What do vegans (not vegetarians) feed their cats/dogs?

Question

This is pure curiosity, I was watching some show and a vegan had some cats so now I am wondering what she would feed her cats? Since they are animals is it ok for them to eat meat based food? Dunno why this popped in my head, guess I'm weird.

I wish I had the will power to not eat meat and stuff.

Answer 1

As a vegan, I struggle with this issue everyday. I feed my dogs and cats high quality dog and cat food (not the kind you find in the grocery store) that does contain meat. I feel conflicted by that and I suppose I should. Other animals suffer and die so that I can feed my animal companions.

I love rescuing cats and dogs, but I don't feel that I can risk their health by putting them on vegan diets, especially the cats. Dogs are said to be omnivores (there is some debate about that) and may do ok on vegan diets, but cats are carnivores and are said to not really be able to thrive on vegan diets.  

Because I struggle with this issue, I'm not sure I will rescue cats and dogs in the future. When my best friends cross the bridge, I'm not sure I'll rescue or adopt again.

It kind of makes me sad. It's a tough issue for me.

Answer 2

I believe cats and dogs are carnivorous and therefor, unlike humans cannot obtain all their necessary nutricion from a purely plant-based diet. I could be wrong on this. But I have noticed some pet food companies are introducing non-meat ingredients into their dog and cat foods like rice and carrots etc.

It is a bit of a contradiction for a vegan or vegetarian to have a dog or cat as an animal companion since the only way to keep that animal healthy is to supply it with meat products which are the direct result of other animals' suffering.

Answer 3

There are vegetarian and vegan foods for animals...I am a vegetarian and I wish I could afford for my kitty to be vegetarian too...but I can't. But, I don't necessarily think it is wrong for animals to eat other animals, even though animals used for pet food probably go through the same abuse as animals used for human consumption.  http://www.vegancats.com/

Answer 4

Dogs are omnivores by nature and can thrive on a feel vegan diet. I know a lot of vegan dogs out there and even vegan cats (though vegan cats are more controversial since they are carnivores, they get supplements). You can be perfectly healthy as a vegan dog, actually more healthy.

If I had a dog or any other omnivore or herbivore I most likely would feed them on a vegan diet of course, but I if I rescued cats I would feed them carnivore meals.

Links:

http://www.veggiepets.com/

http://www.madcowboy.com/02_VeganPets.ht...

http://www.vegpets.com/

http://www.vegforlife.org/dogscats.htm

http://community.livejournal.com/veganpe...

http://www.vegparadise.com/otherbirds410...

http://www.ivu.org/faq/animals.html

Answer 5

Catfood and Dogfood. The person is vegan, not the animal.

Answer 6

they feed them cat food or dog food

Answer 7

I would hope they would feed dog food based on high quality animal-based proteins. But some people are just so obssesive that they even force their cats to be vegan which is ridiculous. My dog gets high quality dog food with blueberries and salmon oil mixed in.  

Answer 8

If I had a dog or cat I would feed them dog or cat food.

Answer 9

Sure it's ok. If you're a vegan and your son or daughter ate meat, does that make you a non-vegan?  

Answer 10

Vegetarianism is VERY HARMFUL to dogs and cats. In extreme cases there have been incidents...if you read the newspapers, every once in a while you'll read where someone has fed their German Shepherd a vegetarian diet and...well, don't leave an infant alone with a meat-starved animal. Going without meat is essentially starving the animal from protein and nutrients that it requires to live.

A vegetarian diet does the same thing to a human being, because we are not biologically (intestinal system, dentition, etc.) designed for it. That's why if you go vegetarian you must work hard to get the extra protein, calcium, iron, B12 and niacin into your diet that you would be missing if you choose not to eat meat. Countries where vegetarianism is common have developed cuisines to compensate, such as parts of India, Africa, and Indonesia.  

Answer 11

Well I still feed my cats regular cat food sold in store. I don't want them to have the diet I have, just afraid they may loose their protein in takes. But I do see that my cats start taking fresh veggies when I feed them (I small chopped baby carrots, cabbages, broccoli).