"Give me meat or give me death!" Well, not necessarily, say some. Cats are natural carnivores and they need certain nutrients that can't be obtained through plant-based foods. But some pet food and supplement makers say they have that problem solved -- and that it is even healthier for cats than conventional meat-based pet foods.
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Dear EarthTalk: I don’t eat meat, for a variety of ethical and environmental reasons, and I’d rather not feed it to my cat, either. Do cats have to be carnivores?
-- John McManus, Needham, MA
Unlike dogs and other omnivores, cats are true (so-called “obligate”) carnivores: They meet their nutritional needs by consuming other animals and have a higher protein requirement than many other mammals. Cats get certain key nutrients from meat—including taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A and vitamin B12—that can’t be sufficiently obtained from plant-based foods. Without a steady supply of these nutrients, cats can suffer from liver and heart problems, not to mention skin irritation and hearing loss.
As such, a cat’s ideal diet is made up mainly of protein and fats derived from small prey such as rodents, birds and small reptiles and amphibians. Some cats munch on grass or other plants, but most biologists agree that such roughage serves only as a digestive aid and provides limited if any nutritional value.
Of course, providing your domestic cat with a steady stream of its preferred prey is hardly convenient or humane—and cats can wreak havoc on local wildlife populations if left to forage on their own. So we fill them up on dry “kibble,” which combines animal products with vegetable-based starches, and meat-based canned “wet” foods, many containing parts of animals cats would likely never encounter, much less hunt and kill, in a purely natural situation. Most cats adapt to such diets, but it is far from ideal nutritionally.
Veterinarian Marla McGeorge, a cat specialist at Portland, Oregon’s Best Friends Veterinary Medical Center, argues that the problem with forcing your cat to be vegetarian or vegan is that such diets fail to provide the amino acids needed for proper feline health and are too high in carbohydrates that felines have not evolved to be able to process. As to those powder-based supplements intended to bridge the nutritional gap, McGeorge says that such formulations may not be as easily absorbed by cats’ bodies as the real thing.
Some would vehemently disagree. Evolution Diet, makers of completely vegetarian foods for cats, dogs and ferrets, says that its meatless offerings, on the market for 15 years, are healthy and nutritious, and, if anything, have extended the lives of many a feline and canine, even reversed chronic health problems. Claiming that most mainstream pet foods contain artery-clogging animal fat, diseased tissue, steroid growth hormones and antibiotics no less harmful to pets than to humans, its website posts testimonials from loyal customers who claim happy and long-lasting pets who look forward to their meals.
And Harbingers of a New Age, which makes “Vegecat” kibble and supplements that provide cats with nutrients otherwise only found in meat, says that its products allow owners to “prepare food in your own kitchen, choosing recipes that fit your lifestyle.”
The vegetarian pet debate is a contentious one among vegetarian pet owners and veterinarians and is one not likely to go away anytime soon. The best approach may well be to give some of the non-meat supplements and/or foods a try. If your cat won’t eat them, or does not do well on them—take kitty to a veterinarian for a check-up to see—you can always go back to what you were feeding her before.
CONTACTS: Best Friends Veterinary Medical Center, www.bestfriendsdvm.com; Evolution Diet, www.petfoodshop.com; Harbingers of a New Age, www.vegepet.com.
EarthTalk is produced by E/The Environmental Magazine. SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk is now a book! Details and ordering information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.
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44 Comments
Add CommentCan you say "anthropomorphic"? Why not just leave it to Nature, and give the damn cat what it wants, which is something bloody and dead? It's so odd that vegans/vegetarians invariably equate non-animal food sources as some sort of penultimate launching pad towards spiritual purity. Visit an African savanna sometime, and you'll get a visceral exposure to Nature's diverse ways of ensuring the survival of a wide range of species. Meanwhile, pass the A-1.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI couldn't agree more. Please, if you find a vegetarian diet and lifestyle fulfilling, embrace it. Do not force your beliefs on a different species who is biologically not geared the same as a human, and cannot speak for itself.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"... Why not just leave it to Nature.... ... Do not force your beliefs on a different species...."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThese are silly arguments, particularly when applied to a domestic pet, which is often kept indoors, fed human-prepared food, and pampered with medical care beyond the reach of many in the Third World.
