Vegetarian and Vegan Pets?!
Forgive me, but isn't this just as unsound as saying that humans "need" to eat meat? Every organism has specific nutrition requirements, but to think that eating animal flesh or feeding it to our companions is the only way, in the 21st century, we can meet these nutritional requirements is pretty silly. Why else would many VEGAN pet foods be certified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials?
It's wonderful that these veggers are so concerned about their companion's health that they'd sacrifice their principles for them, but maybe they need to extend the facts they apply to themselves (there IS NO vitamin, mineral, or protein compound that can't be manufactured without animal parts) to their pets.
Any thoughts, guys?
Answers: Here in the V&V community, I've seen a lot of my fellow vegetarians/vegans say that they continue to buy and feed their animals food that contains meat (and a lot of processed crap) because they mistakenly think their pets "need" meat to survive.
Forgive me, but isn't this just as unsound as saying that humans "need" to eat meat? Every organism has specific nutrition requirements, but to think that eating animal flesh or feeding it to our companions is the only way, in the 21st century, we can meet these nutritional requirements is pretty silly. Why else would many VEGAN pet foods be certified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials?
It's wonderful that these veggers are so concerned about their companion's health that they'd sacrifice their principles for them, but maybe they need to extend the facts they apply to themselves (there IS NO vitamin, mineral, or protein compound that can't be manufactured without animal parts) to their pets.
Any thoughts, guys?
Wow this is actually going to be an intelligent, civil, non-judgemental comment here..
I'm glad you're doing this for your pets! A lot of vegans overlook this issue. It's just as important to take care of your pets as it is yourself!
So first of all, dogs are natural vegetarians. They aren't meant to eat meat. It just blows my mind that most all dog foods are made with meat and supposed to be "for your dogs prime health!" because this isn't even their diet.. But alas, there are a lot of vegan dog foods. You just have to look carefully.
Also, cats are carnivores. HOWEVER, what they really need is taurine, I believe, which as of late they have discovered IS in fact found in things other than meat. Which means, then, it is possible for a cat to be vegan. I think the brand is called VegeCat or something like that, but it is expensive.
At the very least, you could find an organic brand.
I don't know if you're familiar with the Vegan Represent forum, but I'm pretty sure there is a thread on there about this that you might want to read. You should check it out. Great little online vegan community :)
just because you are vegan does that mean your pet has to be............some animals eat meat why can't you just let it be at that..............if your going to have a pet feed it what it eats in nature
Whilst seeing your point, and agreeing, to a degree, I would not feed my pets a meat free diet.
I have neither the time nor the energy to get into a discussion about the finer aspects of canine nutrition, but I would rather they ate the diet they have evolved to eat. I would rather they gained their nutrition from 'genuine' sources, rather that synthetic ones. I think that is the basic basis to my reason for feeding them a meat based diet. I don't put simulated vitamins, minerals etc into my own body, so I'm not about to do it to them. I don't eat meat - my choice. It would not be right, for ME, or MY dogs, for me to enforce that decision on them. There are some extremely high quality vegetarian dog foods on the market, that I have known dogs to excel on, but they are not MY choice, for MY dogs.
EDIT: You say..."Being vegan is not just what you put in your mouth, it's what industries and practices you choose to finance", but that is how YOU choose to live your life, and the ethics that apply to YOU. There are many, many different reasons people choose to not eat meat, and you can't apply your OWN reasons to everyone else. I haven't eaten meat for years, and I have tattoos. Both are regarded by many people as a 'lifestyle', but neither are to me, to ME, they are just minute aspects of who I am. Just wanted to highlight that YOUR reasons are not likely to be the same as DMs reasons.
EDIT: "vegeterian pet foods have a lot less processed and synthetic ingredients than conventional pet food"...which brands are you comparing here? Most vegetarian dog foods, that I have experience of, are over 90% cereals/grains, which the canine gut is only designed to process in small amounts, when eaten from the partially digested contents of occasional grain eating prey. Hardly natural. And I was referring to the 'manufactured' vitamin, mineral and protein sources that you had mentioned.
If you can't bring yourself to feed an animal its natural food, don't get that animal. Get animals that actually are veg*n naturally instead of forcing it on carnivores.
Gee, I said ITS NATURAL FOOD didn't I? And where's your proof of all you wrote anyway? There are plenty of natural animal food companies out there that don't put such things into their food, and if I had a pet that required it, that is the type of food I would be feeding it.
My thought...
Any time I see something written by a vegan they are on a quest to change the world and bordering on nutty.
The difference is humans are OMNIVORES, animals are CARNIVORES.
That being said while you are converting your carnivore pet just because he is your captive and has no choice what do you intend to do about other animals in the world that continue to hunt for their dinner?
Your pet is a fraction of the worlds animals - your mission is impossible.
Dependant upon the animal, it's perfectly fine to feed a vegetarian/vegan diet.
However, my great dane will continue to eat cornish hens and the like. My cats will continue to eat fish. They are, mainly, carnivores after all. They don't force meat down my throat in accordance with their customs, I won't force vegetables down theirs when they would clearly prefer something else.
