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Vegetarian cats

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  • 02-04-2006 8:12pm
    #1
    Shewhomustbe...
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054883275

    Myself and my partner are vegetarians and the above discussion has come up a couple of times as to whether we should change our cats diets to the same. I'll be bringing it up with our vet but I'm wondering does anyone have a success story regarding this?


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    #2
    eth0_
    Registered Users Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    I don't think it's fair considering cats are, and always have been, carnivores.
    If a cat doesn't eat meat, it will go blind.

    The vegetarian society advises AGAINST a vegetarian diet for a cat, see here:
    http://www.vegsoc.org/info/catfood.html

    IMO it would be animal cruelty to feed a cat a vegetarian diet, that's if you could even get the cat to eat vegetarian food.


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    #3
    leeroybrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,563 ✭✭✭leeroybrown


    I would also say that this is cruelty towards the pet. While we humans can survive adequately if not better without any meat, as eth0_ points out a cat is a natural carnivore. To my knowledge a cats digestive system (unlike a dog) actually requires nutrients from meat that it can't process directly from other sources. Even assuming that it can be done getting the dietary balance right would be awkward. Also, a cat fed a non-meat diet will also be highly likely to attempt to get this meat from other sources.

    I know vegetarians with cats and they would never do this to their precious pet.


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    #4
    Sigma Force
    Registered Users Posts: 5,132 ✭✭✭Sigma Force


    Cats cannot be fed on a vegetarian diet that link shown by eth0_ will tell you why. Dogs can but cats cannot.


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    #5
    hadook
    Registered Users Posts: 792 ✭✭✭hadook


    Cats are obligate carnivores - they're not designed to break down plant matter - all their veggie requirements are found in the gut of the plant-eating prey that they've killed.

    Everything from their teeth to their digestive system is geared towards a protein diet, unlike a dog. Dogs are not obligate carnivores. I can understand that you might want to feed your cats on a veggie friendly diet (ie one that causes the least amount of suffering to the food source) but trying to make a cat into a veggie is IMO something that you would do more for yourself than for the health & wellbeing of your pet.


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    #6
    Nala
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,959 ✭✭✭Nala


    I read before that a vegetarian diet will kill a cat within a pretty short space of time.


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    #7
    Shewhomustbe...
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭Shewhomustbe...


    Thanks everybody, sounds like a resounding no, and I'm sure I can hear my cats heave a sigh of relief! :D


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