Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (20 page)

The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom reports that meatless diets are successfully fed to both dogs and cats throughout Great Britain. Dogs do well, they say, on a breakfast of whole-grain cereal and milk and a dinner of high-protein food like cheese, eggs, ground nuts, and textured vegetable proteins or legumes mixed with raw and/or cooked vegetables. They also suggest including whole-wheat bread, brown rice, sprouts, fruit, and some hard foods, such as whole carrots and hard, whole-grain biscuits, for exercising the teeth and gums.

The same British group reports that vegetarian cats thrive on a varied diet of high-protein sources that include textured vegetable proteins, wheat germ, oats, beans, yeast, milk, cheese, eggs, ground nuts, legumes, and canned meat substitutes marketed for vegetarians. They also advise some vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, and the like), as well as the occasional melon.

In my own experience, however, I must say that I see some vegetarian animals that
aren’t
so healthy. (Of course, it’s the sick animals that people tend to bring to veterinarians!) My observation is that problems arise mostly when owners exclude
all
animal foods, including milk products and eggs, from their pets’ diets. While people can do well on a carefully planned pure vegetarian (vegan)
diet, I would not impose it on dogs—and certainly not on cats.

Cats have certain needs that can only be supplied from animal tissues. Unlike both humans and dogs, they cannot convert the beta-carotene found in vegetables to vitamin A—they require an animal source of vitamin A such as cod-liver oil, cheese, or eggs. They also need a preformed source of arachidonic acid (also found in cod-liver oil) and ample levels of taurine, an amino acid not present in plant foods. Taurine is found in the highest concentrations in heart tissue and seafoods and to a lesser extent in meats and dairy products. And even in a meat-centered diet, up to 80 percent of the taurine in the ingredients can be lost through cooking. (Perhaps this is why so many cats on processed foods crave seafoods!)

Studies show that a taurine-deficient diet causes cats to suffer degeneration of the retina, leading to blindness and problems with their hearts (cardiomyopathy) and other functions. These changes can be prevented or reversed by using lactalbumin (from milk) or egg albumin as the dietary protein source.

Some vegetarians have experimented with a meatless or even a near-vegan diet supplemented with taurine for cats; there is also a product called Vegecat that is formulated to provide taurine and the other components needed to compensate for a meatless diet. Many people report success with this approach, though I have no experience with it personally.

My thought is that we just don’t know all there is to know about the nutrients cats normally obtain from meat. Aside from the uncertainty of a meatless diet’s health effects, there is also a palatability issue. Cats often turn down vegetarian recipes! Like the little carnivores they are, they crave animal protein and fat.

You can, however, reduce your cat’s meat consumption by alternating the following polenta recipe with at least three or four feedings a week of Mackerel Loaf (
recipe
) or Beefy Oats (
recipe
). Use beef or poultry heart, which are both high in taurine, for at least half of the meat in these two recipes. Also, it’s wise to add one to two teaspoons of unflavored protein powder derived from lactalbumin or egg albumin to any vegetarian recipe, along with a taurine supplement equaling 50 or more milligrams a day.

It’s a good idea to include some hard foods for vegetarian dogs to chew on to keep their teeth and gums in top shape. Instead of bones, you can offer raw carrots, apples, or biscuits made from one of the recipes in
Additional Recipes
.

Even if you are not trying to feed a meatless diet to your animal, you can still use these vegetarian recipes now and then to decrease the level of pesticides and other toxic residues in your pet’s diet and lower your costs. Besides, it’s good to know that you can lighten your load on the planet by using less meat and reduce suffering for both humans and animals at the same time.

POLENTA FOR CATS

This recipe derives its protein from meatless animal sources yet still manages to provide 32 percent protein, 24 percent fat, 39 percent carbohydrate, and a high energy density of 5.2.

By comparison, the feline diets in chapter 4 derive much of their protein from meat, so be sure to add the taurine in this recipe to make up the difference.

