Can Cats Go Vegan? The Risky Truth

There has been a recent trend of people wanting to feed their cats a vegan diet that aligns with their own dietary preferences. While commercially available vegan cat food exists, vets have long maintained that feeding cats a meat-free diet is dangerous. However, a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE challenges this assumption, finding that cats on vegan diets had fewer veterinary visits and reduced medication use. Nevertheless, the study has limitations, and the British Veterinary Association recommends speaking to a vet before changing a pet's diet.

A study found cats on vegan diets were healthier than those on meat-based diets

A study published in the journal PLOS ONE found that cats on vegan diets were healthier than those on meat-based diets. The study, conducted by scientists from the University of Winchester in the UK, surveyed 1,369 cat owners who fed their cats either a vegan or meat-based diet. The survey asked participants about their cat's health, including specific health conditions, medication use, and how often they visited the vet.

The results showed that cats on vegan diets had a 7% lower risk of frequent veterinary visits and a 15% lower overall medication use. The number of health disorders per unwell cat was also 16% lower for cats on vegan diets. Overall, the study found no evidence of detrimental health effects in cats fed a vegan diet. In fact, the authors suggest that a vegan diet may lead to health benefits for cats.

However, it is important to note that the differences in health outcomes between the two groups were not statistically significant. This means that the results could be due to chance and further research is needed to confirm the findings. Additionally, the study did not analyze the nutrient content of the cats' diets, which is an important factor in determining the healthfulness of a diet.

Despite these limitations, the study adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests it may be possible for cats to stay healthy on a vegan diet. This is contrary to long-held beliefs that meat is essential for cat health.

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they need nutrients from animal tissues, not from plants

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they are designed to obtain the nutrients they need from animal tissues, not from plants. Their anatomy and physiology are built to break down animal-based foods, which are quick and easy to digest due to their lack of fibre. In contrast, dogs are omnivores, with longer intestinal tracts that can extract nutrients from plant-based foods.

Cats have a shorter intestinal tract, with an intestine-to-body-length ratio of 4:1, compared to a dog's ratio of 6:1. Their pancreas also produces less amylase, an enzyme that breaks down dietary starches found only in plants. Cats can handle some starch in their diet, but too much can lead to diarrhoea.

Cats require a high-protein diet, with adult cats needing twice as much protein as dogs. They also need certain amino acids, such as taurine, which are only found naturally in meat. While taurine can be sourced from specific plants or synthetically manufactured and added to vegan cat food as supplements, these alternatives may not be as effective. Cats cannot produce their own taurine, and a taurine deficiency can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a type of heart disease) and poor eyesight.

Overall, cats are designed to get the nutrients they need from animal tissues, and it is difficult to create a nutritionally complete and balanced vegan diet for them.

Cats have shorter intestines than dogs as they are designed to eat animal-based foods

People have tried feeding cats vegan diets, and while some studies have found health benefits, veterinarians caution that the evidence is not yet conclusive. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their anatomy and physiology are designed to get the nutrients they need from animal tissues, not plants.

Cats have shorter intestines than dogs because they are designed to eat animal-based foods that don't contain fibre. This means their food is easy and quick to digest. The ratio of a cat's intestine to body length is 4:1, while a dog's is 6:1, even when accounting for their different body sizes.

Dogs, on the other hand, are omnivores, which means they can eat foods of both animal and plant origin. They benefit from a longer intestinal tract that can extract nutrients from plant-based foods. Dogs also have flat molars that can grind up fibrous food, whereas cats have sharp molars designed for shearing meat.

Cats' digestive systems are not designed to break down plant-based foods. Their pancreas produces less amylase, an enzyme that breaks down dietary starches found only in plants. Cats can handle some starch, but too much can lead to diarrhoea.

Cats also have a higher need for protein and certain amino acids, which are abundant in animal-based foods. Adult cats need twice as much protein as dogs. Meat and seafood are high in the amino acid taurine, which is essential for cats. While marine algae contain some taurine, it is only about one-tenth of the concentration found in animal-based sources.

Overall, while some people have tried feeding their cats vegan diets, it is important to consider that cats are designed to eat animal-based foods. Their shorter intestines and other physiological features are adapted for digesting animal tissues, and a vegan diet may not meet all their nutritional needs.

Cats need a high-protein diet, which is more easily sourced from meat

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they are designed to get the nutrients they need from animal tissues, not from plants. They need a high-protein diet, which is more easily sourced from meat. Adult cats need to eat twice as much protein compared to dogs. The Association of American Feed Control Officials' (AAFCO) adult maintenance minimum for cats for crude protein on a dry matter basis is 26%. For dogs, it's only 18%.

Cats have shorter intestines because the animal-based foods they eat don't contain fibre, so they're easy and quick to digest. Dogs, on the other hand, benefit from a longer intestinal tract that can extract nutrients from plant-based foods. Dogs also have relatively flat molars that can grind up fibrous food, whereas cat molars are sharp and made for shearing off pieces of meat.

Cats also need certain amino acids that are more easily sourced from meat. For example, taurine is essential for cats, but it is only found naturally in meat. While it may be possible to meet a cat's need for protein with a vegetarian diet (particularly if it contains eggs and dairy products), doing so with a strictly vegan diet is difficult. Meat and seafood are high in taurine, while vegan sources are hard to come by. Marine algae contain some taurine, but at about one-tenth the concentration available in meat and seafood.

Protein and taurine aren't the only concerns when it comes to vegan cat food. Other important nutrients that are primarily provided by animal-based ingredients include arachidonic acid, an essential fatty acid. Several studies have shown that commercially available vegan cat foods rarely meet all of a cat's nutritional needs. Similarly, homemade diets made from recipes found in books or online are notoriously hard to balance, even when meat is included.

Cats who eat poorly formulated vegetarian or vegan cat food are at risk of many health problems, including protein deficiency, leading to poor growth, muscle wasting, poor immune function, and skin and coat problems. They are also at risk of taurine deficiency, which can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a type of heart disease) and poor eyesight.

Cats can become very ill if given a plant-based diet without synthetic supplements

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they are designed to get the nutrients they need from animal tissues, not from plants. Their intestinal tract is significantly shorter than a dog's, even taking their different body sizes into account. A cat's intestine-to-body-length ratio is only 4:1, in comparison to the canine ratio, which is 6:1. Cats have shorter intestines because animal-based foods don't contain fibre, so they're easy and quick to digest.

Cats need a high-protein diet that includes certain nutrients, like taurine, which are only found naturally in meat. Cats cannot make their own taurine, so they must have it in their diet. Natural taurine can only be found in animal-based proteins. Cats can become very ill if given a plant-based diet without synthetic supplements.

Taurine deficiency can cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a type of heart disease) and poor eyesight. Other health problems that can arise from a poorly formulated vegan diet include protein deficiency, leading to poor growth, muscle wasting, poor immune function, and skin and coat problems; arachidonic acid deficiency, leading to poor growth, coat and skin problems, and a fatty liver; vitamin A deficiency, which can cause skin problems, sores in the mouth, and poor night vision; vitamin B1 deficiency, which is associated with neurological problems; vitamin B3 deficiency, leading to skin problems, dementia, and diarrhoea; and vitamin B12 deficiency, which can cause poor growth, weight loss, diarrhoea, vomiting, and neurological dysfunction.

There are some commercial vegan diets available that have synthetically made nutrients to replace those found only in animal-based ingredients. However, it can be difficult to find information about these foods, and some may not meet safety and nutritional standards. It is important to speak with a vet for advice. As nutritional requirements vary with life stages and in certain illnesses, even a well-balanced vegan diet may not be suitable for all cats.

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