Would vegetarian zookeepers feed the lions tofu, given the opportunity?

I would hope not, and if feeding a lion (an obligate carnivore, as all cats are) meat is that much of an issue for them they I would suggest they seek employment elsewhere.

Leave it to a liberal to do something crazy like that.

< – Liberal speaking. See my above answer.

^^you’re not the kind I’m talking about.

Of course.

If they are stupid enough, probably.

I’ve had a little exposure to zoo and aquarium employees, and they are very serious about appropriate diets for the animals, and trying to keep them mentally stimulated.

I’ve met dog owners who give their pets vegetarian and gluten-free diets. The dogs seem OK, but I have to bite my tongue when the people mention it.

Tongues are gluten-free but not vegetarian

Land o’ Goshen, no!

Anyone who felt as concerned about animal welfare to even contemplate feeding a big cat tofu would more likely uncared the beast and free them from their prison.

The term “obligate carnivore” means precisely that. It’s not optional. There can be serious and debilitating side effects including death if cats (big or small) don’t get adequate meat protein intake. It would be an extremely stupid idea to try to substitute tofu.

I’ll never forget one episode of a show which went with a local animal welfare group to film some of the cases in which they typically intervene.

They removed a mother cat with a litter of kittens from the apt. of a very kind and well meaning but appallingly ignorant lady who was vegetarian and cooked their meals for them (typically rice and a varied assortment of vegetables).

All the cats were horribly thin, close to death and several of the kittens were already irreversibly blind; the damage had already been done and no amount of meat protein later would change that.

Had they not removed all of these cats from her they all would have likely died.

Lions are valuable zoo animals (actually ALL the animals are) and they’re not going to allow an ignorant staff member put them in danger by substituting tofu for meat.

And a zookeeper who doesn’t understand the meaning of obligate carnivore should be fired immediately. That’s just too ignorant to be tolerated.

Unlike lions, humans could not survive on a completely carnivorous diet. Lions make their own vitamin C. Humans need to obtain it from plants. Here is an article making the case that, from a physiological point of view, humans are much closer to herbivores than carnivores.

There’s been some dispute about that. Did you ever wonder where the Eskimos get their vitamin c?

I did a Web search on what you said. I found this article. It says that you can get vitamin C from meat. It also says that wild animals and fish are more healthful than domesticated animals.

Anyone that would attempt to convert an obligate carnivore to a vegan diet would be perpetrating animal abuse IMO. I’m an omnivore should I start feeding the horses cat food instead of hay? haha

I should hope not. I am a vegetarian but I don’t feel my cats carrots.

Sorry that I can’t think of something funny to say.

A zookeeper should be highly trained in understanding the needs of the animals that they take care of. If a zookeeper fed Lions exclusively tofu then that zookeeper would be guilty of animal abuse.

My first reaction to this question is that no one should be allowed responsibility over lions while entertaining such ideas. But thinking it over, it makes sense to determinate whether or not a lion can be acclimated to meat substitutes. It is a question that should be addressed. And it is possible to come up with a scenario where an attempt with tofu is preferable to starvation or destruction of the animals.

@stanleybmanly

What possible scenario could there be in which the choice is ether tofu or the death of the lion?

A shortage of fresh meat as was a regular occurrence in several zoos in the Middle East.

^ So many zoo animals have died in those areas. Sad.

Hey, on a side note, my neighbors 10 year old goat got mostly eaten by a Mtn. Lion last night.
Polished off the body cavity contents but won’t have a chance to return for the leftovers since they buried the remains. Cats have to eat to, sorry old goat.

@Coloma That is so sad.

@anniereborn Yes, his owner is this big burly guy and he was really sad but that’s the way it goes out here. You can go years and then all of a sudden something nabs one of your animals. Really, everything should be locked in at night and never leave your pets out, ever. Between the Coyotes, Bobcats and Cougars there are a lot of hungry wildlife roaming these hills at night and winter is coming, they need to stay fit and fed too.

@Coloma I have a sister and also a dear friend who live in similar circumstances. My friend had a few ducks that got nabbed (they were supposed to be locked up at night, not sure what happened there). And my sister had an indoor/outdoor cat (stupid, I know) that we believe was eaten by a coyote.
I don’t blame the wild animals, but it is especially hard for those that loved the one taken.

I would think that a zoo keeper would have at least rudimentary knowledge of their charges, and know that feeding lions tofu and no meat would kill them.

@stanleybmanly “A shortage of fresh meat as was a regular occurrence in several zoos in the Middle East.”

Sure, but it seems to me that a bag of Meow Mix would be a better alternative than tofu.

@Darth_Algar

And at least the Meow Mix would be supplemented with Taurine and other nutrients vital to sustaining Feline health whether wild or domestic.

Given that cats are obligate carnivores, I wonder what’s in Meow Mix…..

@Dutchess_III

It’s dehydrated and ground up, but dry cat foods do have the meat-derived nutrients that cats require.

Dehydrated and ground up meat? Butcher leftovers I assume?

^ and a lot of grain fillers. Certain brands are grain free. I feed my cats “Taste of the Wild” Venison and Salmon.

@Dutchess_III

Certainly (among other things). Mainly the reason for preparing it as a dry feed is for easy of storage and transport and for long shelf life.