What do you feed your pets? Are they on vegetarian diets?

[nadine_mn]

We are switching over to vegetarian diets and we can get our full health benefits from grains, legumes, and plant based foods. But we aren't sure what to do with our pets. We have 2 dogs and a cat. I think our dogs can go veg, but can cats?

Just wondering what your experiences have been

[HockeyMom]

1. My littermate cats wil ONLY eat dry cat food.

I have tried every single canned cat food on the market, and mixed it with dry food. They will run away from it, or cover it up. Same for mixing it with dry food. I can leave human meat all over and they will NEVER attempt to eat it.

[kestrel91316]

11. Plenty of cats dislike canned cat food AND cooked meats.

As long as they are eating a high quality kibble and don't have medical issues that kibble can aggravate, they do just fine.

[Marrah_G]

41. My cat also will only eat dry food

The one exception is very rarely he will eat mashed potatoes off a fork......he is a strange kitty

[Sylvarose]

2. Please do not feed your Cat a vegetarian diet!!

Cats are carnivores! They are meat eaters! They have to have meat. Vital nutrients they need are found in meat. Here's a good article about this:

http://www.essentialvegetarian.com/2007/07/08/7-reasons-why-your-cat-cannot-be-vegetarian/

Please..I have been a cat owner for many decades. If you want to be a vegetarian or vegan, that is wonderful. Great..but please don't risk your cats health by putting them on a diet that goes against their nature.

SR

[nadine_mn]

7. Thank you for the link...I think I need to focus on better quality food

The pets already eat premium food, but when I read that blurb on another thread in this group (about Mad Cowboy) about what goes to the rendering plant (diseased animals, euthanized pets, roadkill) and that gets mixed into pet food I kinda freaked out.


Our cat eats Blue dry and a little wet mixed in, our dogs eat Nutro Ultra and get vegetables as snacks

I would never change drastically their diets without vet approval, just wondering what others have done

The info at the link was just the kind of info I was hoping to find. Thank you very much

[Graybeard]

3. Cats must have meat.

Cat's are unique in their need for Taurine an amino-acid found only in meat. Without it they suffer retina degradation and go blind.
Cat's when outdoors kill and eat birds, mice and bugs. They don't dig for carrots.

[Marrah_G]

42. omg _ saw a show on animal planet once...

There was a girl who was developmentally disabled and was starting to hoard cats. She couldn't afford to feed them all cat food and didn't know any better so she was feeding them rice. A bunch of the cats were already blind. The ASPCA people took most of her cats, let her one or two and even brought her a big bag of food and said they would stay in touch to give her as much help as they could.

[pnwmom]

4. Cats cannot go vegetarian. They will not get essential nutrients.

You should do some research before you make a switch like this for your pets.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. Cats are obligate carnivores. They have to eat meat.

A vegetarian diet will ruin their health. They require proteins contained in meat; their systems can't assimilate plant proteins. There is a nutrient called taurine that is not found in plants, and without it a cat will go blind and suffer heart problems. http://www.catinfo.org/

[nadine_mn]

9. Thank you... I just freaked out

about what goes into making pet food and started questioning everything

I have had pets all my life, and always try to feed them what is best...but so many pet food scares just really made me freak.


I shoud return to normal soon

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Some people make their own pet food.

It sounds like a lot of work but if you're up for it, it can be done. Lots of info on the web. Just be sure your cats get actual meat. Dogs are classified as carnivores but they can survive on a lot of plant material (dogs will eat damn near anything). Cats can't.

Years ago I knew somebody whose relative had a cat that they tried to turn into a vegan like them. The person I knew ended up cat sitting for the owners while they were on vacation. The poor cat was thin and had raggedy-looking fur, and after the cat sitter made his own meal the cat stole the meat right off his plate and desperately devoured it. After this incident was reported to the stupid vegan owners, they relented and started feeding the cat regular meat-based cat food. Fortunately it hadn't been on a vegan diet very long, and as far as I know it recovered.

[lunasun]

26. you could slowly move them over to raw meat if you

want to get away from the processed pet foods
and I repeat - slow
as the cats can get sick if you change any diet too fast

also raw or your own cooked meat still needs to be supplemented!!!

[obamanut2012]

47. There is decent commercial kitty food

You just have to research.

You can also make your own, or cut organic chicken and shred it. Mine love that.

[femmocrat]

6. Check with your veterinarian.

I would not feed dogs a vegetarian diet. Dogs are carnivores.... hence the pointed teeth.

[kestrel91316]

10. Dogs are omnivores, like humans, and can safely eat a vegetarian diet.

They are not OBLIGATE carnivores like the cat.

