veganism and pets?

Alright so recently i rekindled my need, no wait, strong desire to procure some kittens. Now my problem is while i wouldnt mind serving meat to my kittens i have a problem buyinbg it because it reinforces all the reasons i dont eat meat. i dont like the mass production and decreased sensitivity in regards to our nations food habits. Is there a vegan alternative for a pet diet? what do other vegans do for this issue? any help would be appreciated.


-phil-

http://www.veggiepets.com/
http://www.vegancats.com/
peta has something somewhere on their site too. my organic food store sells dog and cat food/treats that are all veggie

poor cat

liquidphil1 said:

Alright so recently i rekindled my need, no wait, strong desire to procure some kittens. Now my problem is while i wouldnt mind serving meat to my kittens i have a problem buyinbg it because it reinforces all the reasons i dont eat meat. i dont like the mass production and decreased sensitivity in regards to our nations food habits. Is there a vegan alternative for a pet diet? what do other vegans do for this issue? any help would be appreciated.


-phil-

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u shouldnt have a pet if u cant handle it, get a grip pls.
certain animals need to eat meat, if u cant except that u should go to another planet

I agree. It's unreasonable to expect a cat to be happy and healthy as a vegan when it truly is a carnivore.

i also agree. a good alternative, though, would be to raise animals for your pet, or to fish for food for them.

Aren't alot of vegans against owning pets anyways?

love your cat? feed them can meat food!

The Truth About Cats and Dogs," (Ann Martin, article): "The pet food industry -- a billion-dollar, unregulated operation -- feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertilizer. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include roadkill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pet food industry claims that its products constitute a "complete and balanced diet" but, in reality, commercial pet food is unfit for human or animal consumption."
* "What's Really in Pet Food," (Animal Protection Institute): "What most consumers don't know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and agriculture industries. Pet food provides a market for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered "unfit for human consumption," and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, esophagi, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts

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here kitty kittykitty!

No offense meant Yeti, but lets keep the thread on topic and not on attacking vegans.

DigitalDuality said:

Aren't alot of vegans against owning pets anyways?

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Not to my knowledge. Think about it - Vegans are generally more likely to lke animals than meat eaters considering they make a point not to eat them. So, of course a large chunk of them are going to like pets.

Anyway, I dont really know what to say to the orignal poster. I'm a vegetarian and was/am still to an extent also concerned about buying dog food produced in a way thats cruel to other animals and and also in a way that produces very chemically, unhealthy food for my pets. I never really looked much into it though, considering my pet is a "family pet" and I dont have much say in its diet. I imagine if you look around google you can find some alternatives, but I would definitely check first and see how non-meat diets affect animals. I dont know enough about the anatomy of cats (and i doubt most of the people in here saying it is "wrong" to give a cat a veg diet do ether considering they didn't post any sources to back up their statements) to say whether or not they need meat, but I would definitely look into before switching your cat over.

This page has a good viewpoint from a vegan woman.

skywise said:

Not to my knowledge. Think about it - Vegans are generally more likely to lke animals than meat eaters considering they make a point not to eat them. So, of course a large chunk of them are going to like pets.

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Yes, but environmentalists and animal rights activists are normally against the "imprisonment" of animals. (Though, since entire breeds are domesticated.. that's a discussion for T&A)


...........

Good link anna

I'm vegan as well so I have a few viewpoints on the responses.

True, PETA's stand on pets is to stop breeding entirely and for people to own pets while we have the over-population of domestic animal companions. Once there are no more animals, no more pets.

Dogs, like humans are omnivores, so you can give them an entirely vegetable diet (infact, there are diets for dogs with allergies that are vegetarian). Cats, on the other hand, are carnivores and need certain nutrients that vegetable matter can't give them.

Although I agree with the viewpoint of how disgusting our "food animals" are treated, we must remember that we can choose because our bodies can live off of either diet. If you are that concerned about where you purchase your kitten's food from, there are organic brands or you could always go to a local farmer for meat (although the animal still loses it's life against it's will, it had a better life than at a factory farm)

DigitalDuality said:

Aren't alot of vegans against owning pets anyways?

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exactly!!! that s what i was tryin to point out!! i call this hypocrisy!!!

damn I really want to eat a bigmac about now.....


all this healthy talk.

