Vegetarian cat food is not an ideal cat diet. Cats are not vegetarians therefore depriving them of meat is akin to abandoning them. Although humans themselves may have the choice of turning vegetarian, it does not give them the right to turn their cats vegetarian. This is the mistake many vegetarian people make when owning a cat – they feed the cat the same diet as themselves, resulting in disastrous health effects on the cat.
Some effects of a non-meat diet include urine acidity problems and weakness.
Cats are born meat eaters so it is absolutely vital you do not feed your cat vegetarian food on its own. That sort of diet is best left for your guinea pigs!
Cats are carnivores and therefore require the nutrients which are found in meat sources. Vets advise against vegetarian cat diets.
Instead of vegetarian cat food, feed your cat regular meat and dry food as well as raw meat. This insures he receives optimal nutrition – something that would be lacking with a vegetarian diet.
Premium cat foods are often preferred over grocery store brands. They generally are more expensive but contain higher quality ingredients. If you can afford it, go premium.
If you are health conscious for your cat, there is a line of healthy cat foods such as that offered by Dr Foster and Dr Smith. These foods contain fruits and vegetables (catering to the vegetarian owners) but also contain the much needed real meat and protein as well as brown rice and barley to make up the whole grain portion of the diet. This really is gourmet food for your cat.
Gourmet cat food does cost a lot more, so it is up to you if you think it is worth it (ask your vet if you are unsure).
One thing is for sure – vegetarian cat food should not be a staple diet for your cat if you want him to live life to his maximum potential.
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