If we just left "it" to "Nature," we wouldn't need science, or health care, or any of the other benefits of the modern world.
I would be more interested in seeing objective information about something like the above-mentioned Evolution Diet, particularly to see, if it really offers the benefits it claims. If it doesn't work, we'd know, if it works, then it may be a good alternative for many.
Since the name calling has begun, let's introduce the term "hubris" into the conversation. What's a great deal more than "silly" is humanities worship of its own little wheels and gears. The achievements of science are many. So are its follies. I look into my cat's mouths, and I see incisors that were designed to slice and dice flesh. I trust the original design more than the concoction of some corporate "scientist" who answers to his boss and/or stockholders, and not my cats.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"...I see incisors that were designed to slice and dice flesh...."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Designed?" By Zeus?
Kind of like looking at some big guys hands, and saying they were "designed" to crush people from other tribes.
Or looking at your appendix and deciding, that you are designed to munch or tough tree-leafs.
I am really not sure what logical resistance anyone sane might have, to exploring a diet which MAY BE healthier?
If it's better, great, we have a healthier cat. If it's not, we continue with what we feed today.
If it has been shown that cats can live as long or longer and as healthy or healthier with vegan cat food than with normal meat-based cat food, I would think most people would want to serve their kitties the vegan cat food. That seems rational to me.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo the cats like it? It seems that they do, from what I gather. But keep in mind that their tastes are acquired from a very early age just like our own tastes in food. They will reject any food that's different from what they've been eating (at least for a while). So it might be best to start with the vegan cat food from day one rather than waiting to try it. Just make sure it's from a reputable manufacturer and has all the nutrients they need.
I really don't understand the hostility in this discussion.
The site discussed above has NO clinical evidence of their claims. Anytime the main "evidence" for a product's efficacy is testimonials, everybody's woo detector should light up.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow does this veggie food provide the necessary meat-based nutrients cats need? Again, no explanation.
Cats need meat. Period. Unless somebody comes up with a clinically-tested substitute that shows at least even benefits with a cat's natural diet, I call shennanigans.
Just look at the feline digestive system. Like stated before, it's teeth are sharp and pointed evolved for killing unlike a cows teeth which are flat and rigid used to mash grass. Cats intestinal track is shortened with only having the ability to process meats and animal proteins, not meant to process grains or vegetables unlike a cows 4 part compartmental stomach. Another clear indicator of a predator is its developed claws or its agility and speed all of which a cat has. For one who would seem to care about animals so much, I would considerate abuse to deny an animal what it has evolved to eat.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYes they have sharp teeth and short intestines. Does that mean they can only eat meat? No. It means they can do well eating meat. Does it mean that they can not do well eating vegetarian food that has all of the nutrients they need to live? The answer appears to be no.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAccording to people who serve their cats vegetarian cat food, we're hearing that they're not only able to live on it, they live as long or longer on it. Which kind of refutes anyone who uses arguments about teeth, intestines, and other biological observations.
But like others here, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is scientifically proven yet. We have anecdotal evidence and probably some initial studies out there. More research needs to be done.
However, like some have pointed out, if you're inclined to feed your cat vegan cat food, just have the cat checked out by a vet regularly to make sure it's not having problems with the food. If there are problems, switch to non-vegan cat food.
For all others out there that aren't so inclined, it would be reasonable to wait and see what the science eventually says. If it does turn out that cats live longer and healthier on vegan cat food, I would hope you would change your cat food to vegan cat food at that point. Why not?
Always gotta change and meddle with everything.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you're a vegan, do it because it's the healthier of all possible diets ...FOR HUMANS. Like animals? Fine, do it because you don't want to be mean to animals. But then don't turn around and force a cat to eat nothing but veggies! It's just as cruel as forcing a human to eat nothing but meat.
