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Articles and Information
Vegetarian Cats and Dogs?
By Tammie Ortlieb
I have two dogs and three cats. None of them are vegetarian. I have two cats who are indoor cats. One cat goes outside. Or I should say she harasses us until we let her outside. My children, four of them and all vegetarian, came to the meatless way of eating on their own. My animals, unfortunately, don't have that luxury. I must make that decision for them as if they are infants in my charge. Which, sort of, they are. But I just can't decide if these pets of mine are by nature omnivorous creatures or if, left to their own devices, they would stick with nuts and berries.
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Here is my dilemma. Cats and dogs are domestic animals. So, technically, they are a long, long way from having roamed the wild in search of sustenance. Question number one: If they were stalking prey, would they go after some small unfortunate creature or would they more likely hunt oats, veggies, and grasses of various origins, or possibly a combination of these! Question number two: If said pet is by nature omnivorous, would this cat or dog be harmed by feeding it strictly a plant-based diet? Would my desire to save wild animals put the health of my companion animal at risk?
According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), "The nutritional needs of dogs and cats can be met with a balanced vegan diet and certain supplements." Dogs, they say, are indeed omnivorous creatures. Cats, too, however they rely a bit more heavily on meat than do dogs. Although this meat we are talking about is not the kind you typically find in bags of cat food. I know my outdoor cat has brought to the door a variety of animal life including mice, moles, birds, frogs, even chipmunks. But PETA insists that even cats can remain healthy on a strictly plant based diet, with added supplements.
It's this little phrase that stumps me, with added supplements. Added supplements! If my furry critters can exist on a vegan diet, why bother swallowing a pill every day? Turns out dogs adapt quite well to a vegan diet because, like people, they are not especially choosy about what they put into their mouths. Cats, on the other hand, can be much more selective. Add to this the fact that their nutritional needs are a bit more complex and you begin to understand the need for added nutrients. But where to begin in my search for information that will lead me to the answers I need to sort out all of this mumbo jumbo and make the decision I need to make?
I turned to James O'Heare's free downloadable e-book, Vegan Dogs. This can be accessed easily through the Vegan Dog Nutrition Association's website at www.vegandognutritionassociation.com. O'Heare states that dogs "are not as carnivorous as cats or ferrets...but they are also not as herbivorous as humans." He continues that these companion animals are quite capable, with supplementation, of remaining in excellent health on a totally plant based diet. There's that word again, supplementation. While dogs need regular vegan type nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrates and water to thrive, turns out they also require a couple of things not provided by plants. These, say O'Heare, can easily be manufactured in a synthetic form to supplement the homemade or store bought vegetarian kibble. Hmmm.
As I'm wondering still if this is the natural way to feed my collie and his maltepoo sidekick, O'Heare reassures me that the current pet store dry food is also not the natural way to feed the two of them. In fact, Howard Lyman, of Mad Cowboy fame, has great links on the vegan pets section of his website (www.veganpets.com). One of those links sent me to an article on the Born Free USA site (www.api4animals.org) called "What's Really in Pet Food." After reading about how the pet food companies basically get the slaughterhouse reject material, that which isn't fit for human consumption, and after reading something about intestines and udders and hooves and heads, I have to confess I clicked off the link. Suffice it to say, you will have to finish that particular research on your own. But it was enough to send me directly out to my local pet store to search the shelves for vegan options.
But what about my cats? And, no, I am not going back to that article to check for a mention on feline nutrition. Instead, I checked out the Vegan Society (www.vegansociety.com) to see what they had to say on the subject. This is where I found information on Vegecat and Vegekit, veteraniarian approved, plant based supplements for the vegan cat diet. These provide vitamin A, taurine, and arachidonic acid in plant form. These necessary nutrients help prevent against the likes of hearing and vision problems, degenerative heart disease, and reproductive failure and are usually obtained from animal sources. My first thought on reading this was that it might be more natural, there's that word again, to provide these in a meat based food, whether dry or canned. But these foods, it seems, often use plant based forms of these nutrients in their recipes due to lower costs of the plant form versus the flesh form. And, further, the Vegan Society information maintains that there is nothing natural about feeding cats parts of cows, horses, chickens and sheep, which the cat in nature would never stalk.
