Vegetarian with dogs/cats/meat eating animals?

**RubyPiggie2** · #1 07-04-05, 01:33 pm

Do any vegetarians/vegans here have any dogs or cats or any animal that eats meat? I've decided that I can't get any dogs/cats/meat eating animals when I grow up because I'm vegetarian.. It's sort of being hypocritical, and since meat is a big thing in those animals diets, it would be a little odd (no offence) for a vegetarian to have those kind of animals.

**John4216** · #2 07-04-05, 05:27 pm

Well not really as they have to eat meat. I love my dog and she can't help it that she has to eat meat.

**VoodooJoint** · #3 07-04-05, 05:38 pm

They do make vegetarian dog and cat foods now.

**Sabriel** · #4 07-04-05, 07:31 pm

I know a hard core vegan who has cats. She takes in strays and injured cats. Last I saw her she was making chicken broth for her toothless cat. She said she felt weird, but she knows that they have to have it.

I would consider a veg diet for my cats, but I have a barfy cat and I've just found a food she can keep down. She's even eating less hay now.

Besides, I don't think I have the right to impose my beleifs on anyone. That includes my cats, fish and husband. If eating meat keeps them happy and healthy and they believe it's right, then that's thier business, not mine.

Are you going to base who you have a relationship with soley based on if they eat meat or not? It's hard enough to find a good man these days, I wouldn't make it harder on yourself :P Just make sure he can accept you for who you are.

**Zeander** · #5 07-04-05, 09:12 pm

I was watching one of those animal cop shows on Animal Planet. They had an incident where a woman wasn't feeding her cats meat. She was giving them veggies or somethng. The cats went blind because of it. I really don't understand vegitarian pet foods.

**RubyPiggie2** · #6 07-04-05, 09:48 pm

I guess I understand it, but I know I would feel a little weird.

Sabriel--

When (or if) I do have a boyfriend/fiance/husband, I've decided that I'm not going to buy any meat for him, and if he decides to eat meat (it's fine with me because I know that I just can't change someone because they do something I don't), he'll have to buy it himself.. Even if I go to the grocery store for groceries I'm not going to buy him any meat from my money. I'll never base my relationships on wether or not my s.o. eats meat or dosen't... I'm just not sure about being able to BUY meat for something that is my responsibility(well, my s.o. MIGHT be my responsibility XD). I guess I just have to give it a lot more thought, because I've given it a lot so far.. but if I do decide to, like John, I am not going to deny my dog/cat meat because they need it in their diet and it's not their fault.

Zeander-- That's horrible! If you have a cat/dog, you can't just deny that animal what it needs! (Of course unless they have a veg diet which is suitable for them) but I doubt that woman did have that particular diet since the cat went blind. I can't believe some people...

**VoodooJoint** · #7 07-04-05, 11:29 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeander

I was watching one of those animal cop shows on Animal Planet. They had an incident where a woman wasn't feeding her cats meat. She was giving them veggies or somethng. The cats went blind because of it. I really don't understand vegitarian pet foods.

The problem with what that woman was feeding was the lack of proper nutriants.

She was feeding the cats mostly rice. A rice diet is not appropriate for cats or dogs.

What made the cats blind was a lack of the amino acid taurine. Vegetarian cat foods have taurine added. However, I cannot vouch for how good these foods are as I have never used them.

I prefer to feed my animals as natural a diet as I can. That means meat based foods for the dogs and cats, vegetarian foods for the Gps and rabbit, whole animal "food" for the snake, etc... My carnivore/omnivore pets cannot help what they are or what they are ment to eat so I will make sure they get the types of food they need despite my dietary habits.

**The Magic Taco** · #8 07-05-05, 02:35 am

I wouldn't make my cat or dog go vegetarian. It's not natural for them to do so.

(Ok, so I'm NOT vegetarian... It doesn't mean I'm ANTI-Vegetarian. I just like my lamb!)

**Sabriel** · #9 07-05-05, 10:32 am

RubyPiggie a relationship works both ways. My husband will pick up my *horrible* veg "meat" or meatless food for me, so I feel it's only right that I pick up his meat for him. I'm not going to change him or deny him something like that becuase I love him. The same goes for my cats and fish. I loveingly feed the cats meat, and the fish thier fish flakes (they have fish meal in them) becuase that's what they want and need.

