.jpg)
This is the dog's food? So?
Question: Is it ok to give my cat table scraps?
Answer: It depends on what it is. Some foods are ok in small quantities as a treat, such as cooked fish, poultry and meats that have no added fats or spices. Be aware though that some human foods can cause stomach upsets or are downright toxic to cats. Keep in mind that cats are absolute carnivores and not omnivores like humans, meaning they should eat a diet comprised primarily of meat. Their entire body structure is geared for the hunt, kill and consumption of animal prey.
A cat that is routinely fed foods from his owner's table will not only come to snub his own food but will probably not get the proper nutrition he requires to stay healthy. It is also not desirable to have your cat begging for scraps every time you are in the kitchen preparing a meal or having him stare at you as you sit at the table trying to enjoy your dinner. Imagine having your family and friends over for a holiday meal and your cat jumps on someone's lap or even on the table to try and get at the food. If you would like to give your cat a small treat now and then, I would suggest reserving some bits of raw meat or poultry for him as you prepare the food. Then feed it to him in his own feeding area.
Question: I am a vegetarian, can I give my cat vegetarian foods?
Answer: As stated above, cats are carnivores, they need meat to survive and be healthy. A cat's digestive system is different than that of humans and other omnivores. Forcing a cat to eat a diet not based on meat proteins will inevitably lead to health problems and eventually even death.
Question: Can I feed my cat tuna?
Answer: Canned tuna intended for human consumption is lacking some of the nutrients found in canned cat food. Commercial tuna flavor cat food uses more parts of the tuna than the selective tuna meant for humans. Feeding a cat primarily on tuna made for human consumption will deprive your cat of essential nutrients such as Vitamin E and could lead to deficiency diseases.
Question: So, what should my cat eat?
Answer: Cats require a high level of protein and fat. An adult cat should consume at least 26 percent of his food in dry protein and 10 percent in fat. Unlike humans, cats can handle large amounts of fat without harm, it is actually healthy for them (unless they are obese). If you decide to feed your cat mostly dry food you will need to provide plenty of fresh water. Even if you feed your cat exclusively canned cat food, you will still need to give him lots of water; the moisture content in the food is not enough for the cat to stay hydrated. Milk is considered food, not a drink. While it is ok to give cows milk to a kitten, adult cats don't need milk, it may actually cause digestive problems for them. The lactose in milk may give your adult cat gas cramps, diarrhea or cause vomiting.
Question: How do I choose the best food for my cat?
Answer: There are many commercial foods on the market, both moist and dry. What you want to look for is a well-balanced, high-quality food made by a reputable manufacturer. It should be appropriate for your cat's age, activity level and condition. A good way to judge is by reading the label. If meat is the first ingredient listed it is usually a good indication that the food is high in the required protein. The more other ingredients are listed the less protein the food contains. Special diet foods for cats with urinary problems or diabetes and foods specially formulated for less active, overweight or geriatric cats are readily available at many stores or from veterinarians. If you are unsure, you may want to ask your vet for advise.
- Complete Guide To Cat Care by Wendy Christensen and the staff of the US Humane Society
www.amazon.com/Humane-Society-United-States-Complete/dp/0312326084/ref=sr_1_1 - You & Your Cat, A Complete Guide To The Health, Care & Behavior Of Cats by David Taylor
www.amazon.com/You-Your-Cat-David-Taylor/dp/0394729846/ref=sr_1_1
Comments
I have friends who have vegan cats and they don't have any health problems from it.
If you are claiming a vegetarian diet kills cats because of lack of taurine, vegan cat food has taurine added to it.
However I would recommend that anyone who puts their cats on a vegan diet researches it carefully first to know how to do it properly.
Any veterinarian will tell you that forcing a carnivore to eat a meatless diet is not only unnatural for them but also unhealthy. This is from the purina website: "Unlike dogs, which can live quite happily on a balanced vegetarian diet, cats will go blind, suffer other debilitating conditions and ultimately die if fed only a vegetarian diet. Cats are obligate carnivores – eating meat is necessary for survival!"
Most literature, including the book mentioned above from the Humane Society agrees w
I disagree with anyone having a vegan cat mind you vegetarians and vegans are different. Just because an animal may not seem to have health problems doesn't mean they don't. As seen in many humans some health problems can lie dormant for years.
A cat's true natural diet consists of RAW insects & small rodents. What gets fed to them in cat food is COOKED cows, chicken and fish. I add the emphasis because due to cooking & processing, most of the essential vitamins are lost. If they were not added back by the manufacturer, cats would get sick go blind & die. Just the same as if you fed them veggies alone. That's why on the side of the can you see all those added vitamins & nutrients. You can feed your cat a vegetarian diet, but you must add nutrients to it, just as must be done with any meat cat food. The truth is that no cat food can claim itself a "natural" diet (unless I missed the cockroach & mouse flavored meow mix...) There are some people like myself who want to prevent animal abuse and therefore do not want to feed their cats food that comes from a factory farm. You can do this by feeding them a partial or fully veg diet with added nutrients from a product like Vegecat. do your research before trying it so u do it right
here is a blog I wrote debating the philosophy of feeding a cat a vegan diet...
esgonevegan (dot) blogspot (dot) com/2009/04/yes-its-true.html
I think feeding a cat a vegan or vegetarian diet IS animal abuse. Cats do not normally eat just vegetables. People should not force their personal choices on their pets! If you have issues with commercial cat food then feed your cat what it would normally eat: go catch some bugs, some wild birds and cats and mice and let them loose in your house so your cat can catch them like it would in the wild.
that should have been rats and mice LOL
I agree withLorna, it is animal abuse by definition of Vegan In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with ALL products derived wholly or partly from animals.[1] mind you they say ALL products derived from animals, last I checked a rodent is an animal. In fact I know some people who have insects and both mice/rats as pets. I even know people who breed specific types of rats. So to even deny a cat the rodent meet as Eric so put as being the truest natural food which is mind you for FERAL cats which you would treat a bit differently then a domestic cat anyways. But to even deny the rodent for the VEGAN diet is completely insane. The life expectancy of a cat would decrease than that of one who has their meet. Don't get me wrong you can have the veggies and such but to rid a cat of it's protein is CRUEL. Tell me of a Vegan cat who has lived to be 20 and maybe I would reconsider...actually I would probably demand proof from an autopsy to prove that it NEVER had meats.
Cats are carnivores, not herbivores, they can be omnivirous but by nature they are carnivores...let them have meat!
If you want a pet that only eats vegetables than don't get a carnivore as a pet, get a rabbit instead
My cats are healthy and happy vegans. The vetrinarians say the same. Please know more before you say something from old days.
Cats did not suddenly change from meat eaters to vegans. Have you looked in your cat's mouth lately? Those fangs should tell you something, cats are C A R N I V O R E S. You are forcing your cats to go against nature. The information from "the old days" is still valid. I don't know about your veterinarian, Christina, but mine agrees that cats should eat meat!
Very quick to judge people. Vegan cat owners are not saying that cats are not carnivores. And to call them abusers while simultaneously supporting a factory farming system that abuses millions of animals each day might be a touch hypocritical. Read this blog to see what a vegan cat owner is ACTUALLY thinking.
esgonevegan (dot) blogspot (dot) com/2009/04/yes-its-true.html
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!