How many cat-lovers are also vegetarians or animal rights supporters?

Originally Posted by David's Steph

Thankfully, no. Check out this thread on the discussion on this site about that topic Thecatsandus, you might find it interesting...

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=171997

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That is an interesting thread.
Thank you for showing it to me
We were thinking the same thing as what was said a few times in the thread.
I remembered that show with the vegan wife. It was an episode of trading wives.
That can not be healthy for a cat.

The vegetarians here admit to feeding their cats meat.
I'm glad they love their kitties enough to feed them right.

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I don't know anyone who doesn't eat vegetables for religious reasons though

not quite the same as meat

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No, but he absolutely hates celery, or so he thinks. He does have mild allergies to several veggies, though treatment as a child helped correct this - he also takes two allergy meds regularly. Corn is one allergen that occasionally can still cause his asthma attacks. Beets as well (which gets used in a lot of stuff). Coconut can sometimes cause his lips and face to swell.

Which is why I mentioned allergies earlier. People rarely think someone could be allergic to corn or even mustard.
And who knows? Maybe there is some odd religion/belief/cult that doesn't believe in eating carrots?

I actually have a Dutch friend who can't eat several meats, including horse (no one whine, it's normal there), because of extreme allergies to the animals themselves.

Originally Posted by rahma

Now that I'm mainly vegetarian, I just bring my own dish to family functions and company parties, and eat from that and the veggie platter.

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Me too. And your pork avoidance - my mom makes clam chowder every year on Christmas Eve. The first couple of years I was vegetarian she asked me if I would eat it. Well, mom, not ONLY does it have CLAMS in it, but you also put BACON in it!!!! So, no... Being vegetarian is nothing if not humorous to learn what some people think you will eat.

And to answer the other poster's question, my cat is NOT a vegetarian. Though she turns her nose up to beef, she tolerates poultry, but fish is her favorite. And she will only eat grilled or flaked wet food, she refuses to eat the pate style. No, she's not spoiled at all.

I fully support animal welfare, but in no way do I support these animal rights loons like PETA, HSUS, API and others like them. They do NOTHING for animal welfare. I do eat meat, but not a lot of it. Not that I think it is wrong to eat meat, just do not desire to eat a lot of it. My cats are fed an all raw meat diet and some whole prey too. If I didn't feed them meat, they would eat me Just kidding. But I would never feed any cat a vegetarian diet. That is wrong.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Which is why I mentioned allergies earlier. People rarely think someone could be allergic to corn or even mustard.
And who knows? Maybe there is some odd religion/belief/cult that doesn't believe in eating carrots?

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My sister is allergic to some vegetables (peas are the worst for her) so I am used to that, she has a lot of allergies though so no sneaking food into anyone's meals in my house growing up

Evil carrot

I used to eat more meat than i do these days, but two dvds I watched cured me Food Inc. and King Korn. It is an eye-opening look at who exactly is control of all the food we buy. It is also not for the soft-hearted as it is brutal truth behind the food industry. When I found out that after the last samonella scare in ground round and what they do not to "prevent" another episode- I now only buy free-range meat. Like my cats, I need meat. I used to tell people who tried to sway me to put my cats on vegetables that if I was in the garden with my cats during harvest time, picking carrots, tomatoes and radishes, and a mouse ran by, my cats would pounce on the mouse. They wouldn't dive into my basket and steal a carrot and run off with their "prey." They NEED meat- period. So that is what I feed them.

I am not an animal activist and never will be. I think those people are nuts. I am out for animal welfare and have rescued many strays and ferals in my lifetime. I write articles about my experiences and help others through my websites to have a harmonous life with stray cats.

Originally Posted by ut0pia

Sorry, that's just hilarious...
do you not like baby chicks either?

IMO they're just adorable

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Chicks are cute and adorable but I wouldnt eat them but how I feel about full grown chickens is just my opinion. I think cows are cute and have no problem eating them I just dont eat a lot of beef and thats just because I dont like hamburger all that much and dont really get a hankering to eat a lot of beef.

Originally Posted by cococat

I know someone who thinks mini doxie's are ugly and annoying. Or people who think babies are ugly and annoying. Neither are reasons for consuming them!

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To each their own I guess. When Franklin is being a butthead I threaten him (not seriously) that he would taste good with some BBQ sauce on his legs. How I feel about chickens is just how I feel about them thinking they are ugly and annoying doesnt justify eating them its just how I feel about them and makes it just a little easier when Im eating my bbq chicken. I think pugs and bichons are ugly dogs but by no means does that mean Im going to toss one on the grill and sprinkle it with some salt and pepper. I dont have anything against vegans or vegetarians the same as I dont have anything against anyone who eats a pittsburgh rare steak everyday. Its all a matter of choice and how we feel about the situation.