Kitties are supposed to have claws, and run fast, and kill rodents. It keeps the kittehs strong and fit, keeps em hungry, keeps em fed with the nutrition they need, and keeps the rodent population from spiraling out of control and disease from spreading.
But now we've decided cats eat mushed vegetable pellets, have their claws removed, their reproductive organs ripped out, rendering them useless little meatbags, which are kept indoors where they get no exercise, and sit around in the sun, go deaf and die of cancer. Meanwhile, when cats are spotted in the wild, they are shot.
People are smart. If you're so concerned with animal ethics, then you should just let animals be.
....how cats have kept any vestiges at all of their ancestors is frankly amazing, considering what we did to Dogs, Cows, and Horses over the millennia.
I'm an atheist and have been a vegetarian for over 20 years, so it's not "invariable" that vegetarianism is associated with spiritual purity. Yes, it's a common sentiment, but please don't assume that all vegetarians feel that way.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI trust the advice of a vet far more than that of a vegetarian pet food manufacturer, so I would never risk my pets' health feeding them a diet that may not be sufficient for them. Regarding Evolution Diet's claim that pet foods contain artery-clogging fats, well -- cats are better equipped to deal with such fats than humans are.
And to those who are recommending putting your pets on a vegetarian diet and seeing how it goes, bear in mind that there could be long-term health issues that don't show up for years, even though you think your pet is healthy in the meantime.
Finally, I think this headline is really misleading. They talked to one vet and two pet food manufacturers and concluded that "some cats don't need meat?" That's not what I get from this at all.
Cats are obligate carnivores. Why try to change them over to vetetarianism, which would be alien and unhealthy. Maybe vegetarians would do better to keep pet rabbits, which are naturally vegetarian, though they're not really as much fun as cats.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCats are obligate carnivores and not suited to vegetarianism. Compelling them to consume a vegetarian diet would have bad health consequences. If a vegetarian can't stand having a carnivorous pet like a cat, he or she might consider a nice rabbit. Rabbits, of course, don't purr, and they're a lot less fun than cats in many ways.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI've been around dogs and cats all my life and I know a lot about them. I once met a young woman at my sister's house who had a small dog, some toy breed, I don't recall which. The dog looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old with bad teeth and many health problems. Being an animal lover I asked her about her dog and whether she'd had it since it was a pup and she was a little girl. She laughed and said the dog was only five years old. Turned out she was a Vegan and raised the poor dog that way too. I called the local humane society and reported her for animal abuse. I don't know what the outcome was but I hope she lost the animal and was fined heavily. That was a dog. Imagine the effect of a vegetarian diet on a cat. Some people are simply too stupid to be believed.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAw, Heck. I'll just feed my cat whatever makes him whine and complain the least, as long as it's healthy.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut I let them outside often enough that if they want to supplement their diet with the occasional chipmunk, rat, robin, squirrel, or hawk (My cat was in fact stupid enough to go after a hawk once), they can.
