Vegan Cats

Cats can be vegan too. But it is more difficult to maintain some cats on a vegan diet. Cats are in the order Carnivora, as are dogs. This order is varied and comprises both carnivorous and omnivorous mammals. The cat family is the Felidae. Felids are strict carnivores. All cats eat meat. Because of this, the vegan cat has to be monitored closely to make sure that she/he is getting enough of the nutrients she needs. Even if you cannot fully transition your cat to a totally vegan diet, any cat can eat a partial vegan diet with some supplemental meat.

Please read the links and do your research! You are following a path that literally thousands of cats have followed and the vast majority of them have done just fine.

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Vegan Cats

Main concerns with cat nutrition

These are some of the main concerns that arise when changing a cat's diet into a vegan diet:

  • Urinary Blockage can occur, usually in male cats but sometimes in females, caused by crystals that form from incorrect pH. Have your cat's urine pH tested and monitor until you are sure the diet is working for the cat. Make sure your cat has plenty of water, and even a kibble diet should be moistened to provide extra water for the cat.
  • Taurine is found in meat, but is usually added to meat cat food because the rendering process removes it. Adding a synthetic form of taurine remedies this problem. Try Vegecat supplement or other vegan supplement.
  • Other vitamins such as B12 (easy to supplement) vitamin A (again, supplements work)
  • Finicky cats. Try easing your cat onto a vegan diet by adding a little of the vegan food at a time to your meat-based food. Eventually your cat will adapt to the new food.
  • Criticism from others. This is a classic problem that we vegans have. Stay true to your beliefs and remember that you love your cat, and you are probably more concerned with her/his food and health than most cat parents. Even if you can't go totally vegan, you can drastically reduce your cat's impact just by reducing the proportion of meat she/he eats. Every vegan can find the right compromise for their cat kids.