My guinea pigs will continue with their carrots, apples, etc, etc. They are quite happy little vegetarians.
My fish, are, oddly, omnivores. They eat everything. Of course, at their size, one would not wonder why.
Myself, I'm a vegetarian. I follow what nature intended. =)
This sort of extremism is exactly why I dislike most vegans. So much more anal than vegetarians. Ugh. Worry about your own diet and leave the pets alone.
And of course, like most vegans you're snippy and rude to anyone who disagrees with your opinion. Typical.
My mom and I are vegetarian and my family feeds my pets hard food from iams, or whatever company we get their food from. They are meant to eat meat...we arent.
I hope I helped!!!=]
Cats are definitely carnivores. They eat meat, period. Dogs are omnivores and can eat both meat and plants but because their diet can be so varied it's important to pay extra attention to the nutrients they are consuming.
"Why else would many VEGAN pet foods be certified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials?"----it's all about $$$. Lobbyists run our world down to the smallest of details. No research or endorsements of any kind in the food industry can be trusted because they are all funded by lobbyists who pay big $$$ to have research slanted in their direction.
I feed what the vet has told me will give my pets the longest and healthiest lives. Cats and Dogs included. Are you a vet? Yes, then could you send me your feeding recomendation along with two other vets that agree with you on feeding animals non-meat based products and why it is that they will live longer by eating them so that I may consider this. Also, I will need you to tell me exactly what food it is that I should feed them and where I can get it. For both dogs and for cats please. HOWEVER, If you are not a vet: please refrain from telling me what is best for my pets. You aren't schooled on animal physiology, anatomy, etc. and quite frankly I think that you are spewing ignorance and you have no real idea how it will affect the welfare of other peoples animals.
Cats are obligate carnivores. They will die without taurine. Their bodies are made to hunt, kill, and process meat. Vegetarian cat foods are certainly available, but some studies report that cats on vegetarian diets tend to have more kidney problems.
Dogs are omnivores. They do not need meat to survive. There is no one ingredient in meat that a dog HAS to have. There are actually dogs who cannot process meats very well and a vegetarian diet works wonderfully for them. A vegetarian diet in dogs has been linked to some health problems like UTI's, and cardiomyopathy.
http://www.helpinganimals.com/pdfs/Dog_H...
animals are naturally carnivores, so you can get organic meat. My dog loves eggs, and cheese but we are taking cholestrol and that is unnatural...technically speaking they need raw meat, organic preferrably, and green veggie, but apples and carrots are great.
I'm a vegan, but my dog eats vegan dog food because he has an allergy to most meats. He can eat small amounts of meat (like a dog treat every now and then.)
Dogs can live perfectly healthy lives as vegetarians, so there's no reason they HAVE to eat meat. Cats, on the other hand, have been shown not to do well long-term on a meatless diet. I really wish my cats could be vegan so I wouldn't have to support factory farms by buying their food, but I'm not willing to compromise their health. I do, however make food for them from the recipes in "Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats." The recipes are not vegan, but I can choose to use organic animal products in the recipes.
To other posters who are not open-minded, all vegans don't judge you for eating animal products, but you can count on being judged when you make comments about how you hate vegans (stereotype)
You also need to do research before deciding that people or animals have to eat meat or they will be malnourished and die. I wanted to feed my cats vegan food, but once I researched it, I realized it was not plausible. On the other hand, my vet is the one who told me I should be feeding my dog meatless food. Not wanting to take the word of only one person, I researched that and found out that my dog could be perfectly healthy on vegan food.
Here are some links to some of the popular vegetarian dog foods.
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogform...
http://www.naturesrecipe.com/DogProductD...
http://www.breeders-choice.com/dog_produ...
http://www.evangersdogfood.com/dog/20101...
Yes, many thoughts. One thought--no--one "fact" is that you are not a true vegan. A true vegan would know that the spiritual path guides us in the reverence of all life and that means letting them be as they are. Pets are not subjects to be trained against their nature. It is up to the true vegan to provide them food that is natural and healthy for them. Not to make them dietary vegans. It is not respectful to do so and a corruption of the spiritual path. But to a wannabe vegan, there is no spiritual path and the only harm done is to the poor defenseless animal who cannot say, NO. How cruel.
I don't need to supplement on a vegan diet. If I fed my cats a vegan diet, I would have to supplement. That in itself says to me there's something wrong. My cats are APPROPRIATELY raw-fed carnivores. Their food comes from local farms that pasture raise their animals.
Some animals HAVE to eat meat. Cats and most snakes/lizards for example. I would not want to put thier health at risk.
Deliberately putting an animal at harm so it matches your lifestyle doesn't seem very vegan to me!
If someone is not comfortable with feeding a CARNIVORE meat then they should not own a carnivore.
when I adopt my own cats (atm mine are living with parents) they will be fed free range locally sourced organic meat. that's the closest to ethical that I can get without putting thier health at risk.
dogs however, are omnivores, so should do fine on a vegan diet.
Even the biggest brand of vegan catfood website admits some cats just *have* to have meat.