Vegetarian Cat Food and Why It’s Bad For Your Cat
You may have heard that there are brands of vegetarian food for dogs – but what about cats? Well, though dogs may get on just fine with vegetarian, or even vegan, food as long as you go for regular checkups with the veterinary practice and are careful to give them all of the nutrients that they need, cats are a little different. Here, we explain all that you need to know about vegetarian cat food and why it’s bad for your cat.
It all comes down to one substance: taurine.
What is taurine?
Well, it is an amino acid, and it is especially important when it comes to metabolizing fats. Taurine is essential for keeping the feline body running healthily. Unfortunately, cats cannot create taurine themselves, and so they need to ingest it. In short: cats need to get taurine through their diet.
Where does taurine come from?
The only natural dietary source of taurine comes from meat. Eating a meaty cat food will give cats all of the taurine that they need to stay healthy. Look out for cat foods that are labeled ‘complete’, as these will have everything that you kitty needs in terms of nutrition: all of those vital vitamins and minerals – and, of course, taurine!
Because taurine is found naturally only in meat, feeding your cat vegetarian or vegan cat food is a big health risk.
What happens if my cat does not get enough taurine?
One of the key symptoms of taurine deficiency is a weakening in the muscles of the heart – this can lead to heart and respiratory problems. Taurine deficiency has also been linked to digestive disturbances in cats.
But, can I get synthetic taurine?
Taurine has been made synthetically (i.e. produced in the lab rather than being derived from animals), and some vegetarians and vegans often think about turning to synthetic sources of taurine. They seem them as a way of giving their feline friends all of the taurine that they need, without feeding them meat. However, the long-term effects of synthetic taurine supplements are not known, and moreover they are very, very expensive.
If you can afford these highly specialist vegan and vegetarian cat foods, then why not give it a go? But, be warned: you will need to do a lot of research and be very suspicious of any food that claims to offer your cat a complete nutritional package without using meat.
On the other hand, consensus has it that feeding your kitty even one of the cheapest meat-based foods is perfectly fine for their health
Is vegetarian and vegan cat food associated with any other health risks?
Actually, yes. One of the other main health risks that veggie and vegan cat food has often been associated with is urinary problems. This is because the acidity levels in vegan and vegetarian cat foods are very different to those in classic meat based foods.
Urinary Tract Infections (which cat owners often refer to simply as ‘UTI’s) are more common in male cats than in female cats. These infections can result in the urethra being blocked, and this can be fatal if left unchecked.
For information on your cat’s diet, simply book an appointment with your veterinarian!
Do you have any experience with vegetarian or vegan cat food? Leave us a comment and let us know.
