Although it is
possible to keep dogs on a vegetarian diet satisfactorily, cats are
more specialised and you are advised to consider carefully before changing
your cat to a vegetarian diet.
Cats are natural carnivores
and are unlikely to willingly forego meat from their diet. Cats fed
on vegetarian diets are likely to look elsewhere for their preferred
meat diet, and many cats will hunt and kill small rodents and birds.
Cats require certain nutrients
from meat that cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts from plant
foods. These include taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A, and vitamin
B12.
Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid essential for cats but not for other mammals.
In the prolonged absence of taurine, a cat's retina slowly degenerates
and the cat suffers eye problems and can become irreversibly blind. This
condition is called central retinal degeneration (CRD). Cow's milk is a
poor source of taurine and there is none in plant foods. The only rich
source is meat.
Arachidonic acid
Cats need a dietary source of essential fatty acids which they can then
convert into other essential substances. A dietary source of the essential
fatty acid, arachidonic acid, is not needed by humans as they can synthesise
it from linoleic acid present in vegetable fat. However, cats lack the
necessary enzymes to synthesise arachidonic acid and so a dietary source
is essential. Fatty tissues and milk contain almost none and only small
amounts occur in eggs. Meat is the only major source. Arachidonic acid
deficiency takes some time to develop but its effect on the cat is profound.
Vitamin A
Cats cannot utilise the provitamin A of vegetables and therefore require
preformed vitamin A (retinol) which occurs only in animal foods. There
are only small quantities of vitamin A in eggs and dairy produce. The richest
source is liver.
Vitamin B12
Cat's cannot synthesise their own vitamin B12 and a dietary source is necessary.
Vitamin B12 is present only in animal products.
Niacin
Unlike other mammals, cats cannot synthesise useful quantities of this
vitamin from protein and therefore require a good dietary supply. Eggs
and dairy produce are very poor sources and the niacin in cereals is largely
unavailable to cats. A diet based on cereals, milk and eggs will always
be deficient in niacin for cats. Meat is a rich source.
Thiamin
Cats are very susceptible to deficiency of this vitamin, which is rapidly
destroyed by heat. Eggs and dairy produce are poor sources, wholemeal cereals
and pulses are fair sources, meat is a good source.
Protein
Cat's require large amounts of protein in their diet and this can be a
problem on a vegetarian diet. Over 25% of a cat's diet should be a protein.
Whilst cats may enjoy certain
plant foods, vegetarian diets high in fibre and polyunsaturated fatty
acids may be detrimental to a cat's health. High fibre foods can fill
the cat's digestive system without providing the necessary nutrients
in sufficient concentrations. Excess polyunsaturated fatty acids in
vegetable oils can lead to a vitamin E deficiency related illness.
If you do decide to give your
cat a vegetarian diet, then a supplement is available. This is a powder
which can be added to your cat's meals. If you do not feel it is appropriate
to feed your cat a vegetarian diet, then you may find it preferable
to use concentrated dry cat food rather than canned. Most major cat
food manufacturers now produce concentrated dry foods which may be
less offensive to handle for vegetarian cat owners as well as conferring
health benefits for your cat in comparison with traditional canned
food.
Vegetarian cat owners should
always be prepared to seek professional help by contacting either their
veterinary officer or an animal nutritionist through the RSPCA. |
