Vegan cats and their food.

[Guest guest]

Hi Melissa and friends,

 

It's interesting that this subject should come up now and I am glad to see it

discussed here. I myself am considering adopting a cat. In doing my due

dilligence, I found many articles promoting vegan cats well as some recommending

against it and much rumor and conflicting information. My findings, and some

philosophical considerations are described below.

 

Cats are finding themselves the preferred companion animal in the modern world

because of their intelligence, good looks, laid-back attitude, low maintenance

(they can even learn to use a toilet!), and when lovingly raised as kittens and

kept well-entertained, a friendly and empathetic personality. We find they are

in many ways like ourselves, individualistic and preferring to be treated as

equals.

 

But they are carnivores which makes them, on the face of it, unlikely members of

vegetarian households. But unlike carnivorous snakes for example, which most

vegetarians would eschew as pets, cats, perhaps because of their endearing

qualities and 6000 year connection with humankind are not so easy to do without.

 

Happily for all involved, modern science and chemical engineering may hold the

key. Mr. Borg is correct to point out that cats need a source of taurine in

their diet and will suffer terrible afflictions if it's not there. But having a

vegan cat is much more than simply serving up a garden salad peppered with

taurine powder. The nutritional needs of cats are quite complex owing to their

need for a number of materials that most other animals (including people) can

synthesize from plant matter. Besides taurine they need dietary arachadonic

acid, preformed vitamin A, vitamin D, and several others. And their needs for

protein, fats, and carbohydrates are quite different from our own. A number of

vegan cat foods have been developed that follow a standard called the

Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrition profile, which

non-veg catfoods also strive to conform to.

 

And anecdotal evidence seems positive.

 

But before everyone starts meowing with delight, keep in mind it isn't quite a

done deal yet.

 

One web page in particular caught my attention, by a cat vet who is also a

former animal rights activist. The good doctor mentions a number of issues

including the possibility that the nutritional guidelines for cat food are

somewhat outdated, the increased risk of diabetes from high-carb (i.e. relative

to what cats naturally eat) diets, the cat's digestive anatomy being less

effective than ours at absorbing nutrients from plant matter, issues with soy,

and perhaps there are micronutrients in meat that are needed for a long and

healthy life that aren't yet in the standard. We should not be too quick to

dismiss such concerns I think.

 

Cats, from their sharp teeth to the tip of their furry tail, and everything in

between, are fine-tuned to the carnivourous lifestyle. In switching them to

100% vegan diets, we are declaring our intention to impose, unilaterally and by

fiat, a drastic new world order upon cat-kind, their own biology and 40 million

years of evolution notwithstanding. This is a thing not to be taken lightly.

Yet the circumstances and morality of the situation would seem to force the

issue. It is not tenable for vegetarians to subsidize the farming and slaughter

of numerous cows, pigs etc to provide food for one cat, no matter how cute or

endearing. It also seems unlikely that vegetarians, to say nothing of the

larger population, would happily abstain from keeping cats, if for no other

reason than that so many are living in shelters and in need of a good home.

Finally, the other possible solutions to the dilemma, namely (a) the wholesale

genetic modification of the cat species to make it herbivorous or (b) the

laboratory production of cell-cultured meat on an industrial scale, while not

being IMHO ethically problematic, are not yet within the realm of practical

application.

 

I do not question the ethical sincerity and dietetic expertise of the various

manufacturers of vegan cat foods. Still, it has taken quite a long time to

figure out what nutrients humans need to live long and healthy lives free of

disease-- and we're already herbivores by nature. So until science determines

beyond a reasonable doubt the exact right formula of proteins, enzymes,

vitamins, micronutrients, etc for cats, folks who decide to have their cats go

vegan will have to accept the possibility that their cats may not be as healthy

(or happy... they are being asked to eat what must taste and smell a bit weird

to them) as they could be if eating an ideal meat-based diet. (there are high

quality 'all organic, free range' cat foods out there, of course carrying a

premium price as well.)

 

I can tell you the whole food issue has certainly forestalled my adopting a cat

and I don't yet have what I feel to be " the right answer. " I'm curious to hear

others' opinions!

 

One thing which everyone seems agreed on is that vegan cats should be closely

monitored by the vet for proper biochemistry and health. If trouble does crop

up it will provide much needed data points to fine tune the cat nutrition

guidelines, while a consistently clean bill of health will lend credence to the

whole vegan cat endeavor. A close working relationship between vegan cat

guardians and their vets will also go a long way toward dispelling the popular

stereotype of vegan cat guardians as irresponsible kooks bent on an unnatural

and cruel ideology.

 

By the way, I agree with Mr. Borg that turning your cats loose to hunt outside

for 'supplements' is a bad idea. Better to teach a cat to walk on a harness and

thereby enjoy some quality time in the outdoors in a safe manner, to keep it

from getting bored indoors.

 

Thanks,

DG