Vegetarian pet food?

Question

After all this pet food scandal, a question to vegetarians and vegans ONLY! (We don't need any comments by people who are not concerned by this matter)
Do you have pets? And do you feed them meat/fish or veggie pet food? I believe pets are carnivores by nature, and then again, how natural are dogs and cats after living with humans throughout centuries? I would love to hear the opinion of a vet or breeder who feeds vegan or vegetarian pet food. I have heard it exists for dogs, but have never seen it for cats (we live in London/UK). I feed fish to my cats, and sometimes rice with veggies and tofu, which they eat as well. I am not sure however if this is right for them. I hate the idea of buying canned meat, and also the fish doesn't make me feel any better. What do you give to your dogs and cats?

Answer 1

You can feed your animals an all vegetable diet, however, you MUST supplement it with various vitamins and minerals.

You are correct that animals are carnivores by nature, (and so are humans), and can do damage to your system by eating strictly vegetables.

Speak with your vet, and get advice designed for your pet. The wrong diet (whether it's vegetarian, or otherwise), can make them sick, lethargic, and just generally unhealthy.

Answer 2

I have been a veterinary technician for 6 years, and the Vet that I work for is a vegetarian...as am I.
We both feed our pets a vegetarian diet. I give only one of my dogs a fish oil supplement due to her skin allergies. As long as you are feeding them a high quality, well rounded diet, there is no need to supplement it. There are several excellent brands of vegetarian pet food on the market, you just need to research and figure out which one best meets your pets needs. Your vet should be able to help you make the right decision for the both of you.
My Pit bull is actually allergic to the meat products available in regular pet food. So that disproves the theory that all cats and dogs are carnivores and need to eat meat. ;)
I feed my dogs Natural Balance vegetarian formula. My cats get Wysong vegan cat food. I don't know if it's available in the U.K. but I purchase it at www.petco.com

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

I am a vegan and so are both of my dogs and my 5 cats .....First humans and dogs are not carnivores they are omnivores ...and they both do very well on vegetarian /vegan diets .. My German shepherd lived to 19 ..I have a 17 year old chihuahua and a 9 year old Pit bull right now .....I buy them a good vegetarian dry dog food which is balanced for them and I give them everything that I eat except things like chocolate and onions which are harmful to dogs..I am suspicious of almonds as well since wolves have a problem with almonds (best not to take chances) cats are a little harder because they are carnivores, but as you say over the centuries they have adapted..I also feed my cats vegetarian dry food but supplement with extra proteins..I am not sure what brands are available in London but check on line vegetarian food for dogs and cats ...good luck ..PS I had a cat who passed away 2 1/2 years ago that lived to 25..since he was documented ..I used to tell him just one more year and you will be in Guinness ..he didn't but had a long healthy life and I also give them liquid vitamin C ..and multivitamins

Answer 5

Apparently vegetarian dog food is good at reducing wind!
I'm vegetarian but I wouldn't feed a vegetarian diet to dogs, they need meat. They can eat fruit and veg too (mine love pears for example, and one of them picks blackcurrants and gooseberries straight from the bushes in the garden!), but I'd never deny meat to my dogs, whether it was processed or a lovely piece of fresh, raw beef as a treat. Boiled rice and cooked chicken is a good substitute for pets with digestive problems because it's bland, and my dogs have eaten it occasionally in the past just as a change to their usual diet though. My own personal opinion is that cats and dogs need meat in their diet, although I couldn't say if that's true or not.
Edit: Just what exactly in this answer requires a thumbing down?

Answer 6

I am vegan however I am only 17 so I cannot give you the same advice a vet would but liek you said animals are carnivorous and I think that feeding them the usual meat food is probably the safest way of keeping your pet healty. I have a husky and he loves tofu lol and i dont see how feeding him tofu is bad because the ingredients are naturalbut i think that animas need the right nutrition to keep the strong and healthy so as for now i think you should feed your pet the reccomended food untill you consult a vet.

Answer 7

What about veterinarians/animal health technicians, who aren't vegetarians or vegans, but DO know about the nutritional needs of animals? Are they allowed to answer your Question?

Even though dogs and cats---and in this case, cats in particular---have been living alongside humans for a couple thousand years, biologically they're still what they always were. Their habits and temperament may have changed, but not their physical components.

Dogs are, by their nature, more omnivorous than cats. Dogs can survive OK if their diet includes whole grains and some vegetables. Cats' diets can include grains, too (most commercial cat foods contain cornmeal and/or rice meal), but those ingredients are mostly non-nutritive filler.

Answer 8

i've heard of people giving dogs vegetarian dog food and they are ussually just as healthy and maybe even healthier than other dogs, becasue dogs ar omnivories and don't need meat. also, the meat they put in dog food is disgusting. cats, however are carnivores, so i dont think that you can feed them a vegetarian diet. thats just how theyre made. i think you have to order the veggie dogfood over the internet though. ive also heard of people making their own dog food, which is probubly really healthy!

Answer 9

I've never eaten meat in my life; my cats get almost nothing else but.

I don't have great things to say about people who try to force vegetarian or vegan diets on their cats. No offence. It's just not the ideal feline diet; very far from it. That people have fed their cats meat-free diets and managed to douse it with enough supplements to not quickly kill them is not a great argument in its favour.

Re. "how natural are dogs and cats after living with humans throughout centuries?" A cat, at least, will revert to a feral state in only a generation, I think.

Answer 10

I don't believe a dog or cat should eat a vegetarian diet unless it's necessary (severe allergies to ingredients they can normally eat).

As far as what you feed your cats, well..most would say it's not a good diet for a cat.