VegSocUK Information Sheet
                              THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY


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                           CATS - A VEGETARIAN DIET ?

   Although it is possible to keep dogs on a vegetarian diet satisfactorily,
   cats are more specialised and you are advised to consider carefully before
   changing your cat to a vegetarian diet.

   Cats are natural carnivores and are unlikely to willingly forego meat from
   their diet. Cats fed on vegetarian diets are likely to look elsewhere for
   their preferred meat diet, and many cats will hunt and kill small rodents and
   birds.

   Cats require certain nutrients from meat that cannot be obtained in
   sufficient amounts from plant foods. These include taurine, arachidonic acid,
   vitamin A, and vitamin B12.

  TAURINE

   Taurine is an amino acid essential for cats but not for other mammals. In the
   prolonged absence of taurine, a cat's retina slowly degenerates and the cat
   suffers eye problems and can become irreversibly blind. This condition is
   called central retinal degeneration (CRD). Cow's milk is a poor source of
   taurine and there is none in plant foods. The only rich source is meat.

  ARACHIDONIC ACID

   Cats need a dietary source of essential fatty acids which they can then
   convert into other essential substances. A dietary source of the essential
   fatty acid, arachidonic acid, is not needed by humans as they can synthesise
   it from linoleic acid present in vegetable fat. However, cats lack the
   necessary enzymes to synthesise arachidonic acid and so a dietary source is
   essential. Fatty tissues and milk contain almost none and only small amounts
   occur in eggs. Meat is the only major source. Arachidonic acid deficiency
   takes some time to develop but its effect on the cat is profound.

  VITAMIN A

   Cats cannot utilise the provitamin A of vegetables and therefore require
   preformed vitamin A (retinol) which occurs only in animal foods. There are
   only small quantities of vitamin A in eggs and dairy produce. The richest
   source is liver.

  VITAMIN B12

   Cat's cannot synthesise their own vitamin B12 and a dietary source is
   necessary.  Vitamin B12 is present only in animal products.

  NIACIN

   Unlike other mammals, cats cannot synthesise useful quantities of this
   vitamin from protein and therefore require a good dietary supply. Eggs and
   dairy produce are very poor sources and the niacin in cereals is largely
   unavailable to cats. A diet based on cereals, milk and eggs will always be
   deficient in niacin for cats.  Meat is a rich source.

  THIAMIN

   Cats are very susceptible to deficiency of this vitamin, which is rapidly
   destroyed by heat. Eggs and dairy produce are poor sources, wholemeal cereals
   and pulses are fair sources, meat is a good source.

  PROTEIN

   Cat's require large amounts of protein in their diet and this can be a
   problem on a vegetarian diet. Over 25% of a cat's diet should be a protein.

   Whilst cats may enjoy certain plant foods, vegetarian diets high in fibre and
   polyunsaturated fatty acids may be detrimental to a cat's health. High fibre
   foods can fill the  cat's digestive system without providing the necessary
   nutrients in sufficient concentrations. Excess polyunsaturated fatty acids in
   vegetable oils can lead to a vitamin E deficiency related illness.

   If you do decide to give your cat a vegetarian diet, then a supplement is
   available from Katz Go Vegan (The Vegan Society, 7, Battle Road, St Leonards
   on Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7AA).This is a powder which can be added to your
   cat's meals. If you do not feel it is appropriate to feed your cat a
   vegetarian diet, then you may find it preferable to  use concentrated dry cat
   food rather than canned. Hill's Science Diet, Kit 'n' Kaboodle, and most
   major cat food manufacturers now produce concentrated dry foods which may be
   less offensive to handle for vegetarian cat owners as well as conferring
   health benefits for your cat in comparison with traditional canned food.

   Vegetarian cat owners should always be prepared to seek professional help by
   contacting either their veterinary officer or an animal nutritionist through
   the RSPCA.
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//
This article is copyright to the Vegetarian Society (UK), but may be freely
copied for non-commercial use provided it is kept intact, not altered
and these lines are included.

For futher information contact: The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road,
Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 4QG, England. Tel: (England) 061 928 0793
email: vegsoc@vegsoc.demon.co.uk
//



[The text of this file was obtained from the Vegetarian Society (UK) in
March 1995.]