Joyfulgirl said:

True, PETA's stand on pets is to stop breeding entirely and for people to own pets while we have the over-population of domestic animal companions. Once there are no more animals, no more pets.

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So they want to make domestic pets like dogs and cats extinct? That's crazy.

Dogs and cats need crude protein to survive (or so I've heard). You wouldn't put a lion on a vegatarian diet.

feed a cat vegan diet and it will suppliment it with a nice side dish of birdlife everyday.

Maybe you should talk to your vet about this issue. I'm sure they could tell you for certain what is best.

Please do not get cats or kittens if you are unwilling to provide them with the diet they need to survive. Cats are carnivores. They are meant to eat meat. Cats require protein and amino acids such as taurine that are found in meat. Taurine is necessary for the health of their heart and eyes among other things. If you are adamant about getting a vegan pet, get an iguana or other herbivore instead.

Alright so recently i rekindled my need, no wait, strong desire to procure some kittens. Now my problem is while i wouldnt mind serving meat to my kittens i have a problem buyinbg it because it reinforces all the reasons i dont eat meat. i dont like the mass production and decreased sensitivity in regards to our nations food habits. Is there a vegan alternative for a pet diet? what do other vegans do for this issue? any help would be appreciated.

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First i would like to say thank you for all the responses. secondly i would like to say please re-read what i had to say.
I said i wouldnt mind feeding my kittens meat. I was only asking for alternatives and suggestions. i didnt feel an attack on my ethics or my ability to raise animals was warranted. I grew up in oklahoma doing 4h i understand how to take care of animals. I only want whats best for my possible new pets. so i wanted information on the alternative to throw away possibly deased meat found in cat food.

yetti said:
Please don't force your beliefs on another living being.

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I will do that you work on the same.

u shouldnt have a pet if u cant handle it, get a grip pls.
certain animals need to eat meat, if u cant except that u should go to another planet

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This is too funny. thanks for your insight ill keep it close to me to warm me from the cold days on pluto. fuckin ridiculous.

chrissie wrote:
i also agree. a good alternative, though, would be to raise animals for your pet, or to fish for food for them.

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this has occured to me. but in the end i would be still taking the animal i raised, life. so thats a no go.

DigitalDuality Aren't alot of vegans against owning pets anyways?

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Im not accustomed to hearing blanket statments from you DD. I love animals so much so that i want to help them. if i were to get a pet it would most likely be from either a shelter/ humane society or an injured one that is classified as throw away pets by the shelters and are usually put to sleep. In this way i feel I am still helping animals. i am rescuing them from certain death. Yes i do have a problem with animal inprisonment but more than that i have a problem with animals being put to death because owners dont know how to nueter or spaid there animals causing an influx of cats and dogs living in poor conditions.

Not to my knowledge. Think about it - Vegans are generally more likely to lke animals than meat eaters considering they make a point not to eat them. So, of course a large chunk of them are going to like pets.

Anyway, I dont really know what to say to the orignal poster. I'm a vegetarian and was/am still to an extent also concerned about buying dog food produced in a way thats cruel to other animals and and also in a way that produces very chemically, unhealthy food for my pets. I never really looked much into it though, considering my pet is a "family pet" and I dont have much say in its diet. I imagine if you look around google you can find some alternatives, but I would definitely check first and see how non-meat diets affect animals. I dont know enough about the anatomy of cats (and i doubt most of the people in here saying it is "wrong" to give a cat a veg diet do ether considering they didn't post any sources to back up their statements) to say whether or not they need meat, but I would definitely look into before switching your cat over.

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thank you i am currently searching google for cat foods that have good animal practices. i think an organic meat cat food would work for me. im still looking into it though

This page has a good viewpoint from a vegan woman.

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this was a great link thank you. i have alot of the conflicting feelings this article talked about. i dont think its right to feed cats an exclusive vegan diet. that was the whole point of the post. i said i wouldnt mind feeding the kitten meat if it wasnt manufactured the way it was. after reading all the responses and still comming to no conclusion (thanks for all the information though i feel more informed on the issue)i wish to modify my question. does anyone know of fair animal practice companies that make cat food? A company that minimizes the torture of animals. i just hate the mass produced hormon meat that is produced these days. thanks in advance

-phil-