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CATS.TXT
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1995-03-13
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VegSocUK Information Sheet
THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY
___________________________________
CATS - A VEGETARIAN DIET ?
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 from Katz Go Vegan (The Vegan Society, 7, Battle Road, St Leonards
on Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7AA).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. Hill's Science Diet, Kit 'n' Kaboodle, and 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.
___________________________________
//
This article is copyright to the Vegetarian Society (UK), but may be freely
copied for non-commercial use provided it is kept intact, not altered
and these lines are included.
For futher information contact: The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road,
Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QG, England. Tel: (England) 061 928 0793
email: vegsoc@vegsoc.demon.co.uk
//
[The text of this file was obtained from the Vegetarian Society (UK) in
March 1995.]