It's very strange. At the same time as I find myself considering switching to a vegetarian diet, I'm also considering switching my beloved dog to a raw diet. He already eats raw marrow bones on a regular basis and I have him on a human-grade grain-free dog food (read: almost all meat).

So how do those of you with pets reconcile feeding your animals the healthiest possible diet with your own thoughts about what is and is not ethical?

I'm really struggling with this. While I don't believe that animals should die to feed me, neither do I believe that I should deny my dog his natural diet. In truth, I object most to how animals are treated before they're slaughtered. So perhaps I should seek out some humanely-farmed, organic meat for my boy? But god, that would be so expensive. In fact, it would be impossible. I'm already spending more than I can afford every month on his super high-quality dog food.

What do you do? Is this just a situation where you have to accept the contradictions?

I personally think it's cruel to force any animal to be other than what God created it to be (in this case, a carnivore). However, dogs need less meat than cats. There are vegetarian pet foods available and it is possible for animals to thrive on them as the food is fortified with synthetic nutrients they typically get from meat, or if you give them suppliments. I would NOT recommend feeding your dog anything other than dog food. All the pet-care books I've read say it's extremely difficult for humans to provide balanced nutrition for animals using foods the owners prepare themselves.

Bottom Line: talk to your vet. If he or she freaks out at the idea of a vegetarian diet for a dog, find a specialist in canine nutrition. Only then will you have the info to make the best choice for your companion animal.

If you do change foods, do it gradually; mix some of the new food into the old food to start, then slowely change the proportions. Also watch your dog for any signs of stomach problems or food allergies.

Many of us have struggled with this. I have three cats, and I have always loved cats, and I can't imagine life without them. But I think if I had it to do over, I would seek out a naturally vegetarian pet.

But my cats are with me, for better or for worse, and I haven't found any information that really convinces me cats can thrive long-term on a vegetarian cat food. I'm also not convinced that there's really any such thing as a humane cat food. I have seen at least one refrigerated cat food product in my local health food store, from New Zealand, claiming to be made from humanely raised free range meat. As you said, it is quite expensive, and I'm not at all sure I can believe their claims any more than I believe the "free range" claims on eggs in the grocery store, short of going to NZ to check it out.

So I feed them a good quality regular cat food and I hate it every day. :( But even if I were determined to make them vegetarians, their other parent, Mr. Tess, would put his foot down, I think.

My dogs were on the raw meat and bones diet for a while before I went vegan. The older one thrived, the younger one was really unhealthy on that diet. After I went vegan, I quit feeding them the meat and bones because I personally couldn't handle it anymore. I started them back on kibble but gave them lots of fruits and veggies and tofu and such every day. Then I found a vegan kibble. They like it, but they prefer their brown rice/barley mixture and some fresh raw tofu with some raw carrots and raw bell pepper. Both are thriving on this diet, thankfully.

FWIW, I just this AM saw a new cat food at Whole Foods called Pet Promise that seems pretty promising (no pun intended). It comes in dry and canned. The packaging says:

No animal byproducts
No added growth hormones
No anti-biotic fed meats
No rendered meats or fats
No brain or spinal tissue
No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives

A promise to natural farmers and sustainable ranching
Because it's important we respect all animals and the Earth, as well as our pets, we only source our meat from US rural farmers and ranchers who are committed to eco-friendly, natural and sustainable practices and believe in the humane treatment of animals. Or pasture-fed beef and free-range chcicken come from certified natural producers, like Coleman Beef and Petaluma Poultry.

http://www.petpromiseinc.com/petpromisehome.htm

I can't prove it's really better, but it FEELS better. Of course, someone will probably post and tell me how horrible it really is and how all their claims are lies... :sealed:

I haven't checked it against the price of my regular cat food, but I don't think it's significantly more expensive. But then I buy pretty high-quality cat food to begin with.

You could check out these links from the same website:

http://www.vegancats.com/pages/1007/FAQ.htm#1072
http://www.vegancats.com/pages/1175/Books.htm

And that same website explains why it is much more difficult to feed cats a vegan diet.

I'm thinking of getting a dog but I want to research all this first. I, too, would feel sad about feeding meat to a companion animal.

Dogs are omnivores and cats are carnivorous. You shouldn't try to veganize a cat. (Ie., humans are naturally attracted to a sweet taste, but cats tend to be as attracted to protein as we are to sweetness. I am not saying it's a matter of taste. I am saying that's the first clue. :) )

At this point, anyway, I do accept that my animals are not me, even though I am in control of what goes into their food dish. It's not the best solution or way of thinking of things, but probably the easiest. I suppose the most humane way to handle things would be to feed my dogs well-formulated vegetarian dog food, and take the "live bait" approach to feeding my cats. Ie., dump feeder mice inside a huge cage and let my cats have at it. :(

Even if I switched my boy to a vegetarian kibble (and I'm far from convinced that this would be the best possible diet for him), I would still feed some raw meaty bones for enrichment, dental care and plain old enjoyment. So if I'm still going to feed bones, then I may as well continue feeding a meat-based kibble.

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to work this one through as I go.

I have no problems feeding my pets meat. If they are carnivores/omnivores, I would feel bad if I didn't offer them animal protein because it is something very beneficial to them. I have problems eating meat myself because it is not something I need, but it is something beneficial to my pets diet.

If I had problem with it I would stick to owning rabbits and guinea pigs--but I just don't have a problem giving my rats a chicken bone, and I don't feel I know enough about their nutritional needs to mess around with coming up with a vegetarian diet.

I don't have any problems buying meat for my pets.

When my dog Skip was sick recently I had to feed him hamburger and rice, and having not touched hamburger in over 6 years I found it rather disgusting raw, but I didn't have any problem cooking it because I wanted him to feel better and need him to eat something that wouldn't upset his stomach.

