Can Cats Be Vegetarians

               Can Cats Be Vegetarians?           

In a word, no.

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they must eat meat to meet their nutritional needs and to thrive. As a true carnivore, they lack the physiology to efficiently digest vegetable matter.
 
Cats are fueled by protein and fat - not carbohydrates. As a matter of fact, cats do not produce the enzymes necessary to digest carbs. In the wild, the only carbohydrates (vegetable matter) they eat are those already digested by their prey. When we feed our cats vegetables, it is mostly for fiber. Their bodies do absorb some vitamins and minerals from vegetables, but animal tissue is the true source for a cat's nutritional needs.

What about cat grass (wheat grass, barley grass and oat grass)? Cats love cat grass! Their bodies mostly use this to settle an upset stomach or simply as something tasty to chew on.

Grains are a big no-no for cats. They fill no nutritional need. Grains can lead to inflammation, which is the basis of most diseases. Grains can be a major factor in obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, arthritis and more.

A cat's digestive tract (like all carnivores) is much different than a human's. They have sharp canine teeth for tearing skin and flesh, large stomachs with strong acids to quickly digest meat, bones and skin, and short intestines to process and eliminate waste. Humans have rounded canines for tearing fibers from vegetables and fruits, saliva that produces the enzyme amylase, which begins the breaking down of carbohydrates, small stomachs that break down foods and long intestines where most nutrients are absorbed into the body.
 

The protein in animal tissue has a complete amino acid profile. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Proteins derived from plants do not contain all the amino acids critical for the health of a cat. While humans have the physiological ability to turn plant proteins into the missing pieces needed for a complete amino acid profile, a cat's body is not equipped to do this.

One of the amino acids missing in plants is taurine. While humans and dogs create taurine in their bodies, cats can not. Taurine deficiency causes serious health problems in cats, including blindness and heart disease.
 
Taurine is found in animal muscle and organ meats, especially heart and liver.  Some people feel it is okay to feed a cat a vegetarian diet and supplement with a taurine pill. This is like eating iceberg lettuce as your sole food source and then taking a synthetic multivitamin to make up the difference. It simply won’t work. Supplements are just well, supplementation. They are  in addition to, not instead of.
 
It is also important to feed your cat proteins with a high biological value. That means muscle and organ meat, not feet and beaks, which is what many commercial cat foods pass off as meat. Just because the first ingredient on a label says 'chicken,' it doesn't mean that it is sourced from muscle or organ meat. Look for words like ‘white breast meat’ or ‘thigh meat’ on the label.
 
As a vegetarian, I understand that it is not right for me to push my eating philosophy on any other species - especially ones that are obligate carnivores. Dr. Karen Becker, DVM, offers advice to those wishing to feed their pet a vegetarian diet - keep a vegetarian pet, not a carnivore!
 
Posted By:
Jodi Ziskin
Lap of Love's Pet Nutrition Specialist
www.lapoflove.com

 

Jodi offers Skype/Phone consultations with pet parents across the country seeking guidance with their geriatric or terminally ill dog or cat. She will help formulate a diet that not only meets each pet's unique nutritional needs, but their human's schedule as well. For those living in South Florida, Jodi is available for in-home consultations.

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INCREASING APPETITE IN PETS THAT ARE CHRONICALLY ILL

INCREASING APPETITE

IN CHRONICALLY OR TERMINALLY ILL PETS

By guest blogger Jodi Ziskin, Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Consultant for Cats and Dogs

Jodi Ziskin and Obi

When a dog or cat is chronically or terminally ill or simply recovering from surgery, getting them to eat can be a challenge.

There are many reasons for loss of appetite including (but not limited to):

• Medications that cause queasiness in the tummy
• Diseases of the digestive tract
• Aches and pains that make it difficult to get up
• Pain due to tooth decay or other oral diseases

This is, of course, both frustrating and heart breaking for pet parents. We know that our furry babies need nutrition and hydration to help them recover or for those who are nearing sunset, to make them feel as comfortable as possible for as long as possible.

In addition, pets who need to take meds with meals or on a full stomach simply must eat.

