Vegetarian Cat Food - Is It Good Or Bad?

[Rachel2525]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has their cat on a vegan diet and how it is coping with it? I'm a vegan and it'd be good for me to not having that stinky meat about Decided I'd ask advice first before speaking to my vet!
Thanks

 

[KarenKat]

It’s unequivacally bad - you will probably get many passionate replies, but they call cats “obligate carnivores” because they need mostly protein that comes specifically from meat - any other protein source (wheat gluten, corn gluten, potatoes, soy, peas) will not be digested correctly and will cause health problems.

People can be vegan because we are omnivores and our digestive system has evolved to digest plant matter ... cats digestive systems and skeletal system are still similar to wild big cats, and they cannot healthily thrive if they do not have meat in their diet.

 

[KarenKat]

I took this from another post asking about vegan diets - this woman is a vegan who tried a vegan diet for her cats and ended up switching to a meat based one because of health problems.

 

[Daisy6]

Welcome to TCS. Thank you for posting. What isy our cat's name?

The first thing to know about a cat's diet is they are obligate carnivores. No cat can survive without eating meat. This is why they have knife-like teeth, especially the four long canines, and no flat-edged incisors. So you will have to feed meat to your cats no matter what.

 

[KarenKat]

Also welcome to The Cat Site! I didn’t mean to jump right in there without the welcome but I get passionate about cat food, lol. I’m so glad you are here, and that you are researching any potential diet change. It really is bad for cats to not eat meat, and I’m sure your vet will agree as well.

Feel free to post a picture of your kitty, we love seeing the cuties!

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Cats don't process plant based proteins as much as they do meat. They also need animal fat. In the wild and also domestically, the species has naturally evolved through eating other animals. I would personally not have a vegetarian cat.

 

[Kieka]

Cats are obligated carnivores. They need meat in their diets, there is no way around it. Are their people who feed their cats a vegan diet? Yes. However, many of those cats will suffer and even die as a consequence. Such as poor little Zane:

You will find resources, especially from companies selling vegan food and PETA, that say a cat can be vegan. The commercial companies just want to sell you their product and don't even get me started on the hypocrisy that is PETA. You NOT find a single cat welfare, cat rescue or cat advocate who will support vegan diets for cats. This includes cat advocates Jackson Galaxy and Hannah Shaw, the Kitten Lady, who both are vegan but feed their cats high quality meat based diets.

The reason why is vegan diets kill cats. There are cases where someone has made it work, I won't lie, but it is done very carefully in tandem with regular vet visits and blood work. With careful attention to nutrition and food quality. Just buying a bag of vegan commercial cat food won't do it. It is more arduous and complicated then feeding a cat a raw diet. Not to mention that given the chance many cats on a vegan diet will revert to a meat based diet the second they are even presented with meat based food. I have serious doubts about the overall health of cats who do survive on a vegan diet. Not only physically but the mental side of their body being denied the meat they crave. There is a difference between surviving and thriving. A human could survive on a diet of just plain baked potatoes and a vitamin supplement; but would you thrive eating nothing else for the rest of your life?

Cats are built and have evolved to eat meat. Their bodies don't even produce some amino acids because they get them from their food. They are the perfect ambush predator and every part of them is geared towards that goal. Inflicting your own moral choices on another creature who is built to eat meat is as bad as someone forcing a horse to go on an all meat diet. They aren't built for it and will suffer from trying to force them to go against their very nature.

You would be using your moral and ethical life choices to force your cat down a path that is not healthier for your cat. It is not a choice I can personally support, endorse or condone. Frankly, there are plently of herbivore pets out there if you can't stand the thought of feeding your cat meat. Rabbits are actually a lot more interactive then most people think if you want a vegan pet. My little Peter Rabbit is an absolute riot and huge personality.

For the love of your cat do NOT even consider a vegan diet.

Some links:
Vegan Cat Food: The Cold Hard Truth
Vegetarian and Vegan Diets for Dogs and Cats

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Might be slightly off* a tangent but personally I believe it is always good to respect the animal's "wild" side as much as possible - which means other than neutering and having a smaller space - if you choose to have a, dog, cat or otherwise. Play with your new furball lots to simulate the hunt, add NON TOXIC!!! plants in your house, have a tall cat tree to allow kitty to survey surroundings, etc. And lastly give it the food it hunts in the wild.

If you cannot stand the smell of meat... well that's kind of a hard one since a lot of cat foods have a strong smell haha. You will get used to it.

*edit on

 

[lisahe]

I agree with what the other posters have already said: cats need to eat meat protein, not vegetable protein, which they don't process well. Our two cat have weird digestive systems so we're very careful about feeding them a diet that's very heavy in meat protein and very low in carbohydrates. Lots of us see the side-effects of vegetable fillers to foods: it's bad enough when grains, potatoes, and peas are only a relatively small part of the diet, so I can only imagine how much of an impact a full vegan diet could make!

Here are some ideas for helping with the smell issue you mentioned:

If you don't like handling meaty foods or can't stand the smell of them, I'd highly recommend freeze-dried raw foods like Primal, Northwest Naturals, or Feline Natural. And freeze-dried chicken or turkey treats from Pure Bites. They're not exactly cheap but they're very meaty, which is great for your cat, and there's hardly any smell. Since they're freeze-dried, they're meat but hardly seem like meat because they're dry and crumbly. I do eat meat but don't really like handling it and have to say that this stuff makes the handling easy. You just crumble, add water, and feed. Our cats love freeze-dried foods and do very well on them! Another benefit of raw food is that it satiates a cat pretty well.