Maybe you'll change your mind when you meet the special someone.

**StrangeKat** · #10 07-05-05, 01:10 pm

My boyfriend is a diehard meatlover, and I a "weirdo veggie hippie girl". I still buy meat products for him and cook them too. If you love someone everything changes, and little things like that don't matter.

**RubyPiggie2** · #11 07-05-05, 02:00 pm

I don't know, I think it would be awefully strange for me, and I just feel like I couldn't do it. I'll know though, when I grow up I guess.

I'm still not sure about being able to get meat eating animals.. I still think it'd be very, very weird for me. But I'm just going to think more about it.

Thanks everyone for your input!

**Sabriel** · #12 07-05-05, 03:09 pm

Honestly, you really wouldn't know it's meat if you look at it. The dry food looks like big piggy pellets and the wet food looks like poutine minus the fries.

It's not like you're going to toss them half a cow for dinner.

**RubyPiggie2** · #13 07-06-05, 08:30 pm

I know what it looks like (I had a dog and am dog-sitting 2 right now), and it dosen't look like meat at all... But some of the wet dog food does.

It's just that I KNOW it's meat that kinda makes me ... hm.. how to phrase.. feel weird?

**Sabriel** · #14 07-06-05, 09:33 pm

Have you ever had a cat or dog? I adopted Shampoo long before I became veg, so I couldn't imagine living without her (as she nudges my hands while I type =^..^=) and my husband just wouldn't be the same without his Ukyou.

How can you not feed this little imp her kitty kibbles

http://sorceressandswordsman.com/kitty&fish.jpg

A cat might be easier then a dog for you. Their food is less meaty looking. You can keep them on a dry diet just fine. Besides fancy feast looks more like vegitarian mystery "meat" then it does beef, chicken, pork or fish

**Wheekwheek** · #15 07-07-05, 09:12 am

Maybe being a meat lover myself, and a vegetarian <funky huh?> I don't know what your going through, but dogs and cats are wonderful pets. Affectionate, intelligent and adorable. I too also had my cats and dog before I became a vegetarian, I couldn't imagine living without my Wicca angel. Best mutt in the world but I'm biased. Top vets say that to pick a good dog food make sure the first thing on the label under ingrediants is meat not corn or such. Meat is just nature for dogs. I think it would be cruel to get around it and try to make them eat anything other than what they would if they were undomesticated as meat is what is healthy for them. After all, we haven't converted guinea pigs into carnivores. Good thing too they nibble my fingers enough as it is. Just take up the thought that nature is nature. If you can watch carnivore documentaries on the Discovery channel you can give a can of Alpo to a hungry puppy with big brown eyes. <pulls that kitty away from Nemo and Dori>

Wheekwheek

**Access** · #16 07-08-05, 07:04 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore

"Domesticated carnivores are often recommended to have vegetable supplements (or such containing processed pet foods) as meats designed for human consumption may be lacking in vital nutrients."

**Wheekwheek** · #17 07-09-05, 05:13 pm

I am glad you brought that up Access and that is true, these days alot of dog food does have vegetables added to their diet. The food I feed my dog is a wet brand with slices of meat and vegetables, you can even see the peas they've added and my dog loves it. They also make a dry food now thats out on the market with vegetable matter involved. But the main ingrediant in any dog food vets recommend should be meat and not corn products. A good rule of thumb I've heard from a couple vets is check the ingredient label and if it says corn then a meat product don't use it. I think what they meant in that article is if you feed your dog meat from the table and only meat from the table. In the wild a dog would feed upon a whole carcass and get their minerals from many sources on it. Bone marrow, etc. They also chew on grass for digestion purposes. If you've ever read up on true carnivore species and their feeding habits you'll notice they need so many pounds a day in meat. Now I'm speaking from 6 year absence from biology class but it has something to do with the fact it takes more pounds of meat to pull the correct vitamin essentials and calories needed. If I'm right.. geez I'll have to get out the old biology book. Anyway dog food's today are processed so a dog gets all its essential nutrients in the food, at least thats what the owner is supposed to check. No feeding of deer or other herbivores is required. If you look in the Dog's Encyclopedia though there are dishes of meat and vegetables you and your dog can share if you would rather cook for for you dog rather than pour it out of a can or bag.

Wheekwheek

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