Vegan cat food??
Anyone out there feed their cats only vegan cat food? I bought some Evolution kibble for my two babies, but then read some things that said you shouldn't feed male cats 100% vegan cat food or they will have urinary/immune system problems. So, now I do a mix--half vegan, half not vegan, which I'm not happy about, but I love my boy and don't want to cause health problems for him. Any advice/suggestions?
They both seemed healthy on the 100% vegan stuff (which contained all of the essential amino acids, including taurine), but I got worried. I know that dogs can easily go onto vegan diets, but there seems to be disagreement about cats.
I would like to stay away from having to make food for them because they like to nibble all day and I don't want wet food (which seems to be the majority of homemade stuff) sitting out all day (wet cat food = stinky apartment :P). Also, I don't know if I would be able to get all of the right nutrients in there.
Anyone had this same problem? ???
Two recent threads about pet food.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=13077.0
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=14595.0
I would love to put my cat on a vegan diet for my sake, but to be honest, I don't see how it would truly benefit him. Not only are cats natural carnivores, but my cat has kidney issues to boot. Dogs are considered omnivores, so it makes sense that they would be fine on a vegan diet...but cats? I can see putting a cat on a raw meat diet to avoid the processed stuff before trying to give him/her solely vegan food.
Dave is the expert on this. I'm sure he will give you a great response with links, etc.
Two recent threads about pet food.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=13077.0
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=14595.0
Thanks, Humboldt_Honey...I skipped over those because I thought they would be specific to dogs. I will have to check out the Nature stuff that people keep talking about--next time I run to the store, I'll take a look.
Operachic, I think I would probably gag if I fed them raw meat--maybe my omni BF could do it, but I'm pretty sure I'd gag. One of the posts suggested looking for meat from small farms to ensure less cruelty/drugs/bad food. I might have to think about that. For now, our vegan/nonvegan mix seems to be fine--they are very healthy, but I'd like to get away from the highly manufactured food if possible.
I completely understand about the gagging bit...lol...that's why I'm still feeding mine processed kibble.
BTW - your kitties are cute, crossing their tails as they eat!
Thanks, Operachic! I think they're pretty cute as well! They look a lot alike (except Joe is a little lighter) but we got them separately--Lucy's from the shelter and Joe was abandoned in our apartment complex, but they look like brother and sister. I guess it was meant to be ;)
Thanks, Humboldt_Honey...I skipped over those because I thought they would be specific to dogs. I will have to check out the Nature stuff that people keep talking about--next time I run to the store, I'll take a look.
:) They started out about dogs, but got off track. I think the summary would be that cats are carnivores and some people think it is animal cruelty to force a vegan diet on an omnivore and some people wanted to give it a whirl.
I would love to put my cat on a vegan diet for my sake, but to be honest, I don't see how it would truly benefit him. Not only are cats natural carnivores, but my cat has kidney issues to boot. Dogs are considered omnivores, so it makes sense that they would be fine on a vegan diet...but cats? I can see putting a cat on a raw meat diet to avoid the processed stuff before trying to give him/her solely vegan food.
Dave is the expert on this. I'm sure he will give you a great response with links, etc.
Far from an expert! I just spend far too much time researching my pet's nutrition! :o From everything I have read, it really is important to feed a cat meat. It's not important at all for us humans, but the kitties do need it.
I feed my kitties Nature's Variety Organic Raw. It's really easy to feed. It comes in 8 ounce frozen patties or little 1 ounce medallions that you just defrost and serve. Not much "ick" factor. :P
http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?page=1329&-session=naturesvariety:438CDAAC0c9fb12258XUir13CEEA
You can use the store locater on the website to find a store near you.i hope this helps.
-dave
Thanks for the link, Dave! There are a lot of stores that carry it around me--a benefit of living in the Phoenix-metro area, I guess ;)
Do you only feed your cats this or do you mix it with a kibble-like thing or other food?
No problem ;)
I also feed them the NV's Raw Instinct kibble. You can read about it on their site as well. You would be safe with any of their foods, all of my dogs (and I have a lot of them) eat Nature's Variety. Some on raw, and some eat raw and kibble. The one thing my vet told me is to not feed any kibble (or leave any out) for at least an hour after they eat the raw. She said it allows for better digestion, and will keep them from getting too full too fast. Cats that switch to it will usually eat it pretty quickly and then start to look at you....like "that's it?" I want more! It's much more filling then kibble, and they will get used to it. I hope they like it! :)
-dave
PS: that company needs to send me a check one of these days!
