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One must consider
the normal anatomy and physiology of the dog and cat. Both
species are in the scientific order Carnivore ("meat- eaters"),
although today the domestic dog is considered more as an
"omnivore" (animals that eat both animals and plants). Still,
just by comparing the dentition of dogs and cats with that of
humans and herbivores (plant-eaters, such as cattle and horses),
it is readily apparent that their teeth are designed by nature
for eating a diet largely comprised of animal tissue. Their
short intestinal tracts compared to humans and especially to
animals like sheep or horses also indicate that they are not
designed to accommodate diets containing large amounts of plant
materials. Their nutritional requirements, such as the need for
relatively high amounts of protein and calcium, reflect these
dietary limitations.
Many people consider
their vegetarian diets to be more healthful than the traditional
American diet that includes animal-source foods, and some assume
the same to be true for dogs and cats. However, the health
reasons that people cite as the basis for their own eating
habits may not apply where pets are concerned. For example, dogs
and cats do not suffer from problems such as high cholesterol or
coronary artery disease at anywhere near the incidence as do
humans. Thus, reducing intake of saturated fats and cholesterol
by cutting meats out of the diet would not be of any real health
benefit in pets. Another concern may be about bacterial
contamination of the meat ingredients, which could cause disease
when consumed by pets. This may be a legitimate concern when
eating raw or undercooked meat or poultry, but properly
processed dry or canned pet foods pose a far lesser risk of
disease transmission than raw fruits and vegetables. Some
vegetarian diets for pets are also offered on the premise that
they will prevent food allergies. The true incidence of food
allergies in pets is relatively low. Regardless, allergies can
also be developed against proteins in plants just as easily, so
cutting out the meat sources does little to prevent this
problem.
The nutritional requirements for dogs and cats are very
different from those for humans. Thus, a vegetarian diet
perfectly suitable in meeting a person’s nutrient needs may be
grossly deficient where dogs or cats are concerned. It is
possible, but very difficult, to develop such diets for dogs and
cats. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO),
in cooperation with CVM, has developed the AAFCO Dog and Cat
Food Nutrient Profiles, which details the known nutritional
requirements for these species. Formulating a pet food to meet
all these requirements is not a simple task in any case, but
becomes extremely difficult when using only ingredients that
would meet the definition of a vegetarian diet (especially a
vegan diet).
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