Has anyone heard of this? The P.E.T.A. web site tries to advocate turning your pet vegetarian. Cats and dogs alike. I just don't know what to think of this? I know dogs are omnivorous, but cats are hands down carnivores. The dogs might fare a little better, but wouldn't it ultimatley damage the animals? I just don't think it's right. Animals don't have the voice to choose to be vegetarians, and their bodies are designed for meat. What does everyone else think?
2006-12-05 15:29:29 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
It is not healthy for either animal but especially cats. Dogs are omnivores so it is possible to feed them vegetarian diets but this is only recommended in extreme food allergy cases and needs to be strickly monitored. You cannot have a healthy vegetarian cat. And just for the record, I am a vegetarian. I still would not make my animals be vegetarians. That's dumb.
2006-12-05 15:37:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I talked to my friend about this very thing this morning. She has a dog, and she feeds it mostly chicken and rice. I have a rabbit, a hampster, and a bird, so they are veggie by nature. My friend is of the mindset that animals "need" meat, but then again, humans think they do too, so its hard to know. If I had a dog, I would try them on a high protein vegetarian diet, to see how they responded. I would expect an initial change in bowel habits, but think they would adapt like humans switching to a veggie diet. My biggest concern with a pet would be cravings, and if they would become aggressive when they got them. Sorry I don't have a better answer, but just my thoughts on the matter. Great question, giving it a star
2016-03-13 03:54:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Impossible. Their digestive tract is not made to handle only vegetation. They can eat grasses, berries, etc to some degree, but do not have a cecum or any other adaptive feature to be able to break down the cellulose.
I had someone come up to me outraged (I work at a zoo) that the tigers were eating meat. I told her that is what tigers ate, being carnivores. She said that we should make them vegetarians because we are harming other animals (by making tiger food). I explained about the GI tract above. She huffed off and put in a complaint with the owner about having meat for our tigers.
Even just an unbalanced diet can screw up an animal. We got in a serval (african cat) that was only fed chicken for the whole 3 yrs up her life, and had a ton of nutritional issues. Once we put her on red meat- she lost most of those issues, though there are some permenant ones that we will always deal with.
2006-12-05 15:47:01 · answer #3 · answered by D 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is one of those times that PETA goes too far and alienates a lot of potential supporters.
The lady that does the no kill cat shelter here is a vegetarian AND a member of PETA and even she doesnt make the cats not eat meat based foods.
Cats and dogs need the proteins in meats in order to be healthy. No supplements can over-ride that natural need.
Owners; go nuts with your beliefs for being vegetarians; all the power to you...but leave the four legged beasts you own as what nature intended.
2006-12-05 16:15:23 · answer #4 · answered by Cariad 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, dogs can do quite well as vegetarians... I had a friend with a dog that had food allergies to most meat proteins and had to be put on a vegetarian diet.
Cats are another story, they are obligate carnivores meaning they can NOT do without meat proteins (specifically certain amino acids that affect sight). There are no appropriate vegetarian diets for cats.
2006-12-05 15:41:01 · answer #5 · answered by dogandcatluvr 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My dog is a vegetarian! I wish he wasn't, but alas...he is allergic to preservatives and is lactose intolerant. So he is on vegetarian food and cannot have treats other than all natural ones but he prefers fruits & veggies like green pepper and apples!
2006-12-05 16:49:31 · answer #6 · answered by drsj_coach_sara 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
PETA went too far on this one ::yawns:: go figure. I don't think it is healthy for your cat or dog to be a vegetarian. They were not designed to be vegetarians (i.e. look at their tooth shape) My cat, however, is odd and prefers veggies (she will fight me for my salad). Your statement about cats being strictly carnivores is inaccurate. Most cats benefit from some sort of plant material in thier diet (i.e cat grass, chewing on non-poisonour household plants, etc). It helps them with digestion.
2006-12-05 15:40:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok, that is just plain WRONG. Dogs and cats both need diets high in protein. I can't see them living very long at all on vegetable-only diets. I know it is good to occasionally give them greens... that's why they eat grass out of the yard sometimes... but no meat at all? That's crazy!
2006-12-05 15:37:52 · answer #8 · answered by redrancherogirl 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think that PETA is a bunch of idiots. A vegetarian dog is absurd.
2006-12-05 15:32:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
vegs. are good for pets, but not as the only food! these people are nuts, and will probably make their pet sick!!
2006-12-05 16:24:37 · answer #10 · answered by rblankenship_rblankenship 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