Veganism vs. Cats

Sep 17, 2020

"[The] ability to make meaningful connections determines whether we are and become lovers and protectors of life or unwitting perpetuators of cruelty and death."
-Dr. Will Tuttle,
The World Peace Diet

Cat Person

I've always considered myself a "dog person," but ever since going vegan, I've fallen more and more in love with cats. (Honestly, I could say the same thing about basically every animal because veganism has made me appreciate all life more than I can put into words.) Sometimes, I find myself looking online at cat products and fantasizing about adopting a cat: what I would name her, taking her out on little walks around the neighborhood, watching her stare at birds flitting about outside, putting up shelves and tunnels all around the house for her to climb. But aside from Jolie getting jealous about sharing my affection with another animal -- and a cat, no less! -- the one thing holding me back from these dreams are two little words: obligate carnivore. With that being said, let's look further into the ethics of cat companionship.

The Problem with Meat

There are very few regulations on companion animal food, and most of these products are created from the waste of human food production. These "waste products" can be downed dairy cows, egg-laying hens, old sows, "retired" horses, shelter animals, and diseased or sickly animals; they are deemed "not fit for human consumption" and are therefore offloaded onto companion animals or are fed back to farmed animals.1

Most of these dead animals were fed GMOs, contaminated with dangerous fertilizers and pesticides, and companion animals are at risk of these toxins being transferred to them. Studies have also found that dog and cat foods, ranging from cheap to premium, contain high levels of mercury, arsenic, thallium, fire retardants, and other dangerous chemicals.2 Even organic meat-based foods are often contaminated.1

But at the end of the day, we should be cognizant of our hypocrisy in supporting the "pet" industry that is responsible for the deaths of billions of animals worldwide each year. If we truly love animals so much, how can we keep killing so many other animals, both for our companion animals and for ourselves?

Can Cats Ever Be Plant-Based?

Though some vocal vegan veterinarians believe that cats can be healthy on a balanced plant-based diet, there are other cat lovers who claim otherwise. Cats are generally very picky and particular about basically everything: food, water, bowls, beds, toys, scratching posts, other products, and even additional companion animals; some cats will starve themselves rather than switch to a new food, plant-based or not. (Though this isn't always true: I've known cats who'd eat anything you put in front of them.)

However, dogs and cats have nutrient requirements, not necessarily ingredient requirements. Though cats are technically carnivores, they can get all the necessary nutrients from animal-free sources, and vegan cat food is fortified with all the essential nutrients they need to be healthy. One of the problems with plant-based cats (and dogs, too) is that they can develop crystals in their urinary tract which, if not treated quickly, can block the passage of urine, cause infection, and kill the animal. This is more of a concern for cats than dogs, and more for males than females, as they have a smaller urethra, making the crystals more difficult to pass.1, 3

A Moral Responsibility

In my opinion, vegans have a responsibility to, at the very least, try a plant-based diet with their cats. If it works, then great! And if it doesn't, at least you tried to do something instead of entirely writing it off -- as most vegan cat parents do -- by saying that it would never work for their cat without even trying (or citing studies that claim cats can never be vegan when most researchers know very little about dog and cat nutrition -- heck, most human doctors and scientists don't even know that humans are herbivores).

And how can any vegan claim that cats can only get taurine and other nutrients only from animals? We live in a world where we can eat vegan burgers with plant-based heme iron that bleed like beef burgers, where scientists are growing edible meat and dairy from cells in labs, and you don't think there are other ways to get taurine? (In fact, even meat-based dog and cat foods are often supplemented with vegan-friendly taurine.4) As Dr. Armaiti May points out, as long as a cat's diet is nutritionally adequate and they receive normal vet checkups, really the most common problem with plant-based cats is getting them to actually eat the food.5

One or None

Is it ethical to rescue one animal at the expense of thousands of other animals' lives? Isn't it less unethical to save the "food" animals instead of the "shelter" animals? Of course, as I've said in the past, it isn't our choice to decide who lives and who dies, and neither option is necessarily good, but wouldn't it be incredibly speciesist of us to rescue cats because they are animals traditionally kept in the home instead of, and at the expense of, animals that are far more exploited and abused?

In terms of meat consumption, United States dogs and cats consume about one-quarter of all animal-based calories produced in the country.8 In fact, if "U.S. dogs and cats were their own country, they'd rank fifth in global meat consumption."9 When we compare the death totals, it's about 860,000 cats killed in shelters each year to about 14 billion "food" animals (25 percent of 55 billion US animals slaughtered each year).6, 7 If we look at it that way, there's much more at stake.

The Best Option

As I said above, I don't think there's necessarily a correct option here, though I do believe it'd be more aligned with veganism to not adopt meat-eating cats, but I also won't claim that cat lovers can't be vegan simply because their cats eat meat. However, if it were me, the way I would probably go about bringing a cat companion into my care would be to foster them first and see how they react to vegan food. If it goes well, then I could consider adoption.

Other Considerations

As far as other areas of concern, animal-based toys and treats, along with beds and other products are also often made of cheaper, non-human-grade materials. For example, flame retardants in bedding and furniture are neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters and should be avoided, particularly for cats that enjoy rubbing or sleeping on them.5 Plastic toys also often contain phthalates and BPA.2

Of course, declawing is also a huge mistake; it's akin to amputating all your fingers at the top knuckle. Declawed cats, as they've lost their primary defense, are more prone to biting and aggressive behavior.5 Cats should never, declawed or not, be outside unsupervised -- remember that these animals were bred to be companions, not wild animals -- as they are at risk of getting hurt, getting in fights, and bringing diseases back into the home. Additionally, outdoor cats are the top threat to native bird species, killing about 2.4 billion birds every year.10

All animals should be spayed or neutered to prevent aggression (especially with males) and reduce the risk of cancer development and other reproductive organ diseases later in life. And please support TNR -- trap, neuter, return -- initiatives in your area to reduce the feral cat population so there are fewer being brought into open admission shelters and killed.

Resources for Further Exploration

Dr. Armaiti May is one of the most outspoken vegan veterinarians we have today, and you can find more information about plant-based companion animals on her website. Additionally, she is on the Board of Directors of VAPA, the Veterinary Association for the Protection of Animals, an advocacy group to promote compassion to all animals in the veterinary community.

For information on how to feed plant-based companion animals, check out Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, which includes homemade recipes for cats, as well as other health information. (I can tell you that this book is definitely a big help for anyone looking to adopt animals into their home.) If you are looking to make homemade food, you absolutely must supplement with Compassion Circle's Vegedog or Vegecat to ensure they're getting all their necessary nutrients. If you'd rather buy kibble or canned food, there are brands like Evolution, Benevo, and Amì.