Why can't carnivores digest plant foods?

Answer 1

Because plant cells have a tough cellulose wall surrounding their cell wall and most animals do not make enzymes which digest cellulose that efficiently and also because animal cells do not contain cellulose so they are much easier to digest.

Answer 2

Basically because they're digestive systems are designed to process meat as opposed to plant material. Apparently it's easier to digest meat rather than plant material--meat being a sort of "energy bar" of food whereas plants are usually less dense with the needed nutrition and more dense with the stuff that makes them stiff and unmoving i.e. "crisp" or "woody" and is why trees are usually part of the scenery and not on center stage as it were. Also consider why deer, cows and other herbivores have to chew their "cud" and usually have multiple stomaches. It's because those digestive systems have to sort through all the woody, non-nutritious packing to get to the metaphorical goods.

If you want more info try looking up the term "obligate carnivore".

Answer 3

Carnivores lack the necessary enzymes and digestive system adaptations to efficiently break down and extract nutrients from plant foods. Their digestive systems are specialized for digesting animal protein and fats, which are easier to break down compared to complex carbohydrates and cellulose found in plants. Additionally, plant foods may be harder for carnivores to digest due to their higher fiber content.