Media Release
A large-scale survey has found cats fed vegan diets had lower rates of obesity and related health problems, than those fed conventional meat-based diets.
An online survey analysed carer-reported veterinary assessments of 1,305 cats fed either conventional meat-based (90.3%) or vegan (9.7%) diets for at least one year.
After accounting for factors including age, sex, neuter status, activity and feeding practices, vegan-fed cats had 34% lower odds of being assessed as overweight.
However, the difference was not statistically significant, in part reflecting the relatively small number of vegan-fed cats. For several body weight-related problems, no vegan-fed cats were affected. Nevertheless, researchers say the findings show an interesting trend that warrants further investigation.
Overweight and obesity are common in domestic cats, with veterinary studies estimating that around 30–60% of cats are overweight or obese. Excess weight is associated with a range of health problems, including arthritis, diabetes, urinary tract disease and reduced quality of life.
Study author Professor Andrew Knight, Adjunct Professor at Australia’s Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine, and Visiting Research Fellow of the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, University of Winchester, Winchester, UK, said the findings, while not conclusive, showed interesting trends.
“Carers feeding cats vegan diets also reported lower rates of body weight-related disorders such as osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal and mobility problems. However, the relatively small number of vegan-fed cats mean these results cannot be considered conclusive.”
“Interestingly, most vegan-fed cats were eating predominantly dry food and were more likely to have food available throughout the day. These are feeding patterns normally associated with increased overweight risk. Yet we still observed lower rates of overweight in this group.”
The study noted that diet is not the only determinant of a cat’s weight. Other factors consistently associated with overweight risk include age, sex, neuter status, activity levels and feeding practices.
Why vegan-fed cats showed lower rates of overweight is uncertain. While the study didn’t analyse the foods themselves, some commercial vegan cat foods may be higher in fibre and lower in calories or fat than comparable meat-based foods, which could help with weight control.
Differences in L-carnitine, a nutrient involved in energy metabolism and maintaining lean body tissue, could also potentially also play a role.
Professor Knight said the findings should be seen as a starting point. “We can’t conclude from this study that vegan diets definitely protect cats against becoming overweight, but we have found a consistent pattern that is worth further investigation. An ideal next step would be a larger, prospective study that directly measured what cats are eating, their energy intake and their body condition.”
Knight A. Bauer A. Mace J. (2026). Impacts of a vegan diet on body weight and related health disorders in 1,305 cats: an exploratory cross-sectional survey. Front. Anim. Sci. Volume 7 doi:10.3389/fanim.2026.1939965