I feed my dogs and cats Eagle Pack food, which is good quality, and made locally, so I feel good about that.

I do have a problem with feeding my cat meat. She eats meat supplemented with VeganPet.

I also have a problem with feeding cats an all vegan diet as they are carnivorous.

Solution for me? Don't get another cat after my cat dies.

She is now about ten years old, I got here just as I had turned veggie and hadn't even thought of these sorts of things.

If I ever got another pet, I'd consider a dog, but I'd be leaning toward a pet that was naturally herbivorous, like a rabbit.

I probably wouldn't get another pet (at least till I'm old and retired and have stopped wandering), but I have a kid and I remember fondly my pets as a child, how I loved them and how big a part of my life they were..

I would get a pig but I'm not sure how available they are at the SPCA and I don't know if I would like their hooves clicking on the faux-hardwood floors.

I decided that I could no longer support the meat industry by feeding my dog a meat based kibble when there were alternatives out there. I also felt that if they let humans eat meat that is hormoned, diseased, and old then what could they possibly be putting in that kibble?

I started feeding my dog vegetarian after she got sick from a bad bag of dog food. I now feed her the vegetarian kibble from:

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/

I have noticed that her scat is not as smelly and much firmer too.

My friend's dog is vegan... and switching to the vegan food cleared up all kinds of the dog's health problems (i.e. daily vomiting) and she also lost her excess poundage. She's a very healthy and happy dog.

my dog loves vegetables but i couldn't imagine feeding him just veg.so i buy him nature diet dog food, it's BUAV approved, so that makes me feel a little better - i'm also going to try him on some dry meat free food, but i need to find one that hasn't been tested on animals first :)
i agree that a dog, for example, should not be deprived of it's intended food because of it's owners beliefs.

I really doubt that my dogs feel the tiniest bit deprived just because they get fresh fruits and veggies every day, fresh tofu nearly every day (we are talking fresh tofu--not the packaged kind), and a good mix of sprouted brown rice and sprouted barley. I think that they feel incredibly LUCKY. I think that when they see another dog living off of commercial kibble, eating the same old processed rotting flesh and other scraps of waste not good enough for human consumption day in and day out, they feel very sorry for those dogs.

I really doubt that my dogs feel the tiniest bit deprived just because they get fresh fruits and veggies every day, fresh tofu nearly every day (we are talking fresh tofu--not the packaged kind), and a good mix of sprouted brown rice and sprouted barley. I think that they feel incredibly LUCKY. I think that when they see another dog living off of commercial kibble, eating the same old processed rotting flesh and other scraps of waste not good enough for human consumption day in and day out, they feel very sorry for those dogs.

I think it used to say on the vegancats website but I can't find it anymore but it was something about how people are so concerned about "natural" foods (ie meat) for dogs and cats without realizing that there is very little that is natural about domestic companion animals' lives.

As long as the cat or dog is getting all the nutrional requirements why stress about meat? I think you are taking very good care of your dogs.

My kids do have natural balance vegetarian formula in their dish 24/7 if they ever get the munchies. Plus, so that they are getting taurine. I'd prefer not to feed it to them, but in case taurine really is important, it's there. But, I have to admit, I DO feel a lot better about them eating possibly abused and mistreated oatmeal and rice than members of their own species.

And, goatee, I completely agree with you. I love it when people argue with me over what I feed my dogs. I ask what they use, and it's invariably commercial kibble...often a supermarket brand even. *ROLL EYES*

I ask what they use, and it's invariably commercial kibble...often a supermarket brand even.
Ah, well, that's mostly just people not knowing what's in that food and why it sucks. My dog gets Canidae--high quality, doesn't have animal by-products (yuck!), pointless fillers, or scary preservatives.

I guess I feel the same way about this as I do with humans being vegetarians--do what you want, to each their own, but be sure you know what you're doing and that important nutrients aren't being lost.

Southpaw, yes, but if they don't even know what is in the kibble they feed their dogs, why do they feel like they are doing what is morally right compared to me, a person who knows exactly what her dogs eat as it is mostly whole foods? It's so strange that they argue so fiercely that dogs "need" meat and not to feed it to them is basically neglect/abuse, and yet, they never bother to look at what they are really feeding their own dogs.

My three dogs I put on veggie dried dog food. But one dog was very skinny when I rescued her a few months ago and suffers from health probs, ands she refused that so I therefore put some small amount of tin dog food in the dried to get her to eat. So although this doesnt sit well with me at all, I know she is eating it and putting on weight. I plan to wean her off the tin food soon.

t4w, If you don't want to add canned food, you could add gravy.

Southpaw, yes, but if they don't even know what is in the kibble they feed their dogs, why do they feel like they are doing what is morally right compared to me, a person who knows exactly what her dogs eat as it is mostly whole foods? It's so strange that they argue so fiercely that dogs "need" meat and not to feed it to them is basically neglect/abuse, and yet, they never bother to look at what they are really feeding their own dogs.


It reminds me a bit of the things parents who are raising their children as vegetarians and vegans go through. It's like, as long as the kid/dog is eating meat, nobody asks any questions, but the minute they're not.... how scandalous!

I don't currently have a pet, but I will be getting a kitten when I get my own place. I've been up in the air on this very issue since I became vegetarian, but seeing so many of you have had happy, healthy vegetarian pets has swayed my decision some.

I understand those who feel they shouldn't deny their pets what they naturally eat. My problem with making this decison has been that the foods available are not what they would "naturally" eat. Even if I bought raw meat, its pumped full of things I don't want in my own body.. why would I put it into a beloved member of the family?

Its a tough decision!