Most of the people who feed their cats vegan food would never DREAM of getting their cats declawed, which is extremely cruel to do to a cat. Those who are interested in getting cats declawed usually do so because they find the cats' clawing to be annoying, or for some other selfish reason. Those who would want their cats to be on vegan food are trying to keep from harming ANY animals. I, myself, am a vegan, and while I agree that the debate of whether cats can or can't survive without meat is dicey, I also agree that if it's possible to do in a healthy way...then we should do it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMost of the people who feed their cats vegan food would never DREAM of getting their cats declawed, which is extremely cruel to do to a cat. Those who are interested in getting cats declawed usually do so because they find the cats' clawing to be annoying, or for some other selfish reason. Those who would want their cats to be on vegan food are trying to keep from harming ANY animals. I, myself, am a vegan, and while I agree that the debate of whether cats can or can't survive without meat is dicey, I also agree that if it's possible to do in a healthy way...then we should do it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMost of the people who feed their cats vegan food would never DREAM of getting their cats declawed, which is extremely cruel to do to a cat. Those who are interested in getting cats declawed usually do so because they find the cats' clawing to be annoying, or for some other selfish reason. Those who would want their cats to be on vegan food are trying to keep from harming ANY animals. I, myself, am a vegan, and while I agree that the debate of whether cats can or can't survive without meat is dicey, I also agree that if it's possible to do in a healthy way...then we should do it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMost of the people who feed their cats vegan food would never DREAM of getting their cats declawed, which is extremely cruel to do to a cat. Those who are interested in getting cats declawed usually do so because they find the cats' clawing to be annoying, or for some other selfish reason. Those who would want their cats to be on vegan food are trying to keep from harming ANY animals. I, myself, am a vegan, and while I agree that the debate of whether cats can or can't survive without meat is dicey, I also agree that if it's possible to do in a healthy way...then we should do it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHealthy healthy healthy, throw everything on the alter of health and forget about anything else. Personally, I'll do healthy things in moderation and enjoy the wonderful things life has to offer. Vegan may be healthy (debateable since you have to take so many suppliments to make the diet work) but lacks the enjoyment of a thick savory steak. The pure joy of the taste of well cooked baked potato heaped with sour cream, cheese and bacon. You guys go right on ahead and live five more minutes than me. I'll die happy and not having missed something so enjoyable.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCats (and dogs ftm) have been domesticated for thousands of years. Apart from the limited usefulness of farm cats keeping down rodents, and some working dogs, their main purpose is as companions to humans. It makes no more sense to talk of their 'natural instincts' than it does to suggest humans should live in small tribal groups in the savannah. When we introduce a cat, freshly to a neighbourhood, the local shrew, vole and field mouse population is decimated, not to mention the bird life. We should do what the Australians do, keep cats in at night to protect the indegenous wild life. Feeding them a vegetarian diet can only help, especially if they learn to prefer it - it must be better than innards of dartmoor pony and indescribably parts of fish.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlthough cats and dogs have been domestic for thousands of years, selection for carnivory has occurred over tens of MILLIONS of years (the carnivoran fossil record dates back to the Late Paleocene/Early Eocene). While you've made it clear that their only purpose to you is for your own pleasure at keeping them as companions (which I find to be an utterly selfish point of view), to completely ignore their natural instincts is just cruel. Although human habitats and interactions have evolved over the hundreds of thousands of years of the existence of our species, many of our physical traits, as well as behaviors, stem from the early evolution of ancestral Homo sapiens and even earlier anthropoid primates. Current research is showing that dietary changes in modern humans may be responsible for some common human ailments (e.g. pasteurization has likely led to changes in the bacterial ecology of our guts, and may be causing increased incidence of things like acid reflux, Crohn's disease, etc.). It seems extremely likely that attempting to feed an obligate carnivore a vegetarian diet is potentially very harmful to the animal. It may be possible, but I am not willing to take that risk with my cats (who are kept indoors and pose no threat to local wildlife - save the one poor mouse that mistakenly found a way inside and subsequently lost its head). It seems that domestic pets are very happy to be a part of a home, but are happiest in that home when their human cohabitants understand and respect their nature and instincts rather than anthropomorphizing their behaviors and forcing human values on them. As an earlier poster commented, if you are uncomfortable with carnivory then get a rabbit.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this@SteveInAustin:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou are lying... I just looked online -- I was curious about who was conducting any definitive studies involving vegan vs. meat based diets for cats; and what the results & control arrangements were, for starters --
turns out there are/have been *NO* clinical studies, and absolutely *NO* testing lasting more than 120 days what-so-ever. Nothing, as of june '09 anyways. (Blame your friends in PETA for that, I guess)
Cats could *survive* on grass, twigs and water for 120 days (probably)...so could YOU for that matter. It would NOT result in "longer life spans" or any better health in the long run...for the cat or for you!
To say that forcing a cat to live a vegan lifestyle is unnatural, goes without saying. To say that "Research and or studies show..." without having read one, or obviously not even looking to see if there was one makes one a f**king liar. This is no big deal to a vegan -- you'd rather look like gaunt scare crows & circus freaks than admit you are wrong...but that is your choice.
