Q: Can my companion animal be vegan?

A: Feeding cats and dogs on a conventional meat-based diet can be distressing for those who have chosen to eliminate animal products from other areas of their life. In addition, the high fat and protein content and low nutritional value of tinned meat, as well as the possible contamination by animal-borne diseases such as BSE, mean that many people wish to opt for a healthier alternative for their companion animal.

The good news is that cats and dogs can be happy and healthy on an animal free diet. See Vegan Animal Food

Dogs

It is very straightforward to keep a dog healthy on an animal free diet as they require no special supplementation if fed a well-balanced vegan diet. There are several complete vegan dog foods on the market, the most readily available is Happidog, but be aware that some varieties contain Vitamin D3.

Cats

Unlike humans and dogs, cats cannot synthesize vitamin A from the carotene in plants. They also need a preformed source of arachidonic acid which most mammals synthesize from the plant fatty acid, linoleic acid. In addition, cats need a preformed source of taurine, an amino acid that they would usually obtain from flesh foods.

However, since Vitamin A, taurine and arachidonic acid are available in synthetic forms there is no reason why cats cannot be vegan. Vegan Pet provides all the required nutrients for a healthy balanced diet for cats and dogs.