What is an all-meat eater called?

November 22, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 90% of the energy is lost between each level of a food chain, meaning carnivores need to consume a significant amount of meat to sustain themselves. A person or animal whose diet consists exclusively of meat is called a carnivore, though more specific terms exist depending on the context. This term applies to both animals in the wild and humans who follow an animal-based dietary pattern.

Quick Summary

An all-meat eater, in biological terms, is a carnivore. Sub-classifications include hypercarnivore, for diets of 70% or more meat, and obligate carnivore, for those whose diet is entirely animal tissue. The term also applies to humans adopting a zero-carb, meat-only diet.

Key Points

Carnivore: The general term for any organism that eats an all-meat or primarily meat diet, derived from Latin words for 'flesh' and 'devour'.
Hypercarnivore: A more specific classification for carnivores whose diet is made up of 70% or more meat, such as big cats.
Obligate Carnivore: A term for animals that must eat meat to survive because their digestive systems cannot process plant matter effectively, like house cats.
Human Carnivore Diet: Humans who follow a zero-carb, meat-only diet are called carnivores, but this is a potentially unhealthy fad diet without scientific backing for its claims.
Health Risks: For humans, a carnivore diet is associated with nutrient deficiencies, high saturated fat intake, and digestive issues due to lack of fiber.
Ecological Role: Carnivores are critical to maintaining ecosystem health by regulating the populations of other animals in the food chain.
Mesocarnivore and Hypocarnivore: Classifications for animals that eat 50–70% meat and less than 30% meat, respectively, supplementing their diet with plants.

Understanding the Terminology: Carnivore, Hypercarnivore, and Obligate Carnivore

The most straightforward answer to the question, "What is an all-meat eater called?" is a carnivore. Derived from the Latin words caro (flesh) and vorare (to devour), the term carnivore refers to any organism that derives its nutritional requirements from a diet of animal tissue. However, within the scientific community, this general term can be further specified based on the percentage of meat in the diet.

The Spectrum of Carnivory

Not all carnivores are strictly all-meat eaters. Some animals consume a mixture of meat and plant matter, making their classification more nuanced. To better understand the different types of meat-eaters, a spectrum of carnivory has been defined by biologists:

Hypercarnivores (or obligate carnivores): These are organisms whose diet consists of at least 70% meat. A true obligate carnivore cannot properly digest vegetation and must eat animal tissue to survive. Examples include house cats, lions, tigers, and cheetahs, which rely solely on meat for their nutrient intake.
Mesocarnivores: These animals have a diet comprising 50–70% meat, supplementing the rest with fruits, vegetables, and fungi. Coyotes, foxes, and skunks are common examples of mesocarnivores.
Hypocarnivores: The least carnivorous category, hypocarnivores derive less than 30% of their diet from meat. They can also be considered omnivores due to their varied diet of meat, plants, and other food sources. Bears and raccoons are frequently classified as hypocarnivores.

The Carnivore Diet in Humans

While the term 'carnivore' most accurately describes animals, it is also used for humans who follow an all-meat diet. This dietary pattern, also known as the zero-carb diet, involves consuming only animal products like meat, eggs, and certain dairy, while excluding all fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Health Implications of an All-Meat Diet

Advocates of the human carnivore diet claim various health benefits, such as weight loss and improved mood. However, these claims are not supported by clinical evidence, and the diet is often regarded as an extreme fad by dietitians. Long-term adherence comes with significant health concerns:

Nutrient Deficiencies: The complete exclusion of plant foods can lead to a lack of dietary fiber and certain micronutrients, including vitamin C and antioxidants.
High Saturated Fat and Cholesterol: The diet is naturally high in saturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Digestive Problems: The lack of fiber can cause constipation and negatively impact gut health.
Kidney Strain: A very high protein intake can place undue stress on the kidneys.

Carnivores, Omnivores, and Herbivores: A Comparison

To put the all-meat diet into perspective, it's helpful to compare it with other dietary types, both in the animal kingdom and for humans.


Feature	Carnivore	Omnivore	Herbivore
Dietary Intake	Exclusively or primarily meat	A mix of plants and animals	Exclusively plants
Digestive System	Simple and short, adapted for digesting meat	Adaptable system that can process both plants and meat	Complex, with longer intestines for breaking down plant matter
Teeth	Sharp, pointed canines for tearing, small incisors, and shearing molars	A mix of sharp canines for tearing and flat molars for grinding	Large front incisors for cutting and flat molars for grinding
Social Behavior	Varies widely, from solitary hunters (tigers) to pack hunters (wolves)	Highly adaptable behavior, often opportunistic eaters	Often live in herds or flocks, with a focus on foraging
Human Example	A person on a strict carnivore diet	The majority of the human population	A person on a vegan diet

The Role of Carnivores in the Ecosystem

Beyond individual dietary choices, carnivores play a vital ecological role. As apex predators in many ecosystems, they help regulate the populations of herbivores and other species, which maintains the balance of the food chain. For example, the presence of wolves and mountain lions helps control the deer and elk population, preventing overgrazing and protecting the local flora.

This predatory role influences the health and biodiversity of an entire ecosystem. A decline in the carnivore population can have a cascading effect, leading to an overpopulation of herbivores and a disruption of the natural environment. While the term is commonly associated with large predators like lions and sharks, it also encompasses a vast range of organisms, from small insectivores to filter-feeding whales.

Conclusion

In summary, an all-meat eater is called a carnivore, but this general term has more specific sub-categories depending on the percentage of meat consumed. For animals, an obligate or hypercarnivore eats almost exclusively meat, while humans on an all-meat diet are also colloquially referred to as carnivores. While a natural state for many animals, a human diet of only meat has potential health risks due to a lack of fiber and essential nutrients. It's an extreme dietary approach that contrasts with the more balanced, omnivorous diet most humans follow. The ecological role of carnivores in the wild remains critical for maintaining biodiversity and a healthy food web. You can learn more about different animal dietary classifications on the National Geographic website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most accurate biological term is carnivore. For those who consume a diet of 70% or more meat, the term hypercarnivore or obligate carnivore is used.

No, humans are naturally omnivores, meaning they consume both plants and animals. The human digestive system and dental structure are adapted for a varied diet, unlike true obligate carnivores.

Potential health risks include nutrient deficiencies (especially fiber and vitamin C), high cholesterol, potential heart health issues, and digestive problems.

Yes, a cat is an obligate carnivore. This means its digestive system is specifically adapted to digest animal tissue and it cannot thrive on a plant-based diet.

A carnivore eats only or primarily meat, while an omnivore eats both meat and plants. Omnivores, like humans, have a more adaptable diet and digestive system.

No, not all carnivores hunt. While many are predators, others are scavengers that eat carrion (the flesh of dead animals). An example is a vulture.

A zero-carb diet is a form of the carnivore diet for humans where the individual consumes only animal products, including meat, eggs, and certain dairy, excluding all other food groups.