[femmocrat]

15. Here is a scientific article addressing this issue, if anyone is interested:

http://www.thewholedog.org/NHMVTheOmnivoreCarnivoreQuest.pdf

It concludes that canines are carnivores based on their teeth and digestive systems. In the wild, canines prey on other animals. While many dogs do just fine on a vegetarian diet, it should be carefully researched to include the necessary nutrients, such as amino acids.

Best to check with a veterinarian in any case.

[kestrel91316]

17. I AM a veterinarian. Dogs are omnivores.

[femmocrat]

21. OK, sorry. nt

[SlimJimmy]

29. Agree. But I have to tell you, doc. My doggies have always preferred meat to veggies.

That's not to say that they don't like the occasional apple slice or seedless grape.

[kestrel91316]

32. Hey, I'm the last person you'll find promoting vegetarianism for omnivores.

I'm also an omnivore. I don't eat a LOT of meat - I LOVE the taste - but it's far from a daily thing for me.

Nothing whatsoever wrong with feeding dogs meat protein in their diet. They just aren't physiologically dependent on it.

[SlimJimmy]

33. I agree. My wife calls the cat the "bird murderer", but I keep trying to tell her that the cat

craves the protein.

[kestrel91316]

8. Feeding a cat a vegetarian diet is grievous animal abuse.

Cats are OBLIGATE carnivores.

[nadine_mn]

12. ok, I was just asking a question... I haven't changed a damn thing

I really hurt that you woud think I would abuse my animals.

I know some people have given their dogs vegetarian diets, I was curious as to what their experience has been. I am even seeing vegetarian dog foods in the pet store.

My gut feeling was no to the cat, but I have been wrong before.

I would never, ever do anything to harm my pets and any change in diet would only be at a vet's recommendation. I was just asking the community for their experiences.

[kestrel91316]

16. I wasn't accusing YOU of anything. I don't know anything about YOU, lol.

I was expressing a very strongly held professional opinion.

DU has some pretty wacky people when it comes to pets, and I have been attacked for telling the truth about the dangers of raw diets and also feeding cats a vegetarian diet. It's a constant battle fighting off the disinformation, and I rarely set foot in either the Pets forum or Vegetarians.

For the record, I am a private practice veterinarian with 30 years of experience, 21 of which have been in exclusively feline practice.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. Carnivores eat MEAT!

I don't think it's healthy for dogs or cats. give them what they eat in nature.

[flvegan]

18. My dogs are vegetarian.

Well, except on weekends. Cats *can* be, but it's a really difficult dance that's probably not the best idea. Plus the track record on that isn't really well established.

[LeftyMom]

19. The only people I know who have had good luck in the long term feeding vegan foods to cats

1. are in the UK where apparently everybody lets their cats out. So undoubtedly the cats are only "vegan" in the sense that they eat mice and birds and such outside of their person's watchful eye

2. and are feeding relatively reputable brands. Seems like most everybody who tries it in North America feeds Evolution, and IMO the guy who makes that crap is hella shady. I wouldn't feed my cats that stuff if it were the last cat food on earth.


edit: My cats are on meat based food. Because they're cats.

[flvegan]

20. I know a couple folks that had success with Wysong

and supplements. Again, probably not the best idea to make your pets a test group.

[Freddie]

30. Linda McCartney, the ultimate "veggie"

Said in an interview that their cats ate meat and/or fish

[RebelOne]

22. Nope. My dogs get meat.

Just because I am vegetarian, I do not see any reason to force my animals to not have meat.

When my Rottweiler was sick and dying, I cooked steaks for her. I wanted her last days to be enjoyable.

[Doremus]

23. Dogs are omnis, not carnivores (for those who weren't aware).

Older dogs, in particular, can benefit from less animal protein as it can be hard on the kidneys.

My dogs are about half vegetarian. Their morning meal is totally fruits and veggies. Cut up tomatoes, cukes, apples and peaches are their favorites. Stanny is our 'grazer' and l-o-v-e-s raw leaf spinach. Both love to help themselves to the garden and eat the tomatoes and green beans right from the vines.

I'm reading The China Study currently and was struck by the info about the various animal studies. It suddenly occurred to me that if animal protein causes cancer (and heart disease and diabetes and a plethora of other health problems) in test animals and humans, it's probably not far-fetched that it could do the same in our canine kids.

[RebelOne]

24. Oh, please, dogs are evolved from wolves,

which are not vegetarians. Last I heard, wolves eat meat.

[Doremus]

25. Apparently you missed the post upthread

from Kestrel, who confirms that dogs are indeed omnis.

Kestrel is a veterinarian. What are your credentials again?

By the way, dogs aren't wolves. If they were, they would be, well, wolves.

[indie9197]

27. anything but commercial feed!

Seriously have you read the ingredients labels on commercial dog and cat food? It is corn meal and bone meal and who knows what else. I would hate to take a tour of the factory.

