According to a recent  article  on  www.examiner.com , even vegans say that cats need at least some meat in their diets, despite the recent  article in The New York Times  suggesting cats should stick to a vegan diet to protect fish.

The  American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  takes the position that felines require a meat-based diet, and websites such as  www.vegancats.com  and  www.essentialvegetarian.com   agree that cats need some meat.

Of particular concern is that cats are unable to synthesize the essential amino acid taurine, and so must get it through their diets. Taurine occurs naturally only in meat, and a deficiency can result in blindness and even death for a cat, according to the article.