• ½ cup cornmeal or polenta (about 2 cups cooked)
  
• 4 large eggs, beaten
  
• ½ cup grated natural cheese such as Swiss or cheddar
  
• ½ tablespoon Healthy Powder (
  recipe
  )
  
• ½ tablespoon brewer’s (or nutritional) yeast
  
• ½ teaspoon Animal Essentials calcium (or
  
• ¼ teaspoon of powdered eggshell, or 500 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 50–100 IU vitamin E
  
• 200 milligrams taurine supplement (found in many cat vitamins, Vegecat, or as a separate supplement)
  
• 2 teaspoons protein powder—from lactalbumin or egg albumin
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetables (such as cooked or very finely grated squash) with each meal (optional)
  

*See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the cornmeal or polenta, stirring briskly with a fork or whisk. (Or, mix the meal in ½ cup cold water first and add this to 1½ cups boiling water.) When blended, cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until the cornmeal is a smooth mush. While it is still hot, stir in the eggs and cheese. After the mixture has cooled, stir in the remaining ingredients.

Yield:
About 3¾ cups, with about 240 kilocalories
per cup. Feed 1 to 1½ cups a day; more if
your cat is very active
.

Grain substitutes: ½ cup millet (+ 1½ cups water = 1½ cups cooked); ½ cup whole-wheat couscous (+ ¾ cup water = 1¼ cups cooked); 1 cup raw oats (+ 2 cups water = 2 cups oatmeal).

POLENTA FOR DOGS

The following recipe for polenta is suitable for a “veggie” dog, and it is followed by three other canine vegetarian recipes. In these meatless recipes, it is probably best to include an iron supplement, because dairy products and legumes contain less iron than meats do. To help counterbalance this deficiency, use plenty of millet, which is high in iron. Eggs, especially if naturally raised, are also well-supplied with this mineral.

• ½ cup powdered milk + 4 cups water (or 4 cups low-fat milk)
  
• 1 cup cornmeal (uncooked)
  
• 2 large eggs, beaten
  
• ½ cup grated cheese
  
• ½ teaspoon Animal Essentials calcium (or ¼ teaspoon of powdered eggshell, or 500 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• ½ tablespoon Healthy Powder (
  recipe
  )
  
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 15 milligrams iron supplement
  
• ½ cup vegetables (optional—finely grated or cooked)
  

*See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Bring powdered milk and water to a boil. (If using only milk, scald and stir to avoid burning.) Add the cornmeal quickly with a whisk and blend until smooth. Cover and turn down to simmer until the cornmeal is soft and mushy, about 10 minutes. While the cornmeal is still hot, blend in the eggs and cheese. After some cooling, stir in the remaining ingredients. Provides 23 percent protein, 14 percent fat, and 59 percent carbohydrates.

Yield:
About 5½ cups, with 230 kilocalories per
cup
. 

Daily ration (in cups):
Toy—about 1½ to 2;
small—3½ to 4½; medium—6 to 7; large—about 8; giant—about 10 cups
. 

Grain substitutes: 1 cup millet (+ 3 cups water = 3 cups cooked); 1 cup whole-wheat couscous (+ 1½ cups water = 2½ cups cooked); 2 cups raw oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups oatmeal).

MEXI-DOG CASSEROLE

Adapted from a delicious recipe for people, here’s another bean-based dish. This one is topped with a cheesy layer of cornmeal. It makes a large quantity, so you might want to reserve some for yourself (minus the supplements) when you make it for your pet.

