But, can cats and dogs truly be vegan? And is it safe for your four-legged friend? Read on to find out.
Can dogs be vegan?
Whilst their wolf ancestors were carnivores and needed meat to survive, that’s not the case for the present-day pooch. It might surprise you, in fact, to learn that dogs are omnivores - meaning they can eat and derive nutrients from fruits and vegetables as well as from meat.
Therefore, so long as your dog’s diet contains all the essential nutrients needed to be healthy, including vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, they can technically eat a vegan diet.
Deciding on a vegan diet for your dog
There’s still limited research into the long-term effects of vegan or vegetarian diets for pets. Because of this, it’s always best to speak to your vet before changing your dog’s food, especially if they have allergies or other health needs.
If you do change your dog’s diet, do it slowly over several days to help avoid an upset tummy.
It’s also important to feed the right amount to help your dog stay a healthy weight. Being overweight can lead to health problems. If you’re unsure, visit our Pet Health Hub page on obesity to learn how to check your dog’s body shape and weight.
Feeding your dog a vegan diet
If you do choose a vegan diet for your dog, always look for a high quality, commercially available, complete dog food. All ‘complete’ foods are specially made to give your dog everything they need to stay healthy.
Avoid homemade vegan diets, or any homemade diet for that matter, unless on the advice of a specialist veterinary nutritionist, as it’s really difficult to meet their nutritional requirements this way.
UK Pet Food is a good place to check your dog’s food. If it’s listed, it means the company follows important rules for pet food safety, high nutrition standards, and strict hygiene checks.
Can cats be vegan?
Cats are what’s known as obligate carnivores, meaning they need meat as a major part of their diet. Domestic cats, like their wild ancestors still have a strong hunting instinct.
In fact, they rely on meat for essential nutrients such as Vitamin A, Arginine, Taurine and Arachidonic acid. Taurine, in particular, is essential to a cat’s diet and can only be found in animal-based proteins. This amino acid is really important for their eyesight, heart function, growth and immune system.
There are vegan cat foods available that have synthetic (man-made) versions of these essential nutrients. However, research into the effects of vegan or vegetarian diets for cats is still limited. It’s unclear how well cats can absorb the synthetic versions of these nutrients and how these diets will affect them in the long-term.
Deciding on a vegan diet for your cat
If you are considering a vegan diet for your cat, it’s very important to think about it carefully, speak to your veterinary team or a veterinary nutritionist and make sure to get your food from a reputable manufacturer.
UK Pet Food is a good place to check your cat’s food. If it’s listed, it means the company follows important rules for pet food safety, high nutrition standards, and strict hygiene checks.
Got it! So, does that rule out an insect diet for dogs and cats?
Over the past few years, you may have noticed adverts for insect-based pet food on the market. As the name suggests, this pet food contains insects, like the black soldier fly larvae, crickets or mealworms, as its main source of protein - instead of meat.
But is it safe, or appropriate, to feed your pet this food? Well, as we’ve already established above, no long-term studies have been done on the effect this type of food has on our furry friends.
The Verdict
Ultimately, dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat both meat and plant-based foods - so it is, technically, possible to feed your dog a vegan diet.
If you are considering feeding your dog a vegan diet, remember to speak to your veterinary team first, as some dogs will have dietary requirements that can’t be met on a plant-based diet.
For cats, however, it’s trickier to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need in a plant-based diet. As above, it is best to discuss any diet change with your veterinary team.
All in all, the most important thing to remember is to ensure your pet gets a complete, well-balanced diet.
Learn more about pet food and diets on our Pet Health Hub.