

[Bone_Collector]

not a cat a cat is naturally carnivorus

Yes, and so are non-vegans

[robbieb]

Robbie whats not natural?????

refusing cats and dogs meat.

[Megalomania]

Taking it to your pets is going too far.

[hyperactive]

didnt say it doenst happen just said its not natural i go for a natral aproach.

what is "natural" for dogs robbie?

dogs tend to be scavengers. So the "take what they can get" approach justifies the poor quality petfoods available?

Do you support the raw foods diets for dogs?

I hope you don't classify the mainstream petfoods as natural.

Don't forget, the standards for animal food is lower than human food as well.

In the end, perhaps the natural approach is let your dog go scrounge up whatever it can find. Sounds natural for a scavenger. If it survives on it, it must be alright, right?

[+Sherapy]

what is "natural" for dogs robbie?

dogs tend to be scavengers. So the "take what they can get" approach justifies the poor quality petfoods available?

Do you support the raw foods diets for dogs?

I hope you don't classify the mainstream petfoods as natural.

Don't forget, the standards for animal food is lower than human food as well.

In the end, perhaps the natural approach is let your dog go scrounge up whatever it can find. Sounds natural for a scavenger. If it survives on it, it must be alright, right?

Its crap that they put in dog food and call it 'good' for them...a cat is carnivorous you have to feed em what they eat natuarlly....

I don'[t know of hte raw foods diet for pets Hyper ???what is it??? Why does health conjur up cruelty and celibacy to you Robbie ? If you don't mind mind asking.....

[robbieb]

healthy conjurs up cruelty with me what are u tlaking aobut sherri?

[The Skeptic Eric Raven]

Meat based food for my 2 dogs all the way.

[hyperactive]

I don'[t know of hte raw foods diet for pets Hyper ???what is it???

here is the first thing that came up on google:

http://www.outoftheearth.com/natdiet.htm

that gives an idea. I don't have dogs so I never looked into the diet beyond that it is about feeding dogs "real food" opposed to the processed, bonemeal filled foods found in the stores.

Even robbie should like it since it contains real meat.

[Michelle]

You're not advocating making a naturally carnivorous animal a vegan are you? Wouldn't that be the same as breeding cows or fish to eat corn? Edited June 9, 2006 by Michelle

[frogfish]

WOW, I never knew dogs can survive just of veggies....that's interesting.

or fish to eat corn?

Lol, fish don't eat corn!

[Michelle]

I know they don't, frog....

[hyperactive]

You're not advocating making a naturally carnivorous animal a vegan are you? Wouldn't that be the same as breeding cows or fish to eat corn?

was that directed at me?

if so, no. I don't advocate putting carnivores on plant-based diets.

I was merely pointing out dogs, being omnivores, can do quite well on a meatless diet.

[Michelle]

My dog will eat almost anything but olives, onions and pickles so you may be right. However, I won't deny him his favorite...which is meat.

[Celumnaz]

I never considered giving a cat only veggies. Why would that thought even cross someone's head?