Cats and vegetarian diets may not make an ideal match. Cats have a greater need for protein than their canine counterparts, and while protein can be found in a vegetarian diet, different proteins contain different levels of amino acids cats need to survive. Taurine is an amino acid found in meat and fish that cats cannot synthesize, meaning they must get it through their diets. If cats’ diets don’t include sufficient taurine, the resulting deficiency can lead to heart disease and other potentially serious health problems. Cats also need more protein than dogs, making vegetarian diets for felines an especially risky proposition and one many veterinarians advise against.