What makes me mad, is you get some lonely person who is trying to maximize thier cat's lifespan, and they stumble upon someone like you, who lies to them -- and you don't even care! Look: if it works out that studies do eventually show vegan lifestyles benefit cats, than "woohoo", I'll feed my cat whatever works best. But to sit here and throw crap out there...geeez...
(and please SPARE ME your bogus links to some peta website with some quack doctor who will say anything for $50k a year from PETA donations)
What happens if it turns out (with proper research) that vegan lifestyles for cats actually shortens the lifespan of our feline friends considerably? Forcing a cat, dog, or any creature to eat food 'ab-invito' , is not nice -- in fact it is inhumane.
Would you like some "Advanced" species from outside the solar system force feeding you rock-salt, b/c on THIER planet, there a group of whackos who have decided it's politically correct to eat only rock salt?
Why not give the cat a choice between making a break for it -- and eating grass/twigs/whatever's in vegan cat food... I give you 10-1 odds the cat is out the door before you can finish your first 'cat'echlysm on how meat is so awful.
May you be eaten alive by a horde of hungry runaway formerly vegan tomcats ;)
Let's lighten the mood people! Here's my stab at it:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Vegetarians don't actually live longer, it just probably feels like it"
Never, ever, eat a salad made by a vegetarian from whom you didn't see empty out thier lawnmower clippings...
"If cows knew how to open a bottle of A-1 they'd be carnivores too! "
Grass: Smoke it, don't eat it!
"If it has been shown that cats can live as long or longer and as healthy or healthier with vegan cat food than with normal meat-based cat food, I would think most people would want to serve their kitties the vegan cat food. That seems rational to me."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt would be rational...if it were true. Since there's not a shred of evidence of that concept, and it flies in the face of all of the evidence that domestic cats, being obligate carnivores, require a non-vegan diet it ceases to be rational. To fight to have a non-thinking animal adopt a "thinking" diet just because you want a non-moralistic animal adopt some kind of morals...is the irrational argument. Let's see some actual, repeatable, refutable, scientifically gathered evidence that it's better that a cat be on a vegan diet and we'll discuss it. Otherwise, feed your cat what it NEEDS, not what you WANT.
"Do the cats like it? It seems that they do, from what I gather"
Cats also highly enjoy drinking antifreeze. Should we switch them to an all antifreeze diet as well?
"I really don't understand the hostility in this discussion."
Because most people who read this site do so for scientific news, but there's a small minority of dimwits who insist on spreading their own agendas with every article. These people use pseudoscience and extremely flawed logic (such as the examples in your comment) to advance these agendas and get pissy when we request they back their claims with REAL evidence and data. "My cat seems to like it" is an anecdote, not data. If you want to spread your opinion, get a blog. If you want to advance a discussion scientifically...bring evidence or shut up.
"But now we've decided cats eat mushed vegetable pellets, have their claws removed, their reproductive organs ripped out, rendering them useless little meatbags, which are kept indoors where they get no exercise, and sit around in the sun, go deaf and die of cancer."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere are so many things wrong with this statement. Domestic cats today do best in an indoor environment, and the environment does best with them there, too. "Letting them be" by allowing them to roam outside unsterilized devastates the local wildlife populations and is the reason we have so many unwanted animals euthanized in shelters every year. Outdoor cats live, on average, about half as long as indoor cats because of disease, cars, and other animals.
Neutering does not involve having "their reproductive organs ripped out" any more than a heart transplant involves ripping out a heart. They are straight forward surgical procedures that are constantly being improved to reduce the discomfort to the animal. Having an animal sterilized reduces the risk of certain kinds of cancer, as well as the complications that can come with pregnancy and birth, and it saves the lives of shelter animals by controlling overpopulation.
I'm also not sure how neutering renders an animal a "useless little meatbag"...maybe you would like to try out this comparison on the millions of women who have had life saving hysterectomies? Are they, too, "useless meatbags"? Domesticated cats provide priceless companionship for humans and one another, regardless of how many reproductive organs they have. A well kept indoor cat will get plenty of exercise by interacting with its family and its environment. I have no idea what you mean about them going deaf, and cancer is unfortunately a frequent side effect of a long life...feral cats may have lower cancer rates, but that would be because they are usually killed by something else first.