PPS: if you email them they will send you some coupons for free food and free samples.
well...back to cooking MY DINNER! ::)
The food looks like good quality, but I REALLY don't like that they have a "Breeder's Club"...One of the requirements is that you "must breed two or more litters each year."
http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?r=1959533&page=1250&-session=naturesvariety:438CDAAC0c9fb12258XUir13CEEA
The food looks like good quality, but I REALLY don't like that they have a "Breeder's Club"...One of the requirements is that you "must breed two or more litters each year."
http://www.naturesvariety.com/content.lasso?r=1959533&page=1250&-session=naturesvariety:438CDAAC0c9fb12258XUir13CEEA
WOW....I never noticed that. If there is anyone against breeding, breeders, and just the overall purchasing of a pet....it's me! I will send them an email. I have been feeding this food for so many years now. I do mix it up and switch to other "premium" brands from time to time (nobody wants to eat the same thing over day after day...I know I don't)! I don't plan on stopping using NV at the moment but will consider it over this issue. They have sent plenty of free samples and donated lots of food to some local rescue groups at my request. I know what they are doing it marketing, but it's not the type of marketing I want to support. I'll post a response when I get one (I know the regional sales manager for the company and I will CC her on my email). Hopefully with pressure, they will stop that program. I really hope they do.
Yeah, it just caught my eye when I was looking through the "Feline" section.
Let me know how it turns out/if you need help getting the message across.
P.S. All your doggies on your profile are WAY cute! I can't wait until we get a bigger place and can get a dog, although I love my kitties a bunch!
Like clockwork, this topic pops up on a monthly basis. :o
So, here's some previous discussions about food and nutrition from before for your reference:
Dog Food? (still talks about cats)
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=14595.msg91908
Pet Therapy?
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=14065.msg88035
More on Pet Food:...
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=13588.msg83914
There were more, but those are the only ones I directly participated in so they were easy to find in my "SHOW ALL USERS POSTS" . ;)
Haven't looked into it myself, but the person who passed this to me is reliable.
http://www.healthypetjournal.com/Default.aspx?tabid=14261
cheers!
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Ferret Research: http://ferretknots.blogspot.com/
Ferret Resources: http://nippynihon.blogspot.com/
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Mahatma Gandhi:
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
I can see this topic is a popular one! ;D
I would not ever feed companion animals (dogs or cats) a vegan diet. Cats, especialy. They're carnivores. I chose a vegan diet for ethical reasons and for my own health. A carnivorous cat would never choose a vegan diet for itself, nor would it thrive on a vegan diet. Cats, like dogs, need animal protein. Plant protein is not something their bodies can digest naturally. For instance, in dogs, you must process the veggies for them first. Otherwise, their bodies won't break it down and it'll just go through them pointlessly.
I don't have any pets now, but when I had a dog, I feed raw. Raw meat, that is. I got the meat from a local, organic farm whose animals ran around free and were killed humanely. No, it's not ideal. But, my dog was not going to thrive on a vegan diet.
Despite all the literature out there ... vegan cats/dogs have never been compares to meat eating cats/dogs. My wager is that the latter is far more healthier. Because their bodies are meant for meat. They're not omnivores ... they're carnivores. I've never seen a cat in the wild eating veggies.
I can see this topic is a popular one! ;D
I would not ever feed companion animals (dogs or cats) a vegan diet. Cats, especialy. They're carnivores. I chose a vegan diet for ethical reasons and for my own health. A carnivorous cat would never choose a vegan diet for itself, nor would it thrive on a vegan diet. Cats, like dogs, need animal protein. Plant protein is not something their bodies can digest naturally. For instance, in dogs, you must process the veggies for them first. Otherwise, their bodies won't break it down and it'll just go through them pointlessly.
I don't have any pets now, but when I had a dog, I feed raw. Raw meat, that is. I got the meat from a local, organic farm whose animals ran around free and were killed humanely. No, it's not ideal. But, my dog was not going to thrive on a vegan diet.
Despite all the literature out there ... vegan cats/dogs have never been compares to meat eating cats/dogs. My wager is that the latter is far more healthier. Because their bodies are meant for meat. They're not omnivores ... they're carnivores. I've never seen a cat in the wild eating veggies.
cheers to that.
That comes up alot in the "accumulated links" I posted.
I also encourage others interested to read from non-biased scientific sites like the following:
Actual Research Papers:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Literature/
animal-only related:
http://www.vetpathology.org/
http://www.acvp.org/
http://jas.fass.org/
For the reader without a strong scientific background, these often
have something:
http://www.eurekalert.org/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
All legitimate resources for scientific literature. :)
But in the end, any shelter animal is better in a vegan home than in a shelter so tho I can't AT ALL agree with that type of unnatural food, I can't in good conscience criticize either.
Cheers to those who rescue!
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Ferret Research: http://ferretknots.blogspot.com/
Ferret Resources: http://nippynihon.blogspot.com/
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Mahatma Gandhi:
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
My big concern with feeding a raw diet of eggs and meat would be salmonella and e-coli respectively. I know they're organic and include a "safe handling" practices page, but what if the food already is contaminated with bacteria from the processing?
Couldn't you cook the medallions before serving? I know that would cause the house to reek of the stench of cooked meat, but it sounds a lot safer.
Did you hear anything back regarding your email?
No Cate, nobody wrote back to me yet. I'm hoping they do by Monday. You really do not have to worry about contamination with NV raw. Just keep it frozen, defrost and feed. Dogs and Cats can handle bacteria that we can't. None of my dogs or cats have ever been sick because if the raw diet. I've been using it for a few years now.
As far as me.....I'm a germ freak sometimes, so I do wash my hands even when I touch the package...but so far, so good....I'm still alive....I think! :D