To Stimulate Appetite

Emu Oil - Yep, you read that correctly. The taste of emu oil is irresistible to most cats and dogs. It also contains a plethora of health benefits. The oil is rich in omega 3s (and other important essential fatty acids) and is anti-inflammatory. This is wonderful for pets with irritable bowel disease, arthritis, pancreatitis and more. Emu oil can also be used externally. It helps heal bites, hot spots, rashes and more. I suggested the Premiere Pure Oil by www.emumagic.com.

Tuna Juice - The diluted juice poured over food can stimulate the appetite. I recommend the Whole Foods 365 brand of no salt added Wild Slip Jack. Simply drain the liquid from the can and dilute with the same amount of filtered water.

Dried one-ingredient freeze dried meat treats - Excellent options by Grandma Lucy's, Stella & Chewy's, Bravo and more. Pick your pet's favorite - tuna, salmon, bison, chicken, turkey, etc. Crumble a treat over food (and maybe even mix in).

www.grandmalucys.com, www.stellaandchewys.com, www.bravo.com. Each site provides information on retailers by zip code.

Important

I always recommend adding a probiotic and digestive enzyme to each meal. The probiotic will help balance flora in the stomach, reduce bad bacteria and increase good bacteria in the gut, and will help strengthen the immune system. Digestive enzymes help break down the food, making it easier for your pet to digest and assimilate nutrients. One of my favorite products is a two-in-one by Animal Essentials called Plant Enzymes & Probiotics - http://www.animalessentials.com/#products:63. Start by adding just a sprinkle to meals and working up to the recommended amounts for your pet's weight. This can take a few days.

Foods to start with

Plain organic full-fat yogurt - Yobaby by Stoneyfield Farm is wonderful. It is creamy, cool and provides protein, fats, calcium and some probiotic. This is often a great first step in stimulating the appetite.

- For cats or small dogs, start with 1/2 tsp a few times per day. For large dogs, offer a tablespoon at a time.

Homemade Broth - Do not use canned or broth from cartons. Most of these contain onions, which can be poisonous to dogs and cats, MSG, too much sodium or other unsavory ingredients. Instead, make your own (you can eat this, too).

Simmer chicken (skinless, but with bones), preferably dark meat, along with carrots, kale, zucchini, parsley and a dash of sea salt for about an hour. Skim the broth so there are no solids left. Let cool and offer to your pet. Let them have as much as they want.

Next Step

Scrambled Egg - Scramble an egg with some organic butter.

• Once cooled, mix in half of it with a teaspoon of the aforementioned yogurt for cats or small dogs or the whole egg with a tablespoon of yogurt for larger dogs. Not only is this a nutritionally dense meal, it is easy to digest and assimilate.
  
• If your pet does not like yogurt, serve with the broth.

As Appetite Increases

Chicken and brown rice *- This will take a little time to prepare, but it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to four days. I recommend using organic or at least hormone and antibiotic-free boneless, skinless thighs. Heat up coconut, sunflower or olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of filtered water and 1/2 pound of the chicken. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through. For the rice, cook with twice as much water as the directions call for. This will make it mushy and more palatable.

• Empty the chicken and all the liquid into a blender and pulse until the mixture reaches a pate consistency.
• For cats, just add 1/4 cup of the rice; for dogs, 1/2 - 1 cup of rice.
• Although cats cannot digest grains, adding rice to the chicken will help slow down the digestion process, making it easier on the whole system.

Grandma Lucy's Simple Remedy * - Quick and easy. Just add water. http://www.grandmalucys.com/remedy.html

*Please note: these suggestions are for temporary feeding only. For nutritionally balanced, species appropriate recipes, please work with a vet or pet nutrition expert.

Other Suggestions

 ·        For very weak cats and dogs, you may need to initiate feedings by using a dropper or syringe (needle-free, of course) or spoon feed

·        For mobile pets, be sure their feeding station is higher than their stomachs. This will improve digestion

·        Most cats do not like to eat out of bowls - a plate is preferred

·        Make sure there is plenty of filtered water available at all times - rinse out bowls and refill at least two times per day

Jodi Ziskin is a Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Consultant for cats and dogs. She is a Certified Pet Nutrition Consultant who also holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition with a concentration in companion animal care. Jodi's mission is to help cats and dogs live healthier and happier. She coaches pet parents in their home environment, via Skype or by telephone on how to make the best holistic diet and lifestyle choices for their animal companions. Visit www.HolisticJodi.com.

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