Hi Michael. Thank you for starting this thread and sharing your article.
We too feed our rescued companion animals plant-based food. Have been doing so for nearly 9 years, after much research. We don't consider them "vegan" because they will chase insects and small critters given the chance. We also don't consider them "pets", we consider ourselves guardians, or stewards, they are family. All are rescues. We spent over 20 years engaged in companion animal rescue before moving to our current place in Ecuador. Where we lived before had a huge "pet" overpopulation problem, very high kill rate at the "shelter".
After going vegan, the hypocrisy of killing some animals to feed to other "saved" animals was wearing on us. So we sought alternatives. Dr Knights work was very helpful Essentially it boils down to "Animals, like humans, need nutrients, not ingredients." As long as they are fed sufficient palatable food with species appropriate bioavailable nutrients, it doesn't matter which ingredients the nutrients come from. Cats and Dogs have been domesticated by humans for 1000s of years. They have adapted to our diets over time. Just look at commercial non-vegan food. First, "Kibble". Dry food pellets are not a "natural" food for cats or dogs, but most people feed them that. And ingredients? Beef? Tuna? When was the last time, or any time, anyone has ever seen a small domestic cat take down a cow, in the wild? Or deep sea dive for a tuna? Why aren't commercial cat foods made from insects, small rodents, and birds? Because its WAAAAY more convent and cost-effective to feed them scraps from slaughter houses. So if its OK to change "pets" diets for convenience , and economy, it's OK, better then OK, to change their diets for ethics. As long as they get essential nutrients in a bioavailable form.
In the past we've used V-Dog for the dogs, though now we make all their food, supplementing with nutrients from Compassion Circle. Typically green or yellow peas for protein, same as most vegan commercial foods, and interestingly, many commercial non-vegan kibbles. Ae add roasted peanuts for further protein and healthy fats. Carbs usually from yuca, potato, sweet potato. Green veggies like broccoli. Our dogs LOVE broccoli stems as treats. Some dog-appropriate herbs. We sometimes substitute oats, lentils, maybe rice on occasion, cooked green bananas, or plantain.
We're down to just one cat now. He's finicky. We used to make the cat food too, when we had more. Also with Compassion Circle supplements. Now there's just one, who some time ago started turning his nose up at the homemade food, so we suck it up and order commercial vegan cat food, which costs a fortune to ship to where we are now, but what ya gonna do? Typically Ami Cat. That has always been a favorite of our cats. Sometimes Benevo. When it was easier to ship large bags, and we had many cats at our previous location, we have used Evolution.
Some personal anecdotal evidence. We had a rescued cat with several health issues. She had stomatitis, allergic to her own teeth and gums, most of her teeth had to be removed. She had some skin disorder. She'd lick herself obsessively. Lick her fur off, so she had bare raw seeping patches all over. She was losing weight. This was all before we went vegan and transitioned the animals to plant-based. She had to get alternating steroid and antibiotic shots every couple months just to keep symptoms at bay. About the same time we were transitioning the cats to vegan food (dogs were easy, couple weeks slowly adding more vegan kibble, reducing non-vegan. Cats took MONTHS). Anyway, during those months, this cat was diagnosed with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus FIV. With her other health issues, they gave her 6 months to live. With the others she was transitioned to plant-based food. Her skin cleared up, mouth cleared up, hair grew back full and healthy. 6 years later she moved to Ecuador with us. Lived to be 17. Never another health issue. No more steroids or antibiotics.
We also have an elderly dog. Here in the Ecuadorian jungle, despite our efforts, he sometimes gets gastrointestinal parasites. He had an amoeba infection. Last year he wasn't eating, had to take him to the vet. They diagnosed some unidentified infection. His heart and liver were enlarged. We were certain it was the end for him. My wife went to the hospital expecting to have to let him go. But then he ate just a little. Antibiotics started working. He came home with antibiotics, furosemide for the heart inflammation, hepatic supplements, and a few weeks later he was behaving normally. Similar symptoms started again little over a month ago. Gave him same regime, cleared up. But we took him back in to the vet last week to check blood-work, scan heart and liver again. Totally clean bill of health. No heart issues. No liver issues. All good. He's a large dog and he's 12. You'd be hard pressed to find a single grey hair on his muzzle, or anywhere. Sleek, soft black/brown fur head to tail. Been on a plant-based diet 9 years or more.
