Cats may benefit from a vegan diet. That was welcome news for vegans. In the scientific journal Plos One stated in September that vegan cats visit the vet less often, use less medication, use less ‘therapeutic’ food and have fewer ailments than meat-eating cats. They were generally healthier than cats on an animal-based diet, the researchers concluded. While cats are born carnivores.
Would it really? Can you let a cat eat vegan with peace of mind?
Just call Wouter Hendriks, professor of animal nutrition at Utrecht University and Wageningen University. Not a good idea, he said in 2018 NRC. Perhaps he had now come to new insights.
He makes mincemeat out of it
If that were the case, it would certainly not be because of the new British study. It only takes him a few minutes to make mincemeat out of it. Just the method. If you ask owners about the well-being of their cat through a survey, what do you get? “These owners are probably quite passionate about their vision.” That colors their view of the cat and its health. People who look critically at nutrition may also do other things that affect the health of their pet. A vegan cat will probably not be given cubes of cheese and will be overfed less often. Perhaps these cats were given supplements, or caught the occasional mouse.
“And look at the age of the cats,” says Hendriks. The vegan cats in the study were on average almost two years younger than the meat-eaters. And hey! The oldest vegan cat was sixteen, the oldest carnivorous cat was 24. It would be too easy to say that carnivorous cats age. But it is clear: apples and oranges are being compared here. That the research was paid for by ProVeg International, an organization that wants to reduce the consumption of animals, and was carried out by a researcher who is also an animal activist doesn’t help credibility either.
Prey-eater
The British Survey therefore does not prove that vegan cats are healthier. But that doesn’t mean a vegan diet is necessarily bad. “You can also give a horse meat,” says Hendriks. “But look at the physiology and evolution of the cat and there is only one conclusion: the cat is a true carnivore. Or more specifically: a prey eater.”
Let’s get back to basics: the cat’s digestive system is short and fast, it has a small stomach that can hold relatively little food and an underdeveloped large intestine that is designed not to ferment. Vegetable proteins are more difficult for a cat to digest and can lead to a greater production of substances in the large intestine that, in high concentrations, can cause intestinal damage, diarrhea or blood in the stool. “That is not sufficiently highlighted,” says Hendriks. Without meat, there is a risk of shortages of B vitamins, vitamin D3 and taurine – an amino acid that cats need to avoid going blind. If the urine is not acidic enough, bladder grit or stones will form.
The advice is clear: preferably not. But vegans may not accept that. And they are right: there are vegan foods that meet the requirements, including added taurine. Choose a large manufacturer, Hendriks would advise, with the knowledge and production processes to deliver consistent quality. “But I still wonder: why does the cat have to go along with your philosophy of life? Don’t you want the best for your cat?”