I try to make homemade dog food as much as I can. I can make a healthy meal as cheap as I can buy that junk in a can or a bag. Generally I buy meat on sale- chicken, pork, beef, fish - whatever and mix it with spinach, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, oatmeal, quinoa, green beans, cooked potatoes. They also like treats of bananas and yogurt. For spices you cant give them any salt, but they love Italian seasoning and fennel. The list is endless but search online for foods that are poisonous to dogs - like raisins, onions, etc. Not sure about cats, not a cat feeder.

In the wild I think dogs eat more than just meat. However, I think meat should be a very major part of their diet, and the more varied and natural the better.

[indie9197]

28. also I know that dogs are omnivores because...

my Boston terrors eat the raspberries right off the vine.

[nadine_mn]

38. My dogs love veggies as snacks

After reading about how bad meat is for people, I have a hard time justifying buying non grass fed meat for our pets..and that is so expensive. I would make them homemade food, but quality meat is expensive, I am trying to figure out what is worse... Commercial dog food or meat from animals raised in CAFOs...am I just exchanging one bad for another bad?

[indie9197]

43. commercial food is still CAFO

it is just the parts that are left over after all the good parts are made into human food. Usually ground into a paste and then formed together to make something that looks somewhat attractive.

Don't know where you live but have you looked into buying locally raised beef? I have bought half a steer before and it lasted my family about a year and was only $500 or so. Mutton and goat would also be good for dog food if you can find a source of that. I also feed my dogs fish which they love.

[Ednahilda]

31. Please don't turn your cats vegetarian!

They can't handle that kind of diet. And when you buy cat food, be absolutely sure to avoid brands that are high carb or contain grains. I always fed my cats standard cat food until one of them developed diabetes. He's off insulin now because we've been able to control it through diet, but it's cheaper - not to mention so much better for the cat - to feed them quality food from the beginning so as to avoid health problems. By the way, the diabetic cat always preferred dry kibble to canned cat food until he was diagnosed, at which time I had to switch him away from the grain-heavy regular brands. He learned to enjoy the better cat food in about a week. He looked miserable during the diet change, like I'd taken his favorite junk food away.

[undeterred]

34. My dog won't even eat treats that aren't meat flavored

They have a lot of non meat options as far as dog treats go, but every time I've bought some he acts insulted. So he gets
Taste of the Wild kibble- the one with fish in it. And I also feed him the raw meat patties from Stella and Chewys, which have veggies mixed in with the meat.

I think if you started a dog quite young they might get used to it. But not every dog, that's for sure.

[Codeine]

35. We have a snake.

So far it has little interest in striking at Brussels sprouts.

[ginnyinWI]

36. I am a vegan and I feed my cats canned food

It is usually Friskies, but I look at the ingredients on each can: if the first ingredient, not counting water, is fish, chicken, liver or something, fine. If the first ingredient is "meat or poultry by-products", I put it back on the shelf. This way I sort the better from the worse varieties and don't pay and arm and leg for their food. It can be Nine Lives, or PetSmart's store brand, or even a grocery store brand as long as it doesn't contain primarily meat by-products.

I give them very little dry food, which has a lot of grain in it and those carbs are what make cats fat, seems to me. I split a small can of wet food between two of them in the morning and again in the evening.

I myself do use egg whites in baking once in a while, so then the cats get the yolk. So far they won't eat it unless I cook it first.

[Marrah_G]

40. There is a dry cat food you might want to try

Blue Buffalo Wild- no meat by-products, no grains. If you only have one cat it's relatively affordable and you can often get coupons for a few dollars off.

[obamanut2012]

48. Friskies is not good food

Basically, anything you can buy in the grocery store or a place like Wal-Mart isn't great. If you can't afford a mint, Tractor Supply and most pet food places will have Taste of the Wild and other brands. Just get something grain free or almost so. Amazon, Wag,com, and Hearty Pet all sell the best food you can get that's commercial made.

Or, make your own.

[HopeHoops]

37. FUCK NO!!! Cats and dogs have short digestive tracts meant for meat-based diets.

My entire family is vegetarian, but there's no healthy way to feed cats and dogs on vegetarian diet. Our rabbit is quite happy with a vegetarian diet.

[Marrah_G]

39. I have a cat. He is a carnivore.

He eats Blue Buffalo Wild, salmon or duck.

Editing to add: AND it is made in the US

[Revanchist]

44. This will help you with the dogs

I don't know if you can find a similar link for cats, but if you are worried about the ingredients in your dog's food check out this site:

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

[obamanut2012]

49. I've used this -- great site

And, no, nothing like it for cats. Boo.

[RebelOne]

45. My Rottweiler would not eat anything unless it had meat in it.

But now she is in doggie heaven. I have a Chihuahua that does not like meat. She prefers cheese.

[obamanut2012]

46. Cats have to have protein from animal sources

You CAN do it with dogs, but it isn't easier. Please, do NOT do it with your kitty!