The Best Vegan Cat Food You Can Buy + The Best Ingredients, Ingredients to Avoid, and Buying Tips
Can your cat be vegan? This discussion is one of the most controversial issues within the vegan community, and the answer is still unclear. So, let me try and help you out.
The short answer is yes, it is possible, but it’s not easy and can be a risk to your cat. Before you start feeding your cat a vegan diet, you should seek professional advice from your vet or a pet nutritionist. They can help you understand your cat’s diet in more detail and discuss the associated risks.
If you’re content with feeding your cat a vegan diet, there are plenty of great vegan cat foods to choose from. This article will help you understand a little better about the vegan cat diet, supplementation, and also give you the best vegan cat foods out there for you to buy.
The aim should always be to do what is best for your cat. I highly recommended investing in high-quality cat food, even if it means spending a little more. You should also seek professional advice and always listen to what they say.
First, let’s answer the elephant in the room.
Can a Cat Be Vegan?
The short answer is yes, but it is complex, not suitable for every cat, and comes with risks. It’s understandable why vegans and vegetarians wish not to feed their cat meat. We understand where it comes from, and we personally wish not to fund the animal agriculture industry.
But, our cat must always come first above your own opinions and needs. You should always do what is best for your cat’s health and happiness. Cats are obligate carnivores. This means they have evolved and are designed to hunt animals and eat meat. Your cat’s natural instincts are to run, catch, eat, groom, sleep, and repeat.
In the wild, your cat would spend its time hunting and eating birds, mice, voles, insects, and any other creatures he can catch. Hunting animals is the cat’s strongest instinct of which they have no control over. Your cat doesn’t choose meat. He instinctively seeks it out as he has evolved to do so.
Your cat may eat the odd bit of plant food every now and then. For example, you may catch your cat nibbling on grass in the garden or begging for your peanut butter. Cats don’t do this out of choice or mix up their diet for fun. A cat nibbles on grass for the nutrient folate and desperately wants your peanut butter because it’s full of yummy fat.
Cats have a specific morphology, which requires them to get their essential nutrients from meat. Cats need and seek out the essential amino acids found in animal meat. This is why they don’t care for many plant foods because cats know it doesn’t contain the amino acids.
For your cat to be healthy, he needs carbohydrates, fiber, fats, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and amino acids. Some are more vital than others, but all are important. More essential than any of them is the amino acid, taurine.
If your cat lacks taurine in his diet, he will start to lose sight, his brain function will weaken, as will his immune system, and eventually, he will die. I know that’s depressing, but all cat parents need to know this.
Some regular cat foods include added taurine, which has not yet shown any huge issues for cats that digest it. It’s, therefore, considered to be safe for a cat to eat a vegan diet as long as he is being supplemented with adequate levels of taurine.
But, not all cats will thrive on a vegan diet supplemented with taurine and other essential nutrients. Please seek professional advice before changing your cat’s diet to vegan food and supplementation.
For those already feeding a vegan diet to their cat, please ensure you monitor their health daily. Symptoms of nutrient deficiency in cats can include:
- Fur becomes rough and loses its shine.
- Loss of appetite.
- Skin issues such as dermatitis, seborrhea, or dandruff.
- Changes to stool, including diarrhea and constipation.
- Quick changes in weight, both loss of weight and obesity.
- Unusual behaviors such as loss of energy, hyper energy, and weird behavior in litter boxes/toys, etc.
The 5 Best Cat Foods You Can Buy
1. Wysong Dry Vegan Cat Food
Wysong has created a specially formulated dry cat food that provides your kitty with all the nutrients he needs to be healthy.
Wysong has been around for 30 years providing pet guardians with top-quality vegetarian and vegan food. Wysong has a huge loyal customer base who trust them with their pet’s food.
Wysong is also the most recommended food by vets when clients ask for vegan pet food. The formula has come a long way over the last few decades. Now, your cat will get a higher protein and fat level, including the essential amino acids and antioxidants, omega-3s, enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and more.
The only downsides are that it includes corn and is very expensive.
2. Holistic Blend Vegan Wet Cat Food
Specially developed for those who do not wish to feed their cats grains, Holistic Blend is a unique formula that only includes fruits and vegetables.
The ingredients include blueberries, apples, pomegranates, sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots. It’s completely grain-free, which is excellent for any cats with grain sensitivities.
The only downside is that it is not a complete meal for a cat. You should feed your cat with vegan dry food too. This will make sure they get all the nutrients they need.
3. AMI Plant-Based Cat Food
AMI has won awards for both its quality and for its eco-friendliness. This is a top product that will provide your kitty with most of the nutrients he needs for the day. You may want to supplement with some wet food too.
AMI is one of the cleanse vegan cat foods on the market and does not include GMOs, by-products, artificial preservatives, or food dyes. You will only find natural ingredients here that are high in protein such as rice protein, pea protein, whole peas, brewer’s yeast, and flaxseed.
AMI is rich in nutrients, minerals, and micronutrients to make one a healthy animal. To top it off, AMI is enriched with taurine. My only issue with AMI is the base ingredient of maize, which contains gluten.
4. Evolution Gourmet Fondue Vegetarian Cat Food
Evolution is back again, this time with a wet food that goes great with the above dry food product to ensure your cat is getting everything he needs.