• 4 cups pinto beans (or 10 cups cooked or canned)
  
• 3 cups whole milk
  
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• ¼ cup Healthy Powder (
  recipe
  )
  
• 5 teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium, approximately 1½ tablespoons (or 2¾ teaspoons of powdered eggshell, or 5,000 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 10,000 IU vitamin A
  
• 200–400 IU vitamin E
  
• 20 milligrams iron supplement
  
• 1–2 cups vegetables (optional)
  

*See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Soak the beans overnight. Drain, rinse, and pick out any broken or damaged beans. Bring beans to a boil in 8 to 10 cups of water. Simmer, covered, for 1½ hours or until you can blow the skin off a bean. (To reduce gas—from your dog, not the beans—discard cooking water after the first half-hour and start over with fresh water for the final hour). Meanwhile, make the cornmeal topping. Scald the milk. Gradually add the cornmeal, stirring with a whisk or fork. Cover and steam until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cheese and eggs. After the mixture has cooled, add the remaining ingredients and serve. Freeze anything that can’t be eaten in 3 days. Provides 24 percent protein, 11 percent fat, and 61 percent carbohydrates.

Yield:
17 to 18 cups, with about 387 kilocalories
per cup
. 

Daily ration (in cups):
Toy—½ to 1¼;
small—around 2½; medium—about 4;
large—about 5 to 6; giant—more than 6 cups
. 

Bean substitutes: You may use equal amounts (before cooking) of kidney, white, or black beans.

Variation: You can omit the beans and serve the corn topping by itself. If you do, change amounts as follows: reduce the calcium to 1 teaspoon of Animal Essentials calcium, ½ teaspoon of eggshell powder, or 1,000 mg calcium from some other source. The resulting food (5.2 Kcal/kg.) is good for active dogs.

EASY EGGS AND GRAIN

This simple-to-make dish relies on eggs for its main protein source. Eggs provide an economical protein and are generous in both fat and lecithin, an essential nutrient for nerve function. Look in a natural food store for an unflavored powder that includes some of its protein from lactalbumin and egg albumin.

• 1 cup bulgur (uncooked)
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or sprouts or ½ cup cooked vegetables
  
• 3 tablespoons protein powder
  
• 2 tablespoons Healthy Powder (
  recipe
  )
  
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (flax oil is excellent)
  
• 1½ teaspoons Animal Essentials calcium (or a scant teaspoon of powdered eggshell, or 1,500 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• 100–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 5 milligrams iron supplement (optional)
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
  
• ½ teaspoon tamari soy sauce (or a dash of salt)
  

*See information on calcium supplements in the
Table of Calcium Supplementation Products
.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the bulgur, cover, and turn down to simmer until the grain is soft, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in the eggs while the bulgur is still hot. After it cools a bit, add the remaining ingredients and serve. Provides 28 percent protein, 21 percent fat, and 47 percent carbohydrates.

Yield:
About 5 cups, with about 320 kilocalories
per cup
.

Daily ration (in cups):
About the same as
Mexi-Dog Casserole (opposite)
.

Grain substitutes: 1 cup millet (+ 3 cups water = 3 cups cooked); 1 cup whole-wheat couscous (+ 1½ cups water = 2½ cups cooked); or 2 cups raw oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups oatmeal).

BEANS ’N’ MILLET

Here’s a well-balanced meatless recipe for dogs that makes use of beans and cottage cheese, both of which are high in protein and economical.

• 2 cups kidney beans (or 5 cups cooked or about 38 ounces canned)
  
• 2 cups millet (or 6 cups cooked)
  
• 4 cups low-fat cottage cheese
  
• 6 tablespoons (a little more than ⅓ cup) vegetable oil
  
• 4 tablespoons Healthy Powder (
  recipe
  )
  
• 5 teaspoons (a little less than 2 tablespoons) Animal Essentials calcium (or a scant 3 teaspoons of powdered eggshell or 5,000 mg of calcium from another Group III calcium supplement)*
  
• ½ cup cooked carrots, broccoli, or peas (optional)
  
• 2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce (or ½ teaspoon salt)
  
• 1–2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced (optional)
  
• 5,000 IU vitamin A
  
• 50–200 IU vitamin E
  
• 10 milligrams iron supplement (optional with millet; recommended with other grains)