this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2024
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[–] racemaniac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Let's just say you're right, it's perfectly possible and healthy for the cat.

Does that make it ethical to force a carnivorous hunter animal on a vegan diet? Are you going to force it to stay inside to limit the possibility for it to catch mice & birds just to be sure?

Just beyond the physical possibility, how ethical is it to force our choices onto our pets?

[–] Floey@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Most people I've talked to, which is mostly nonvegans, think it is unethical to let cats outside because they will kill wild animals. This is a more hypocritical stance than the reverse (a vegan who lets their cat outside) if you understand veganism.

You're also throwing around the word forced. People force choices on their pets, children, and even fellow adults all the time, but there are different levels of force. Putting down food for a cat that gladly eats it is a far cry away from shoving something down their throat or leaving it out until they have no choice but to eat it. I'd argue that it's often very appropriate to make food choices for a cat you live with, if a cat begs for some lasagna or a donut you probably shouldn't give it to them.

Edit: Also when people talk about forcing cats onto a vegan diet you have to realize the alternative is forcing livestock to suffer serious trauma for their entire life and then die. It's not hard to see that one of these is a more serious abuse of our power over other animals.

[–] x00za@lemmy.dbzer0.com -3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I think it is a lot more ethical than forcing death because people enjoy eating their meat.

Also, "forced" is the wrong word. Only very few vegans would be stupid enough to not monitor their pet in these cases. And you can talk shit about them as much as you want because they are wrong. But somebody that's just trying to see if it's possible while monitoring and following up on the health of their animals? Sure.

[–] racemaniac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

What do you mean by forcing being the wrong word? Do you give the cat a bowl of meat and a bowl of vegan alternative for a month, and then see what the cat chooses? That would not be forcing imo. But i doubt that's happening anywhere.

[–] x00za@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago

No you give them reinforced vegan pet food and see if they like it and remain healthy. If they don't then you just switch back.

Vegan pet food is specifically designed to have all the nutrients they need.