Evolution has created a 100% vegan cat food (also suitable for dogs) using purely natural ingredients with no nasty ingredients. It also provides 100% of the required nutrients as per NRC and AAFCO nutritional profile standards.
Each can include essential taurine and has no chemical or preservatives. With over 30 years in the business and multiple awards for their vegan pet food, you can trust Evolution just like so many other customers around the world.
5. Evolution Diet Vegetable Stew Wet Cat Food
Evolution is back again, this time with a wet food that goes great with the above dry food product to ensure your cat is getting everything he needs.
Evolution has created a 100% vegan cat food (also suitable for dogs) using purely natural ingredients with no nasty ingredients. It also provides 100% of the required nutrients as per NRC and AAFCO nutritional profile standards.
Each can include essential taurine and has no chemical or preservatives. With over 30 years in the business and multiple awards for their vegan pet food, you can trust Evolution just like so many other customers around the world.
What To Look Out For When Buying Vegan Cat Food?
When looking for vegan cat food, you want to ensure you’re buying the best quality possible. Not all vegan cat foods contain sufficient nutritional content for your cat. Doing your research is essential.
8 Ingredients You Should Avoid When Buying Vegan Cat Food
Here are 8 ingredients you should avoid feeding to your cat:
- Wheat – contains gluten, which is not suitable for cats.
- Fillers – no nutritional value, including rice bran, corn bran, soybean hulls, wheat mill run, modified cornstarch, oat hulls, etc.
- Coloring agents – pointless in cat food, and they offer no nutritional value.
- Artificial flavorings – pointless for cats and again, no nutritional value.
- Artificial preservatives – often include dangerous chemicals such as BHA and BHT (known carcinogens)
- Sweeteners – no nutritional value, includes corn syrup, fructose, and sugar, leading to odd behavior in cats.
These are the most common low-grade and pointless ingredients you will find in cat foods. Many people often say feeding your cat vegan is “cruel,” but those same people often feed their cat’s regular cat food, including many of the above ingredients.
Avoid any cat food brands that include names that sound like chemicals such as “Red 40”. Look for natural options that are organic and non-GMO where possible.
The Nutrients Cats Need
Cats require specific nutrients, just like humans, to be fit, healthy, and happy. However, our needs are slightly different from cats. For example, we need nine essential amino acids, and cats need eleven.
The two extra amino acids required are taurine and arginine. Thankfully, you will find both in the best quality vegan cats foods as they’re both easily synthesized. But that’s not all cats need
Cats require high levels of vitamin A & D and calcium also. Usually, they would get this from meat. Cats also need the lesser-known nutrient, arachidonic acid. Again, all of these vital nutrients can be found in any reputable vegan cat food product, but you must always check first.
What’s Inside a Quality Vegan Cat Food?
Source of proteins
Protein is vital for your cat. In fact, a cat should always have a high-protein diet. Protein is the building block of cells, tissues, organs, hair, skin, and muscles.
Cats have a higher need for protein because their metabolism is much quicker than a human or dog. Other animals can self-regulate the breakdown of protein, cats cannot, so they require a lot to keep sufficient levels in their body.
It’s recommended that 25% of a cat’s diet comes from a quality source of protein. For vegan cats, that source of protein should be a mix of:
- Soy
- Corn
- Brown rice
- Pea protein
- Flaxseeds
- Sweet potatoes
- Squash
Essential amino and fatty acids
As mentioned above, your cat must get all eleven essential amino acids, including taurine and arginine. A quality vegan cat food brand will include all eleven and in reasonable quantities.
Amino acids are essential for regulating metabolism and repairing and growing tissue.
Essential vitamins and minerals
Cats require the following vitamins and minerals to be healthy:
Vitamins
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- Vitamin B4 (Choline)
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
- Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
- Vitamin B8 (Inositol)
- Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Minerals
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Manganese
- Copper
- Iodine
- Selenium
Trusted origin (non-GMO, organic, etc.)
The best vegan cat food will come from an organic and non-GMO source. Organic ensures the plant ingredients were not treated with harsh pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides.
Buying Non-GMO is beneficial for the planet and your cat. GMO seeds that have been engineered to yield more and improve nutrition are continually found to have the opposite effect.
Expensive Price
Yes, if you want to feed your cat a vegan diet, it will cost you more money, and I implore you to spend that money should you wish to make your cat vegan. The most expensive brands are the best brands when it comes to vegan cat food.
Cheap pet food is never of good quality or healthy for your animal. Always spend the extra cash on quality food that is nutritious and clean.
Benefits Of A Vegan Diet For Cats
We all know that following a vegan or plant-based diet has tremendous health benefits for humans, and it appears the benefits are very similar for cats, including:
- Lowering bodyweight to healthy levels.
- Reducing the risk of diabetes and obesity.
- Helping to combat the development of cancer.
- Longevity.
Some vets and researchers have also claimed that a vegan diet can help reduce skin issues for cats. There is only limited research on this at this current time.
Final Thoughts
If you want your cat to follow a vegan diet, it’s advised to do lots of research and seek professional advice before starting. If your vet or pet nutritionist believes it is ok for your cat to go vegan, then invest in the best quality vegan cat food you can buy and complete regular health check-ups to ensure your cat is not nutrient deficient.
Using the list of trusted brands in this article, feed your vegan cat a healthy and nutritious vegan diet that will keep them thriving.
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