Pets
Dogs and cats do as well or better on complete vegan food
16Studies in the review, with no major harm found
A review of the research found no major harm from vegan diets in dogs and cats, and some signs of benefit[1]. Large studies of thousands of pets found vegan-fed dogs and cats as healthy as or healthier than meat-fed ones[2][3][6]. The food just has to be complete, with taurine and B12 added. Dogs and cats don’t need us to harm other animals to feed them.
What the evidence says
The main points first. Every claim is tied to a source below.
A review found no major harm from vegan diets in dogs and cats, and some benefits
For their 2023 review in Veterinary Sciences, Domínguez-Oliva and colleagues searched the research databases and found 16 studies[1]. They found no convincing evidence that vegan diets cause major harm in dogs or cats, and some evidence of benefits[1]. It’s the most recent full review of the research[1].
Read full article →Vegan-fed dogs and cats did as well or better in surveys of thousands of owners
In Knight’s 2022 study of 2,536 dogs, vegan diets were as good as or better than conventional meat diets[1]. Knight’s 2023 study of 1,369 cats found that vegan-fed cats tended to be healthier[2], and in 2024 Knight reported 50–61% lower risk of six disorders in dogs on vegan food[3]. These studies rely on owner reports, which can be biased[1], but the samples are large.
Read full article →Complete vegan pet food gives cats what they need and is well digested
Cats need taurine, vitamin A, arachidonic acid, and B12 in their food, and fortified vegan diets supply all of them[1][2]. Knight’s 2026 study found these foods are well digested and not significantly worse than meat-based diets[1]. The studies tested complete commercial vegan food, not homemade diets put together by guesswork[1][2].
Read full article →Bramble, a vegan collie, reportedly lived to 25
Bramble’s reported age of 25 is about twice a typical collie’s lifespan[1]. Some reports say Guinness listed her as the oldest living dog around 2002, and her age still rests on the owner’s account[1]. She is not the verified all-time record. That belongs to Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, at about 29[1]. One long-lived vegan dog is an anecdote, and the reviews of vegan pet food are the stronger evidence[1].
Read full article →Articles
Dogs and cats do as well or better on complete vegan food
Surveys of thousands of dogs and cats find vegan-fed pets as healthy as or healthier than pets fed meat, and a 2023 review of 16 studies found no convincing evidence that vegan diets cause them major harm. The food just has to be nutritionally complete.
Read full article →
Sources
Papers and datasets. Each card keeps its caveats, including small samples and single-animal cases.
[1]Veterinary Sciences, 2023 · Review
A systematic review found no convincing evidence that vegan diets seriously harm dogs or cats
Domínguez-Oliva and colleagues searched Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science and found 16 studies. They concluded there is no convincing evidence that vegan diets have major harmful effects on the health of dogs or cats, and some evidence of benefits.
[2]PLOS ONE, 2022 · Observational
In 2,536 dogs, vegan diets did as well as or better than conventional meat diets
In Knight and colleagues’ study of 2,536 dogs, those on vegan diets had health indicators as good as or better than dogs on conventional meat diets, while raw-meat diets looked slightly better on some owner reports. The sample is large, but the data were reported by the dogs’ owners.
[3]PLOS ONE, 2023 · Observational
Cats on vegan food tended to be healthier than cats fed meat
In Knight and colleagues’ survey of 1,369 cats, those fed vegan diets tended to be healthier overall than cats fed meat-based diets, though only one difference reached statistical significance. Cats on complete, fortified vegan food were no worse off.
[4]Heliyon / ScienceDirect, 2024 · Observational
Vegan dogs had 50–61% lower risk of six specific disorders
In a large sample of dogs, Knight and colleagues found that vegan diets were linked with statistically significant drops of 50–61% in the risk of six specific disorders, compared with meat-based diets.
[5]Animals, 2026 · Review
Vegan dog and cat food is well digested, Knight’s 2026 review finds
Knight’s 2026 review found that modern vegan and vegetarian diets for dogs and cats, and the proteins in them, are generally well digested and normally not significantly less digestible than meat-based food. Looking at all the evidence, Knight concludes that nutritionally sound vegan diets give health outcomes as good as or better than meat-based ones.
[6]Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2024 · Review
In ten dog studies and three cat studies, vegan diets did as well or better
Knight’s 2024 review found that in ten studies of dogs and three of cats, vegan diets produced health outcomes as good as or better than non-vegan diets, and the animals liked the food about as much. Claims that vegan pet food is nutritionally unsound don’t match these papers.
[7]Bramble, reported 25 years · Review
Bramble, a vegan collie, reportedly lived to 25
Bramble, a collie fed a plant-based diet, is widely reported to have lived to 25, about twice a typical collie’s lifespan. Some reports say Guinness listed her as the oldest living dog around 2002. She is not the verified all-time record. That is Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, at about 29. Her age still rests on the owner’s account. One dog is an anecdote, and the reviews of vegan pet food are the stronger evidence.