So, back to my original two questions. Question number one: are cats and dogs by nature omnivorous or vegetarian? Definitely, both are omnivorous. Cats, however, seem to be more reliant on meat than dogs. Question number two: Would these animals of mine be harmed by feeding them strictly a plant based diet? Apparently not, provided I supplement somehow. Ok, so at this point I'm more convinced that transitioning my dogs to a vegan diet is an ethically sound decision. The jury is still out on my cats' meal plan. But, while I remember the way I transitioned to a lacto-ovo and then, later, to a vegan diet, how do I make the switch for my canine friends?
Most information I find suggests that homemade meals are the ideal. Ugh! I have trouble enough getting it together to provide my kids' dinners. I'm certain my pets will starve if they have to depend on me for life support. Never to fear, though, because while vegan from scratch is preferred (I suggest checking out James Peden's Vegetarian Cats & Dogs at www.vegepet.com for recipes and supplement information) some pet food companies have dedicated themselves to providing a quality vegetarian product. Some of these can even be ordered online. Check out www.vegancats.com (they also sell dog food), www.veganessentials.com, and Pangea's website, www.veganstore.com. You can also go directly to manufacturer sites such as www.v-dogfood.com. You may even be fortunate enough to live near a pet supply store that stocks vegan products. PetSmart and PetCo, for example, carry Nature's Recipe brand (look for the Healthy Skin formula, as not all formulas are vegetarian).
Regardless the source of the meal, all authorities suggest a gradual transitioning from a meat based diet to plant based foods. Initially working a bit of the new food into the current diet can eliminate taste and tolerance issues. Doing this gradually until the current food is completely replaced by the new kibble or homemade meal should provide for a painless, trouble free move toward a vegan diet for your pet.
Transitioning to a vegan diet for your pets:
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Determine your food source, commercial foods can be pricey, but homemade meals require a commitment in the kitchen
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Read up! just as when you made the switch yourself, you will want to know all you can to transition smoothly. Read, research, and talk to everyone you know who has veggie pets.
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Grab some dog and kitty recipe books or search out stores in your area, you know your food source; you feel more confident that you're doing the right thing; now it's time to find the recipes you will use or the stores where you will shop. Nothing like sad puppy eyes from a hungry tummy to make you question your decision.
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Make sure your pet is not a junk food vegetarian, pet owners who dine on Fritos, Wonder Bread, and white pasta are technically vegan. These owners, however, would not be healthy vegans. Likewise, your feline friend should enjoy a nutritious and well balanced diet that promotes health, not totally annihilates it.
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Prepare yourself with answers! there will likely be more than a few friends and family who question your intent. You know who they are, the same relatives who still try to get you to have just a little bite of turkey at Thanksgiving dinner. Arm yourself with well-researched ammunition.
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Go easy on yourself, was your jump from a meat based diet to plant based meals without a few bumps in the road? Don't expect your pet's journey to be any different. As with some human vegetarians, your cat or dog may have no issues at all. He may, however, need a little time and patience to make the adjustment.
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Share your knowledge! this is the quiet activism part, the part that I like. People will ask questions. Answer them. Be generous with the information without getting pushy. Very likely, they will ask more questions. And, well, you know what happens from there.
For those who would like to try creating your own vegan pet meals, try these recipes. But note that the ebook Vegan Dogs suggests onions, raisins, and chocolate are toxic to your canine companion. You should avoid these at all meals.
Texas Casserole
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 can black beans, drained
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups veggie crumbles
- salt, to taste
- coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
- dash chili powder
- dash cumin
Combine all in skillet. Saute on medium heat until peppers are softened.
Tofu Scramble
- 1 pound firm tofu, roughly cut up with fork
- 1 small zuchinni, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and sliced
- red pepper, cut in strips
- green pepper, cut in strips
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Saute in large skillet until vegetables are softened.
Read also:
Vegan Cats
Vegan Cats: Feeding For Health
Tammie Ortlieb is a freelance writer and adjunct instructor with a Master's Degree in Developmental Psychology. She resides in southwest Michigan with her omnivorous husband, four veg kids, and small menagerie of pets. Tammie writes for various vegetarian sources, mostly on being okay with your vegetarian self. She's a book nerd, a research nerd, a health nerd, and a huge glass of soymilk half full kind of creature. Visit her blog at www.middle-agedveganchick.blogspot.com.
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