Yes, Pets Should Also Be Vegan
Let's turn cats and dogs vegan
Introduction
Just as it is immoral to buy animal products for ourselves, it is also immoral to buy animal products for our pets. I already argued in another article why buying animal products is immoral, so I am not going to do this here again. This article is just about extending this reasoning to pets. By pets, I will be talking here about cats and dogs, as they are the most common ones.
Nutritional Adequacy of Plant Based Diets for Pets
All essential nutrients required by cats and dogs—such as proteins, amino acids (e.g., taurine and arginine), vitamins (e.g., B12), and minerals—can be sourced from plants or synthesized. Advancements in pet food formulation have enabled the creation of plant based diets that meet established nutritional standards. For instance, taurine, an amino acid critical for feline health, is absent in plant materials but can be synthesized and supplemented into plant based cat foods. Similarly, vitamin B12, typically found in animal tissues, can be produced through fermentation processes and added to plant-based diets. Therefore, with careful formulation and appropriate supplementation, plant-based pet foods can provide all necessary nutrients, eliminating the need for animal-derived ingredients.
Evidence Supporting Plant Based Diets for Cats and Dogs
Emerging research indicates that cats and dogs can maintain health on well-formulated plant-based diets:
Systematic Review (2023) : A comprehensive analysis of multiple studies found that plant based diets, when properly formulated, resulted in health outcomes for dogs and cats that were comparable to, or in some cases better than, those fed conventional diets.
Guardian-Reported Health Indicators (2023) : A study surveying pet owners reported that cats on plant based diets exhibited fewer health issues, such as obesity and gastrointestinal problems, compared to those on meat-based diets.
Veterinary Perspectives (2023 ) : Veterinarians have observed that dogs and cats on nutritionally sound plant based diets do not suffer adverse health effects and may experience benefits like improved coat condition and reduced incidence of certain diseases.
Conclusion
Even if feeding pets a plant based diet was more “risky”, it would still be morally required. Because the alternative is to kill other innocent animals. Just as we shouldn’t kill dogs and cats in order to feed chickens or cows, we shouldn’t kill chickens or cows in order to feed dogs and cats.
Personal Anecdote :
Our family dog, a beautiful and energetic 5 years old Cairn Terrier, has been on a plant based diet since she is a few weeks old, and she has always been in great shape ! Here is the plant based brand we feed her.