As vegan and plant-based diets have moved into the mainstream across Europe, a growing number of pet owners are asking whether their values about food ethics can extend to what they feed their animals. The vegan pet food market in Europe has responded: specialist brands, certified complete diets, and even veterinary-endorsed plant-based products now exist across the continent. But is vegan pet food genuinely safe, nutritionally sound, and legally permitted? The answer is nuanced, and it differs significantly between dogs and cats.

Is Vegan Pet Food Legal in Europe?

Yes — unambiguously. EU Regulation 767/2009 (the main pet food regulation) does not require pet food to contain animal-derived ingredients. Any pet food placed on the EU market must be nutritionally complete (if claimed as a complete food) and must meet the analytical standards set by the regulation, but there is no requirement that these nutrients come from animal sources.

FEDIAF (the European Pet Food Industry Federation) recognises plant-based pet food as a legitimate product category. Its nutritional guidelines, which set the voluntary standard above the regulatory minimum, are ingredient-agnostic: they specify nutrient levels required, not the sources those nutrients must come from. A vegan pet food that meets FEDIAF nutritional guidelines is considered nutritionally adequate by the industry's own standards body.

The FEDIAF website publishes its nutritional guidelines freely, allowing manufacturers and consumers to verify whether a product's declared analytical values meet the standards for the relevant life stage.

Dogs: Omnivores with Flexible Nutritional Requirements

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are omnivores. Unlike their wolf ancestors, domestic dogs have evolved significant genetic adaptations for starch digestion — they produce more copies of the amylase gene than wolves, and their intestinal lactase activity differs markedly. This evolutionary flexibility means dogs can, in principle, derive all their required nutrients from plant-based sources, provided the diet is correctly formulated.

The critical nutrients that must be carefully managed in vegan dog diets include:

• Protein and amino acids: Taurine and L-carnitine are found predominantly in animal tissue. While dogs can synthesise taurine from cysteine and methionine, the efficiency of this synthesis varies by individual and breed. Several cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs on grain-free and legume-heavy diets have prompted investigation, though causality has not been definitively established. Vegan diets must provide adequate sulphur amino acid precursors or supplemental taurine.
• Vitamin D: Dogs require vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is found in animal products. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), found in plants, is less bioavailable for dogs. Compliant vegan dog foods supplement with D3 derived from lichen — a plant-sourced form — or from synthetic sources.
• Vitamin B12: Found only in animal products naturally; must be supplemented in vegan diets.
• Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA): Dogs can convert ALA (from flaxseed etc.) to EPA and DHA, but conversion is inefficient. Algae-derived omega-3 oils (which provide EPA and DHA directly) are the preferred supplementation source in quality vegan dog foods.
• Zinc and iron: Bioavailability from plant sources is lower than from animal sources due to phytate content; formulation must account for this.

Research on vegan diets in dogs is growing. A significant 2022 study published in PLOS ONE (Knight et al.) found that dogs on vegan diets were no less healthy — as assessed by owner-reported health indicators and veterinary assessment scores — than dogs on conventional meat-based diets, and were in some respects healthier. While the study design has been critiqued (reliance on owner reporting, no blood panel data), it represents an important data point in a growing body of literature.

Cats: Obligate Carnivores — A Different Conversation

Cats (Felis catus) are obligate carnivores. This is not a philosophical position — it is a biological fact with specific nutritional consequences. Cats have evolved to rely on animal-derived nutrients for several essential functions, and they lack or have very limited versions of the metabolic pathways that allow dogs (and humans) to synthesise these nutrients from plant precursors.

The critical nutrients that cats cannot synthesise adequately and must obtain from animal sources include:

• Taurine: Cats cannot synthesise taurine in adequate quantities and must obtain it from dietary sources. Deficiency causes dilated cardiomyopathy and central retinal degeneration. All complete commercial cat foods — including vegan ones — must be supplemented with taurine.
• Arachidonic acid: An essential omega-6 fatty acid that cats cannot synthesise from linoleic acid. Found only in animal fats; must be supplemented in vegan cat foods, typically from fungal or algal sources.
• Vitamin A (retinol): Cats cannot convert beta-carotene (from plants) to vitamin A. They require pre-formed retinol, which occurs naturally only in animal products. Must be supplemented in vegan cat foods.
• Vitamin D3: As with dogs, cats require D3 rather than D2 — supplementation is necessary in vegan formulations.
• Niacin: Cats have limited ability to synthesise niacin from tryptophan; animal tissue provides pre-formed niacin at much higher concentrations than plant sources.

The key point is this: a vegan cat food that is nutritionally complete must supplement all of these nutrients artificially. This is technically achievable, and some manufacturers — notably Ami Cat (Italian brand, FEDIAF member) and Benevo — produce vegan cat foods that claim to be nutritionally complete with appropriate supplementation.

However, the scientific consensus among veterinary nutritionists is cautious. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has stated that cats should ideally not be fed vegan diets, reflecting concerns about long-term nutritional adequacy and the complexity of ensuring cats actually consume and absorb all required supplemented nutrients across their lifespan. The PDSA echoes this caution, recommending conventional meat-based diets for cats.

The debate is not settled. Advocates point to the Knight et al. 2022 study which included cats as well as dogs, and to the fact that supplementation technology has improved significantly. Critics note that long-term studies on vegan cats are largely absent and that cats' preference for animal-derived flavours means vegan food acceptance is a practical challenge alongside the nutritional one.

How to Choose a Vegan Pet Food in Europe

If you decide to feed your pet a vegan diet, here is how to do it as safely as possible:

1. Choose a certified "complete" product: The label must say "complete pet food" or "complete food" — this means it is formulated as the sole dietary source. "Complementary" products are not nutritionally sufficient on their own.
2. Check against FEDIAF guidelines: Verify the declared analytical values (protein, fat, fibre, moisture) against FEDIAF nutrient profiles for your pet's species and life stage.
3. Look for FEDIAF membership or explicit compliance: Brands like Ami (Italy), Benevo (UK), and V-Planet (active in Europe) market products designed to meet regulatory standards.
4. Supplementation transparency: A quality vegan pet food will clearly list its supplemented nutrients — taurine, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, DHA from algae, retinol, arachidonic acid for cats — on the label.
5. Involve your vet: Before switching, discuss the change with your veterinarian. For cats especially, request a baseline health check and blood panel, and schedule regular follow-up monitoring.
6. Transition slowly: Any diet change should be introduced gradually over 7–14 days to avoid digestive upset.

The Environmental and Ethical Dimension

The motivation behind vegan pet feeding is typically environmental or ethical, and these concerns are legitimate. The pet food industry uses significant quantities of animal-derived ingredients, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption. A Guardian analysis of pet food environmental impact estimated that the global pet food market has a climate footprint comparable to a medium-sized country.

For dogs specifically, a well-formulated vegan diet represents a scientifically plausible way to reduce this footprint without compromising health. The key word is "well-formulated" — and the burden of ensuring this falls on the manufacturer, the owner, and the veterinarian together.

This article reflects the scientific literature and regulatory framework as of June 2025. Nutritional science is evolving — consult a registered veterinary nutritionist for dietary advice specific to your pet. This is not a substitute for veterinary guidance.