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Animals That Eat All Meat

A carnivore is an animal that kills and eats other animals as part of its diet. While the word "carnivore" is typically associated with all animals that eat only meat, there are several classifications among carnivores that classify them into smaller and more specific groups. Some types of carnivores do eat only meat, while others eat meat in varying portions as part of their diets.

  1. Obligate Carnivores

    • Some carnivores, namely feline animals such as lions, tigers and even household cats, are classified as obligate carnivores. These animals are strict carnivores, meaning they rely on the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids found in the tissues of other animals to survive. Their bodies cannot synthesize certain necessary organic compounds and therefore they must obtain them by eating other animals.

    Physiology of Obligate Carnivores

    • Carnivores, especially obligate carnivores, have physiological adaptations that allow them greater efficiency in capturing, eating and digesting prey. For example, the family Felidae, which includes lions, tigers and household cats, have powerful hind legs for leaping onto prey and sharp teeth and claws for pulling away flesh from the bodies of their prey.

    Digestion in Obligate Carnivores

    • Obligate carnivores have digestive systems and metabolisms that are specifically adapted to a diet rich in meat. For example, cats have a short digestive tract that is not equipped to convert large amounts of carbohydrates, such as plant matter, into usable energy. They cannot efficiently break down cellulose, a structural component in plant life, the way a cow or a horse can.

    Hypercarnivores, Mesocarnivores and Hypocarnivores

    • Some animals eat meat but supplement their diets to varying degrees with other food sources, such as plants and fungi. Carnivores can be further classified as hypercarnivores, which eat at least 70 percent of their diets as animal flesh; mesocarnivores, which eat 30 to 50 percent of their diets as animal flesh; or hypocarnivores, which consume 30 percent or less of their diets as animal flesh.

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