While I will leave the veggie debate to others (I personally feed the food recommended by my vet, full of animal protein and vegetable nutrients), the idea that we should simply let a domestic animal be is ludicrous. They have specifically developed to live alongside humans, and depend on us for proper care. We have brought them to ecosystems that are not adapted to their predatory skills, and it is irresponsible to "let them be" and allow them to die young while destroying ecosystems. Neuter your cat, keep them indoors, and take the best care of them you can!
i thought it was made with synthesized versions of the necessary amino acids...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisbut, sure, there should be clinical trials, even if just a study of pets monitored by vets.
do any meat-based commercial pet foods have clinical trials to substantiate the claims regarding the health of their products?
there could be a nationwide study comparing the health of pets on various types of diets... all it would require would be the participation of vets and pet people...
veganism is also healthier for the planet at large. this choice is not only about the impact on a given individual...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"do any meat-based commercial pet foods have clinical trials to substantiate the claims regarding the health of their products?"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo, not as such. But, in all fairness, they're not radically changing their food to a substance which is not proven to provide the animal with what it needs to survive, either. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they MUST eat meat. Period. If you have two different meat-based products, one claiming it's healthier, certainly it should have some kind of trials to prove that, but I believe most people would just assume it's "advertising" and not put much stock in the claims. They'll buy whatever's cheapest.
"veganism is also healthier for the planet at large"
Do you have some evidence to back that claim up? And, even if you did, that still doesn't change the fact that a) there's no proof that veganism is healthier for the individuals or b) obligate carnivores can't just decide they're not going to be carnivores anymore.
I agree with the comments regarding adding some calm and reason to this discussion.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThrough all the vitriol, I haven't seen anyone question what we mean when we say cats are obligate carnivores. Doesn't it mean that some scientist decided they must eat meat? So really, the argument being made by so many here is that cats have to eat meat because scientists believe they have to eat meat. It's circular reasoning and begs the real question of whether cats have to eat meat. Now, the "obligate carnivore" assertion was of course based on scientific observations, but science is really good at reconsidering when new facts come along.
If there are cats that do well without eating meat (and there seem to be thousands of them anecdotally, though we don't seem to have any scientific proof yet), perhaps we should be looking into that with reasonable, open minds, instead of insisting that cats could not possibly live on anything in the universe but meat just because cats in the wild eat meat.
I haven't read anything here that proves to me that cats could not ever be healthy on a supplemented vegan diet of some sort. Someone's neighbor's sister's cat not looking too good isn't proof!
I agree with the comments regarding adding some calm and reason to this discussion.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThrough all the vitriol, I haven't seen anyone question what we mean when we say cats are obligate carnivores. Doesn't it mean that some scientist decided they must eat meat? So really, the argument being made by so many here is that cats have to eat meat because scientists believe they have to eat meat. It's circular reasoning and begs the real question of whether cats have to eat meat. Now, the "obligate carnivore" assertion was of course based on scientific observations, but science is really good at reconsidering when new facts come along.
If there are cats that do well without eating meat (and there seem to be thousands of them anecdotally, though we don't seem to have any scientific proof yet), perhaps we should be looking into that with reasonable, open minds, instead of insisting that cats could not possibly live on anything in the universe but meat just because cats in the wild eat meat.
I haven't read anything here that proves to me that cats could not ever be healthy on a supplemented vegan diet of some sort. Maybe that diet has not been invented yet, but foaming at the mouth that it never could is kind of unreasonable.
"veganism is also healthier for the planet at large"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDo you have some evidence to back that claim up?
I think this can be easily proven, by reading Lappe "Diet for a Small Planet" or simply consider the cattle industries impact on Global Climate change (deforestation + methane). Watch the documentary "The Corporation" and you will understand the issues around rBGH / rBST .
I wish someone with experience would have posted, I am changing my cats diets because one of them was ballooning up on kibbles. So I am switching to frozen free-range raw meat, as well as canned sardines (in water w no salt). Apparently canned mackerel is too high in Mercury, although I believe canned Salmon is ok.
