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Vegetarian Cats and Dogs: The Next Logical Step
by Jed Gillen

Frances was the runt of a litter of three feral kittens. At only a few weeks old, still barely larger than a mouse, her mother abandoned her, seemingly judging her too small to be viable. Alone in the woods, not yet old enough to eat solid foods, it is unlikely that she would have survived the night had we not brought her home. As ethical vegans and animal lovers, there was no way we could turn our back on her, yet we perceived ourselves facing a difficult dilemma. Conventional wisdom tells us that cats are obligate carnivores: they need meat to survive. Yet purchasing meat-based pet food and thereby supporting the animal slaughter industry ran counter to everything in which we believed. Should our moral principles take precedence over the health and happiness of this innocent kitten? And on the other hand, should cows and chickens be condemned to die in the slaughterhouse to feed her?

Some people are convinced that meat pet foods, despite the suffering they cause, are the best choice because they are “natural". This argument, however, has many flaws. Cats are descended from small desert creatures. It is absurd to believe that tuna and other deep ocean fish, ancestral chickens (jungle fowl), or large ungulates like cows and sheep (by virtue of size, if nothing else) could have been a part of their “natural” diet. Insects probably made up the bulk of their menu, supplemented by small rodents and, to a lesser extent, songbirds and lizards. The wild relatives of the domestic dog, the coyotes and wolves, are not truly carnivores at all, but in fact omnivorous opportunists, eating whatever is most abundant and available at the time. In season, coyotes may rely upon berries and other plant materials to provide the bulk of their meals, with apparently no negative effect on their health.

“In nature”, prey items would be consumed in their entirety (manufacturers use only those parts which are “not fit for human consumption”, i.e., diseased, cancerous, or unusable odds and ends like heads), and would be eaten raw (containing live enzymes necessary for proper digestion). Diseased slaughterhouse waste products cooked beyond recognition and preserved in a can hardly qualify as a “natural” diet. And surely no one would argue that there is a “natural” precedent for the bodies of euthanized cats and dogs, for the high levels of toxic preservatives, or for any of the other random materials which routinely find their way into commercial pet foods (i.e., plastic, Styrofoam, flea collars, etc.).

Still, some may argue, meat is meat: the difference between dead, cooked, cancerous cow heads mixed with toxic chemicals, and live, raw mice with bellies full of enzyme-rich plant materials are negligible when compared to the large gulf between animal and plant-derived foods. While this may seem logical, it is simply not the case from a nutritional standpoint. When it comes to human health, we recognize large differences between eating beef and fish, between lean meat, fat, and certain organs like liver, between meats that are cooked and those that are raw. The fatty acid found in fish which many nutritionists believe promotes cardiac health in humans is not present in any other kind of meat; yet it is abundantly available in flax. As far as this nutrient is concerned, chicken, pork, or any other kind of meat is a wholly inadequate substitute, while a well-chosen grain is an excellent one.

The argument that cats and dogs need to eat meat, pervasive as it is, belies an intrinsic misunderstanding of animal nutrition. Meat is not a nutrient, nor does it contain any magical properties that make it alone a suitable vehicle for proper nutrition. There ARE, however, certain vital nutrients which meat has traditionally supplied, which a meatless diet would need to provide from other sources. Among the most prominent of these are the amino acid Taurine, which does not occur in plants and the lack of which causes vision and heart problems in cats, and Arachidonate Acid, a fatty acid which cats also require. While dogs can get all of their necessary nutrients from plants, nutritional balance and adequate protein may be a concern without careful formulation.

In 1986, a company called Harbingers of a New Age introduced the world's very first nutritionally complete vegan cat food supplement. When added to any of several specially designed recipes, “Vegecat” supplies missing nutrients necessary to create complete vegan meals that meet or exceed all AAFCO standards. Among other things, it contains a synthetic form of Taurine (which has been produced synthetically since the early 1900's, and is routinely added to deficient meat-based pet foods to bring them up to AAFCO standards as well); and Arachidonate Acid, which occurs in few plants but which happens to be abundant in a certain species of seaweed (Ascophyllum). Subsequently, HOANA introduced Vegekit, to provide for the needs of growing kittens under the age of one, and Vegedog, to ensure balanced nutrition and a full complement of amino acids to vegan dogs. Shortly thereafter, several other companies began producing nutritionally complete vegan cat and dog foods, including ready-to-serve canned and kibble varieties.

Not only are these foods not deficient, studies have shown that they may actually increase life expectancy, reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, and alleviate the food allergies from which up to 50% of cats and dogs eating meat pet foods suffer (note: most allergies are not diagnosed). A recent blood test on one of my own vegan cats revealed a Taurine level ten times higher than the amount that is considered “critical”, and three times above the average for meat-eating cats! (There is no danger in having too much Taurine.)

Frances grew up on these foods, as did her sister, Olivia, adopted a year later. Now approaching middle age (or what would be middle age for cats eating meat!), both are as beautiful, healthy and happy as ever, and still retain the playful nature of kittens. In 1999, they lent their initials to a new company called F & O Alternative Pet Products. Online at www.vegancats.home-page.org, this company offers a full spectrum of vegan options for cats and dogs: ready-made foods and mixes, treats, biscuits, enzyme supplements and more. Also available is “Vegetarian Cats & Dogs”, an excellent book in its third edition, which is sure to answer any lingering doubts or questions you may have.

Some have argued that it is wrong to “force our morality” onto our dogs and cats. I believe that the alternative-- continuing to subject cows, chickens, and pigs to our immorality-- is a great deal worse.