Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) Food Therapy for dogs and cats is based on historical recommendations for humans and classifies foods according to philosophical energies such as Yin (cooling) or Yang (warming). The objective of this study was to compare neutral, warming and cooling proteins and carbohydrates, as proposed by TCVM Food Therapy energetics, with their United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient profiles to determine if differences in nutrient composition could explain differences in their purported energetic properties. Five protein and 5 carbohydrate sources from TCVM Food Therapy warming, cooling and neutral classifications (15 protein and 15 carbohydrates total) were selected for comparison. Statistical differences between groups were assessed for 55 standard nutrient variables. The ratio of each amino acid to total protein content, each mineral to ash content and several fatty acids to total fat were also evaluated to reduce variability from differing total amounts of protein, fat or ash in the ingredients selected. Cooling and neutral carbohydrate sources significantly differed in caloric density, potassium, manganese, ash, some mineral/ash ratios (potassium/ash, magnesium/ash, zinc/ash, selenium/ash, manganese/ash) and cystine/total protein ratio. Warming and neutral carbohydrate sources significantly differed in selenium. The copper/ash ratio in neutral carbohydrate sources was different from warming and cooling foods. Protein sources differed only in serine/total protein ratio between warming and cooling foods, and the numerical difference was small. No obvious relationship between TCVM Food Therapy energetics and nutrient composition could be determined. Additional studies of the nutritional science of TCVM Food Therapy theory are needed.