If you're looking for canned foods ideas, I'm sure you'll get some of those, too. There are some with shredded meat that we've fed -- like certain ones from Weruva and Tiki -- that don't smell too much at all. I'd be happy to take a look at some of those companies' lists if you're interested. (I think Fussie Cat is another brand that doesn't always smell much. Our cats didn't really like it, though. Because they're fussy with a "y.")

Most of all, I'm glad you asked about this, Rachel2525 ! There are definitely ways to work with meat that doesn't smell much.

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

If you don't like handling meaty foods or can't stand the smell of them, I'd highly recommend freeze-dried raw foods like Primal, Northwest Naturals, or Feline Natural. And freeze-dried chicken or turkey treats from Pure Bites. They're not exactly cheap but they're very meaty, which is great of your cat, and there's hardly any smell. Since they're freeze-dried, they're meat but hardly seem like meat because they're dry and crumbly. I do eat meat but don't really like handling it and have to say that this stuff makes the handling easy. You just crumble, add water, and feed. Our cats love freeze-dried foods and do very well on them! Another benefit of raw food is that it satiates a cat pretty well.

If you're looking for canned foods ideas, I'm sure you'll get some of those, too. There are some with shredded meat that we've fed -- like certain ones from Weruva and Tiki -- that don't smell too much at all. I'd be happy to take a look at some of those companies' lists if you're interested. (I think Fussie Cat is another brand that doesn't always smell much. Our cats didn't really like it, though. Because they're fussy with a "y.")

Another freeze dried option is Stella and Chewy, I haven't tried it but there have been stella(r) reviews. lol

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
Rachel2525 - One word: taurine.

Taurine can be sourced solely from animal proteins, and is positively critical for immune system maintenance in cats, as well as vascular and coronary function. Cats absolutely require one gram of taurine per kilo of food consumed, and lacking that, your cat will - absolutely and unfailingly - succumb to CRD (Central Retinal Degeneration), DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy), and eventually insurmountable digestive issues, since the liver requires taurine for the production of bile acids, without which food cannot be properly digested.

To withhold taurine from a cat is to confer upon the cat a protracted, and hideous death.

 

[lisahe]

Another freeze dried option is Stella and Chewy, I haven't tried it but there have been stella(r) reviews. lol

Yes, Stella & Chewy is another one! I think they smell a little more (probably especially the fish ones) than the foods we feed more of but it's still fairly minimal. Particularly compared with lots of canned pates, which seem to be the smelliest of cat foods!

 

[LTS3]

Read these:

Dangers Of A Vegan Diet
So What Exactly Is Wrong With Vegan Cat Food?

Any good vet will discourage a client from feeding an inappropriate diet to a cat.

Do you currently have a cat now? If you do, what are you currently feeding the cat? Commercial dry and canned foods are easy to feed. Cat food does smell stinky, particularly canned, because cats rely on their sense of smell to find food. Sick cat with congested noses often don't eat because they can't smell the food even if the food is familiar. You do not need to feed any kind of raw diet (freeze dried, frozen, etc)s some other members have suggested.

If you don't currently have a cat and can't / don't want to / whatever feed an appropriate diet, please don't get cat at all. Shelters have herbivorous pets like rabbits and guinea pigs that are much better choices for your personal choice of being vegetarian and not wanting to be around meat.

 

[sabrinah]

To avoid going on a rant, I'm just going to leave it at no, don't feed a vegan/vegetarian diet to a cat. I don't eat meat, I don't like handling meat, shopping for meat is uncomfortable and unfamiliar, yet I make raw food for my cat because canned wasn't working anymore. It's a pet parent's job to always have the best interest of the pet in mind, even if it's not our favorite thing in the world.

If you already have a cat stick with canned, a high quality dry, or freeze-dried (or all three!). If you don't already have a cat, maybe think of getting a rabbit or guinea pig instead if you're too uncomfortable with meat.

 

[jen]

One interesting point is that all the non-meat proteins (wheat gluten, corn gluten, potatoes, soy, peas...) tend to be full of carbs. Carbs = sugar = diabetic cats. I have noticed more and more people with diabetic cats over the years and I wonder if any meat eating wild/feral cats end up with diabetes?

That speaks volumes to me.

 

[maggiedemi]

Rabbits make wonderful pets and they are vegetarian. We had bunnies when I was a kid. My dad wouldn't let them in the house, but I hear you can even litter train them.

 

[Kieka]

Rabbits make wonderful pets and they are vegetarian. We had bunnies when I was a kid. My dad wouldn't let them in the house, but I hear you can even litter train them.

My rabbit only potties in a single spot. If you get them young they potty train very easily.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
Elephants likewise are strictly vegans. Just sayin'.
.

 

[KarenKat]

Elephants likewise are strictly vegans. Just sayin'.

Yeah, but I hear they are very easy to ignore in a room ...

 

[maggiedemi]

What about a llama? What do they eat? I always wanted one...