Originally Posted by Mystik Spiral

Being vegetarian is nothing if not humorous to learn what some people think you will eat.

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I had to laugh at this, I was just checking my email, I had asked catering for a recommendation for a lunch I am planning, including 6 vegetarians, one vegan and one person who eats kosher

They suggested Moroccan chicken with olives served with vegetable cous cous and chickpeas - what I just give the side dish to the vegetarians?

Originally Posted by hissy

I now only buy free-range meat. Like my cats, I need meat.

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Do you know what the definition of "free range" is, when it comes to chickens? You might want to look it up. The only real difference between regular and free-range is an open door in the chicken house, which the chickens are unlikely to use.

However, owning property in Arkansas, I have a good deal of acquaintance with chicken raising. Nasty business with nasty animals and nasty feeds.

That depends, there is a free range chicken farm nearby and the chickens are often outside

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

That depends, there is a free range chicken farm nearby and the chickens are often outside

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But you're not in the U.S., are you?

My grandfather always kept chickens on his farm, and we always had fresh eggs and the occasional fresh chicken. In fact, I would dare say a chicken was the first animal I ever saw anyone kill on purpose, and then ate.

The same was true at the ranch I worked on in Colorado.

No I am not, but others reading hissy's post and your reply may not be either

I'm also a vegetarian including not eating gelatin. But my cats are not. I have been asked by a friend who feeds his cats a vegetarian diet how I justify this. My justification is that I have a choice. I seem to be doing just fine as a vegetarian and I've been one for 3 years. I don't even take vitamins although perhaps I should. I know that other people don't do so well on a vegetarian diet though as it does require some commitment to taking care of protein and B vitamins and such. It can cause serious deficiencies and health problems if undertaken carelessly. As for my cats I believe that their nutritional requirements are such that they need much more of their nutrients from meat. I don't feel confident that the vegetarian products out there would be satisfactory in meeting these requirements. Also, I am not one to force or even encourage this diet on someone who does not want it. And, my cats definitely prefer a meat diet. Like Missymotus, I buy quite a lot of meat even though I am a vegetarian as I try to get at least 40% into all of their meals, so they make sure my carbon footprint is big enough.

I am one of those vegetarians who also does not wear leather, even in shoes, but I feel less convinced of this one. I do buy fake mice for the cats that have leather. I figure they are eating the meat so they might as well use the rest of the animal.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

My grandfather always kept chickens on his farm, and we always had fresh eggs and the occasional fresh chicken. In fact, I would dare say a chicken was the first animal I ever saw anyone kill on purpose, and then ate.

The same was true at the ranch I worked on in Colorado.

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Just out of curiosity , did you notice a difference in the taste of chicken that's in supermarkets and the fresh chicken you had that was raised by your grandfather???
The chicken that's sold in supermarkets gets hormones to grow quicker (I can't remember if it was done through hormones or genetic engineering, but either way) so the chickens we eat at supermarkets would never function in their normal life, if they hadn't been slaughtered for meat, because their muscle/fat grows faster than their organs develop ..And if you get a chicken to raise on your own for eggs, it will be a fully functioning animal.
For me, there is a huge taste difference in the meat- like the chicken that's sold for meat has a fluffier texture and is easier to chew, while the chicken you raise yourself is harder to chew, needs more cooking time, and never has that same taste/smell. I really prefer the taste of the supermarket chicken, because it tastes less "meaty" and I don't really like that taste, but that's not to say it's better.

They aren't allowed to use hormones in poultry in the U.S. But meats breed of chicken are bred different. They wouldn't live very long even if they weren't slaughtered. One of my co-workers used to raise chickens (he got tired of the work and sold them all last year), not commercially, just had them running around the farm. He had Americaunas for eggs and various other heritage breeds for meat and/or eggs. He once bought some of the commercial meat breed chickens because they grow faster....the summer was hot so he put off slaughter (icky business---evidently ickier if it's hot out) and they all died. He said they got too heavy for their bones or something.

I'm not a vegetarian but I'd like to be. But it's just toooo hard! (say it real whiny....it's a family joke for us). My brother is vegetarian, except for fish (pescatarian?). It's a lot of work to avoid all animal products. He ordered French Onion soup at Panara the other day, then he realized it didn't have a "V" next to it on the menu board. So he asked the waitress and she said it had beef and chicken broth in it. Fortunately my mom had ordered a vegetarian soup so they just switched. But really it's a pain. Someday I'll be up for the extra effort in meal planning but for now....it's just tooo hard!

