Can I make my cats and dog vegetarians, too?

Question

Because there is still meat in their food, and the way they test some of these that are like dental diets, etc. I cant stand it!

Moviegirl... you rock. Thanks so much.

Everyone... my cat already loves raw vegetables. She goes nuts when I make a salad or a boca burger and cant get enough mashed potatos. She also likes her cat food, but usually will eat the dog food.

So why not feed her the fake meat like I started eating? As long as she is healthy, she literally will eat anything I give her. She loves all kinds of food.

And no, I dont starve her to make her eat anything. She is very healthy, and a little bit of a chunker at that! :)

Libra for balance... youre an idiot. i saved one of my cats from a loading dock while he was only about 3 weeks old and had maggots eating him alive from the inside out.

The other I rescued from a blizzard snow bank that someone had dropped off in the country to die, about 6 months old.

So I do not want to hear your retarded crap about how im keeping them prisoner. I let them out everyday. They willingly come back.

Jackass.

Answer 1

Dogs are omnivores and can very easily become vegetarians. Cats need taurine so you need to make sure that their food is supplemented with that. A great book is called dogs and cats go vegetarian. I bet you can find it on the internet.

Answer 2

you can get vegetarian dog and cat foods - they also tend to like boca meat and stuff, though you may want to check with a vet on whether or not the boca stuff is healthy for them - to some of the above comments - dogs and cats are no longer wild animals that need meat - much of the regular pet food has a base ingredient of corn, they are domesticated and cannot survive well in the wild - that is why stray dogs and wild dogs are two very different things - so yeah, you pretty much can have a more or less vege pet, though they may hunt and there is not much you can do about that if they go outside

some dogs (like mine) are actually allergic to meat, it makes him very sick, so he has to have a vege diet - it is not immoral to give them a different diet - they don't crave a certain brand, no matter what the beneful ad's tell you - they just want you to feed them, if they like the food - there isn't a problem, you can at least try - if they react badly, it may not be possible for that particular pet, but otherwise, go for it

Answer 3

read this book on diet for dogs and cats and veganism.

Obligate Carnivore: Cats, Dogs, and What it Really Means to be Vegan by Jed Gillen

The Vegan Sourcebook by Joanne Stepaniak

You Don't Need Meat by Peter Cox

They all have at least some info on vegan diet for dogs and cats.

If you're going to feed your pets a vegan diet, you might have to start when they are very young.

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Answer 4

Unlike humans, cats need meat to survive. I try to find natural brands--she goes bonkers for Weruva, but then she changes her mind about what foods she likes every few months.

If your cat likes veggies and analogues, you can give her small amounts to supplement her diet. My cat likes potatoes; when I dropped a french fry I was eating, my boyfriend said she glommed onto it and ate it in two bites.

Some activists say to mix the meat food with vegan cat food, as it will reduce the meat the cat eats and the animals killed. I'm pretty sure my cat wouldn't go for that, but yours may.

Answer 5

While dogs can be on a vegetarian diet(and be quite healthy, if it is done right), cats cannot. There are certain nutrients in meat that cats cannot get in significant amounts in a plant based source.

I suggest you check out:
http://www.vegsoc.org/info/catfood.html


Nutrient deficiencies can take years to develop and show signs. You could think you are doing everything correct and years later end up with a very sick animal.

Answer 6

I would split the difference and see if I could find an organic pet food at the local health-food store or on-line. A quick yahoo search I just did showed 12 sources on the first page for "organic pet foods". It is hard to reconcile the fact that for most to live something must die, best of luck to you.

Answer 7

I'm assuming you're a vegetarian so how would you feel if you were stuck in the house and couldn't go buy your own food and had to eat what you were given but you were only given meat? By forcing your dog or cat to be a vegetarian you're doing the same thing...forcing them to eat something other than what they naturally want and crave. That's not a very nice thing to do. As a matter of fact I think it's kind of cruel.

Answer 8

Dogs can, but cats live better with a carnivirous diet. "Cats are natural carnivores and are unlikely to willingly forego meat from their diet. Cats fed on vegetarian diets are likely to look elsewhere for their preferred meat diet, and many cats will hunt and kill small rodents and birds. Cats require certain nutrients from meat that cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts from plant foods. These include taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin B12".
(from http://www.vegsoc.org/info/catfood.html)

Here's some other links:
http://www.healthypetinfo.com/?action=easyhomemadedietsforcatsanddogs

This one, is someone's personal blog. I would not recommend it but Its nice to read on the how this person feels about the issue:
http://thesealwarrior.blogspot.com/2007/01/dogs-and-cats-vegetarians-neveeer-ee.html

Answer 9

I think that it is slightly immoral to make your animals vegetarians when it's not natural for them. But if you really want to then as long as you make sure they are getting all the same goodness I guess it's ok.

I'm sure there must be ranges of pet food that are either vegetarian (although you may have to give your animals vitamin supplements or something) or ones that state that they are made with meats from animals that are treated humanely.

However you should really think about what your animals would honestly be happiest with.

Answer 10

You can take your pets off all meat, and you can put them on a diet much like your own, just be sure to supplement their vitamins and minerals, and protein levels.

Dogs and cats are natural hunters, and unless your animals are house-bound, they will always find meat to eat, why deny them to be what they are made to be, that's just cruel. And selfish on your part.