Dogs do not really need meat but cats do

As much as your poodle might look like a wolf, he isn't one, so it can thrive on a meatless diet. But cats, being obligate carnivores, need taurine, an amino acid unavailable in plants. Photo: TNS/ Dreamstime

Every year in the United States, 180 million dogs and cats eat about 25% of all animal-derived calories consumed. Since the livestock industry is a top contributor to climate-warming gas and water waste, the environmental toll from pet food is enormous.

It’s also largely unnecessary, as some in Los Angeles are beginning to realise.