I am adding cooked sweet potatoes, broccoli, and kidney beans, which I mash up with the sardines, or serve to cats as a treat w some nutritional yeast on it.
The cost is about the same in the end, because of the added veges (I buy organic), because I cook everything myself, and because what I bought before was a very expensive kibble.
I think the quality of the food is better, and I know exactly what they are getting. One the new diet They get plenty of Vitamin A (sweet potatoes) and B12 (nutritional yeast). They also get plenty of animal protein.
Bottom line, they seem happier, they are more active, and the big girl has shed a little of her overweightness, while the skinny girl seems to be strengthening up. It has only been a month on the new food. The only downside is that it is more work, but I enjoy it and I prefer to give my cats the best I can do. I am home a lot and will continue to watch how they respond. They are indoor cats only (big city, no back yard).
Compared by weight they get about 1/2 in meat, and 1/2 in veges each day.
This is an extremely poor quality article. I can't believe it was published in a forum titled 'Scientific American'. It gives the (mis)impression that there is a genuine controversy between parties with equally credible scientific evidence. There is NOT.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI am only aware of a very, VERY few veterinarians (outliers) who suggest that this is reasonable to even try, let alone a good idea. And I am not aware of any boarded veterinary nutritionists who recommend it.
That's not to say that it would be impossible to do correctly (with the addition of synthetic vitamins and minerals), but I am also unaware of any large scales trials documenting that it has ever been done safely. Anecdotal reports (especially in the form of comments on manufacturer's websites) should be interpreted with appropriate skepticism. Conversely, there is strong evidence (controlled trials) documenting the SERIOUS and sometimes IRREPARABLE harm that can result when cats are denied necessary micronutrients found in animal flesh (can synthetic versions be added to the same effect? we're not sure yet).
The following if the pubmed reference for an article documents the nutritional INadequacy of random samples of two commercial vegan diets.
Nutritional adequacy of two vegan diets for cats.
Gray CM, Sellon RK, Freeman LM.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004 Dec 1;225(11):1670-5. No abstract available. PMID: 15626215 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
In light of this, the authors statement that "The best approach may well be to give some of the non-meat supplements and/or foods a try. If your cat wont eat them, or does not do well on themtake kitty to a veterinarian for a check-up to seeyou can always go back to what you were feeding her before" is irresponsible. If your cat suffers irreparable harm - blindness from central retinal degeneration or sudden death from dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to taurine deficiency (this type of DCM is reversible IF caught early) - how will you feel?
But don't take it from me. Talk to your vet (especially BEFORE trying a vegetarian or vegan diet) or contact a boarded veterinary nutritionist. There is a list of boarded nutritionists at www.acvn.org.
If cats are able to adapt to eating a vegan diet, then it would be stubbornly sadistic to insist they eat once-living creatures just because they've got the teeth, the claws, etc.. I have very catlike teeth, myself, but being vegan leaves me healthier than ever before, for sure (and, yes, I get my B12, calcium, etc.) What I mean is...just because a person or other animal looks a certain way doesn't mean they don't have the ability to adapt. Since cats have taken themselves so far on their all-meat diet, what's wrong with us helping them out and allowing them to adapt to a non-cruel diet (not that cats are sadists, except a couple I know, believe me)? It seems that the sustainability involved would be synergistic with the movement to eventually liberate all creatures from all this unnecessary suffering and help get our soil back in shape for growing the kinds of things that (to our knowledge) don't scream and kick when you cut into them. How does that kind of harmony seem like the wrong direction? I say be open-minded about cats' ability to adapt.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was just shopping for "what a natural cat would eat" cat food: raw dragonflies mixed with mouse and lizard gravy and a side order of robin wings. but all i can find is Classic Pat� Beef & Liver Entr�e.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSince when would a cat naturally eat ANY cooked food like ALL commercial cat food is. They are all enriched with taurine because the taurine in meat is destroyed when it is cooked.
