In light of the UK's National Vegetarian Week , the controversy over feeding pets vegetarian diets has come into focus once again.
Consumers question the treatment of animals used in meaty petfoods as well as the environmental impact of producing petfoods with meat, according to a recent article , but the real question is: Are vegetarian pet diets healthy and nutritious?
A 2006 study by Nestlé found that the 34 vegetarian cats it examined were healthy. However, a main concern that stems from vegetarian feline diets is the risk of taurine deficiency, which most meaty cat food has added back during the production process.
Dogs may also struggle to get the nutrients they need from vegetarian petfood. Top lacking nutrients for canines include taurine and L-Carnitine.
Whatever route owners decide to go, the authors of the article recommended they talk to their veterinarian first to ensure their pets' proper nutrition.
2 top trends for 2021 according to the pet food industry
New shelter data casts doubt on whether the pet population and pet ownership are truly growing.
Shelter pet adoption numbers down in 2020, but high rate
While the pandemic caused unprecedented suffering worldwide in 2020, the disruptions to dogs, cats and other pets adoption numbers may normalize in 2021.