Originally Posted by Willowy

But meats breed of chicken are bred different. They wouldn't live very long even if they weren't slaughtered. One of my co-workers used to raise chickens (he got tired of the work and sold them all last year), not commercially, just had them running around the farm. He had Americaunas for eggs and various other heritage breeds for meat and/or eggs. He once bought some of the commercial meat breed chickens because they grow faster....the summer was hot so he put off slaughter (icky business---evidently ickier if it's hot out) and they all died. He said they got too heavy for their bones or something.

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You are right. You can also watch the movie Food Inc. to see this...

Originally Posted by Willowy

He once bought some of the commercial meat breed chickens because they grow faster....the summer was hot so he put off slaughter (icky business---evidently ickier if it's hot out) and they all died. He said they got too heavy for their bones or something.

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This is soooooo sad that these chickens died
I just think it's not right for us to purposely create these animals that have what would be considered a disability if they were in nature....
Imagine breeding people with primordial dwarfism just because they can squeeze into smaller spaces and might do useful work that way or something of this sort....It's just wrong to make someone incapacitated, no matter what benefits it might have, and even if their life would not be long anyway, they deserve to be healthy strong animals while they are alive, even if they will be slaughtered in the end anyway.
This is why I avoid eating chicken at all costs.

Originally Posted by ut0pia

Yes some people do, it is dangerous for the cats!!! I used to be a member of a vegan forum because I had a raw vegan phase, I never meant for it to be a lifelong thing though...Some people will feed vegan cat food, IMO it's the worst thing you can do for your cat.
There is even a site selling vegan cat food
http://www.vegancats.com/

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Cats are obligate carnivores. They need meat to survive. When I was vegan I never would have dreamed of depriving my cats of the meat they need to survive.

Animal Rights/Animal Welfare/ Animal Activism. That's a subject for IMO. I purrsonally believe that anyone who hurts companion animals should go directly to jail. Animals used for food should be treated better, too!

Wow! I'm soooo glad I'm a member of this website cos I'm learning so much about how to raise my babies happy and healthy!! As the original poster, I'm glad I posed the question...reading everyone's responses has been eye-opening and educational to say the least! I'm very encouraged to hear so many of you are vegetarian and make the effort to promote respect for animals.

I had no idea that PETA and other animal activist groups were frowned upon so much. I shall investigate more before making up my mind on where I stand though, as I'm new to the whole welfare Vs rights angle. For now, having accidentally clicked on a link to a horiffic film shot undercover in a egg production factory (I won't upset anyone with the details) I'm going to do all in my power to stop animal cruelty.

On another note: I've just been reading about vegan/veggie diets for cats, so to clarify on some claims made in this thread - while I agree that it goes against the natural diet of a meat-eating cat, and have no intention of pushing my food choices on my babies - it looks like it would be "technically" possible to feed a cat a vegan diet - on the proviso that you supplement their diet with those essential nutrients (e.g. taurine). Having said that, the Vegetarian society website "cautions against feeding cats a vegetarian diet".

Ironically while I'm now in the process of returning to a vegetarian diet (can't literally stomach the animal cruely within the meat industry that I'm becoming aware of ) my research today has led me to understand that my vet's suggestion of a dry-food diet is the unhealthiest option...and I'm gonna have to start weaning 'all of us' off the dry-food onto the raw-food menu. I dunno who is gonna find this hardest, me or the cats, but I suspect it'll be me, now that I'm more squeamish bout meat. Me thinks the cat's will end up on a posh diet of organically sourced meat which I reckon will be the only way to salve my conscience!!

Originally Posted by salsero71

I had no idea that PETA and other animal activist groups were frowned upon so much. I shall investigate more before making up my mind on where I stand though, as I'm new to the whole welfare Vs rights angle. For now, having accidentally clicked on a link to a horiffic film shot undercover in a egg production factory (I won't upset anyone with the details) I'm going to do all in my power to stop animal cruelty.

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Just know that if you support any AR groups most of the money they get goes to pay they overpaid lawyers and even into their own pension plans (iirc, HSUS just put 2.6million into their employee pensions not too long ago). They also directly support (hire, pay, pay court fees for) arsonists/terrorists. (HSUS has John Goodwin, for example.)


You have a lot of research to do before jumping into a raw diet for cats. You also need to find a vet to work with you on this, because if you mess up it can be serious.