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My miniature poodle is the complete opposite: he loves any kind of plant more than anything else. Especially cabbage. You look outside and the first thing you see is a little dog grazing on the grass or any plants in our garden. He is practically a living lawn mower. Pumpkin even begs for guinea pig food! Of course, he eats dog food because that's what we give him and he assumes that's what we expect him to eat every day, but he's been a veggie maniac since day one. I don't think he'd mind dog food that tastes like his favorite treat!

But I don't know how my husky would react to veggie dog food. They're much different.

I give my cat food that contains meat. i think she deserves nutrition in her diet, and i dont think i'll try the vegetarian cat food. what is in the vegetarian food? what does it contain? My cat eats mice she catches, so i think shes ok to eat food containing meat for her meals.

I think feeding carnivore pets veg*n diets is wrong.

This is a HUGE debate and one that sparks many horrible flame wars in vegan communities.

I PERSONALLY have seen cats that couldn't WALK and were permanently BLIND from being fed vegan diets. They were brought into the shelter where I volunteered. I've seen several at the vet. I think it's sick and cruel for people do do that to their animals. If they're veg*n for animal rights, why would they force an unnatural lifestyle on their own beloved pets?

Dogs do better for longer on veg*n diets than cats, but I still don't think it's right or healthy in the long run.

Humans are made to be herbivores/mild omnivores and can choose a vegetarian diet. Cats and dogs are carnivores -- they have carnivore digestive systems (totally different from herbivores! different length of digestive tract, different teeth, different everything!). They are healthier on a meat diet.

If a person can't handle feeding a carnivorous pet the diet it needs, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE THAT PET.

I do, however, feed my dog and cat healthy, organic diets. I feed Wellness brand. No byproducts and other nastiness that they try to put in pet food.

My cat... she's a carnivore. She eats meat. That's the way it goes, and I refuse to change it.

Besides, I chose to be veggie. If I fed her this, she wouldn't be chosing. I'd be forcing her. I have a feeling that she'd choose meat over vegetables any day.

I have stopped feeding my dogs and cats dry food (after realizing what was actually in it) and started giving them fresh food, some canned and supplements. Since I believe it is wrong to take meat out of their diets this means cooking real meat. It is a little more expensive but I can control where the meat comes from, what the meat is, and have more knowledge on how the meat was raised. They are benefiting well from their new diets and appreciating meal time much more. I do still give them dry and canned food but only if it is Pet Promise. They dont use any rendered or recycled meat or fats, no animal byproducts, no growth hormones, no antibiotic fed protein sources, no factory farm meat or poultry, and not preservatives.

Having worked for a vet's office, I can tell you that while we did not have a problem with balanced vegetarian diets for dogs (who are oppurtunistic herbivores, much like bears- in that they'll eat berries and plants naturally) if we came across someone who claimed to feed their cat a vegan diet, we reported them for animal abuse and have seen many cats claimed from their owners that way.

I have no problem with this and support it fully- my cat was harmed by it's previous owners being put on a vegan diet and I don't regret for a minute that I rescued him from that situation and that I give him meat. The people who were hurting him before were doing it out of ignorance but that doesn't excuse it- part of why so many people are vegans in the first place is typically morals and being against animal abuse- where are your morals if you're going to abuse an animal because you expect it to be physiologically like a human?!

Cats ARE carnivores- no ands, ifs, or buts about it. You MUST feed your cat meat and to not do so is cruel and unfair, and hypocritical on your part. I feel very strongly on this issue and I'm sorry if that offends people- but if you want your cat to eat cruelty-free meat that's one thing, go find it and buy it. But if you're not prepared to ensure that your pet is taken care of then don't own it.

I give my cat fresh food- eggs and dairy from the local college (cruelty-free, the chickens and cows are not slaughtered) and then meat from the local farmer's market.

That kittie is so lucky to have found you!