If I could let my cat eat from nature I would. But I suspect his condo life is favorable to a shortened life of 3 weeks in the slammer before being lethal injected at the county shelter where some irresponsible meat eater dropped him off.
I have four 99% vegan cats. it's been 4 years since anyone here had a regular diet of junk meat cat food.
For one thing cats need a nutrient called Taurine, which is found ONLY in animal sources and without it cats will suffer blindness and heart failure, most likely leading to death and even though supplements can be given it can't be as healthy as the real thing. Secondly not allowing a cat to eat meat will probably encourage it to find what it wants to eat by itself and hunt more for meat, and thirdly, denying a cat a natural behaviour such as eating the food its naturally accustomed to is taking away one of its freedom rights.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.craftycreatures.com/forferretsonly/ferret_school/ferretschool_vegetarianfeeding.html
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisdo you not see the irony in telling people not to force their beliefs on "another species which cannot speak for itself" when you are continually eating and feeding your pets other species which cannot speak for themselves and have been kept inhumanely and killed so that you can eat them? what do you think those animals might say if they could speak for themselves? or are you only concerned with what vegetarians' cats might have to say? i guess cows', pigs', and sheeps' lives just aren't quite as important as domestic cats tastebuds eh?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisdo you not see the irony in telling people not to force their beliefs on "another species which cannot speak for itself" when you are continually eating and feeding your pets other species which cannot speak for themselves and have been kept inhumanely and killed so that you can eat them? what do you think those animals might say if they could speak for themselves? or are you only concerned with what vegetarians' cats might have to say? i guess cows', pigs', and sheeps' lives just aren't quite as important as domestic cats tastebuds eh?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisdo you not see the irony in telling people not to force their beliefs on "another species which cannot speak for itself" when you are continually eating and feeding your pets other species which cannot speak for themselves and have been kept inhumanely and killed so that you can eat them? what do you think those animals might say if they could speak for themselves? or are you only concerned with what vegetarians' cats might have to say? i guess cows', pigs', and sheeps' lives just aren't quite as important as domestic cats tastebuds eh?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisanother thought. do you think if human beings left nature to itself then the cows and pigs would just stay in their cages and continue to be tortured and prepared for meat or do you think they'd run to their freedom?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthanks.
leave it to nature, what a joke.
"I look into my cat's mouths, and I see incisors that were designed to slice and dice flesh. I trust the original design more than the concoction of some corporate "scientist" who answers to his boss and/or stockholders, and not my cats."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI find it really interesting that you think your cats incisors shouldn't go to some corporate "scientist" when most the cat food on today’s markets was originally designed by that “corporate scientist". I don't know about you, but I have never heard of any wild lion who hunts down "poultry meal", and, "by product" (ground up connective tissues, etc, and BONE, something wild cats don’t eat even!), "liver meal flavor" (Something I actually read on the Friskies dried food package today.) or 5 different food colorings or 6 "ADDED" (The "by products", and "meal" food doesn't already have this?) vitamins. Seriously, it you were truly striving to be all natural with your carnivores’ cat, you'd give it what it'd naturally eat in the wild, muscle and all. Not to mention, I really would be scared of any house cat that could actually kill a cow or hog or salmon, since the arteries in my neck would be a lot easier to catch then all three of those animals combined.
Hello all,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI study Animal Science at the University of Brighton in the UK and i am currently writing a research paper looking at vegans and vegetarians that own cats and whether they feed them meat foods (including commerical, home made) or plant-based (including commercial, home made) and ethical reasoning behind their choice.
If anyone would be interested in helping me out be completing my questionnaire then please get in touch at r.kentellis@hotmail.co.uk. Requirements are you must be over 18, be a vegetarian or vegan (for ethical reasons not just dietary), and own/have previously owned a cat.
Thank you very much,
R.Kent-Ellis
There are other providers of eco friendly and vegan dog food and vegan cat food. Eco Dogs and Cats http://www.ecodogsandcats.com has a number of vegan dog foods to choose from. They also have vegan cat food as well as many other vegan and eco friendly pet products. http://www.vegancompanions.com also has vegan pet foods.
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