Giddeon; A Vegan Thanksgiving Inspiration

During the summer of 2009, I had the pleasure of getting to know Giddeon, a male turkey living out his life on an animal rescue shelter. He was one of two male turkeys, housed separately from the 30+ females that lived on the farm.

Many of them wore bandages wrapped around their feet, to ease the pain of the nasty welts and bruises caused from having to support the excessive and unnatural amount of weight that humans have so selfishly and barbarically condemned them to have, thru genetic manipulation.

The males were kept separate from the females, because fear of "mounting" would most likely result in a female's broken leg bones, unable to withstand the weight of her own body, let alone the weight of the male's as well.

Giddeon was constantly, but necessarily deprived of food, because his big appetite would result in excessive weight gain, causing serious health issues or death. We humans made him that way. It broke my heart to always see him with an empty food dish, but still, so obviously not yet full and wanting more.

Giddeon was one of the most popular animals on the farm because of his vibrant personality, and his hilarious and obsessive adoration for human females. :) He was charming; he was sociable; he was quirky; he was sensitive; he was vocal; he was playful; he was always hungry; he was independent; he was happy to be ALIVE; he craved physical and mental health/stability, no less and no more than you and I do; he IS sentient; HE IS NO DIFFERENT from the dogs and cats whom we celebrate thanksgiving with every year and treat as members of our families; he's happy to not be dead and rotting in your bowels this fall.

Lets celebrate life... in all forms!

HAPPY VEGAN THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!!! xoxo!

Blind Criticism: Misunderstanding Abolitionist-Based Veganism

"It's like wanting to keep them in worse conditions just to make it easier for us to convince people to go vegan."

This is an exact quote I received from a fellow AR activist, last fall, while discussing our disagreements on welfare regulationist reforms. To this day, in my own personal activism, it continues to "take the cake" as the perfect example of how the majority of the new-welfarist movement has a fundamental misunderstanding of abolitionist-based veganism.

Before one can even begin to explain why welfare reforms are practically and theoretically flawed (which I won't be doing here), and why relying on changes in the law to lead us down the yellow brick road of vegan living is a colossal mistake, we need to start by clarifying the abolitionist's eye view for those opposers who blindly misrepresent our point of view.

The notion that abolitionists want to keep animals in horrible conditions, just to "make it easier for us to convince people to go vegan" is flawed in at least two ways.

Firstly, it assumes abolitionism is like other forms of vegan activism, in that it uses the realities of factory-farmed footage as a primary tool for education and outreach. This is incorrect, as abolition focuses specifically on the use of animals, rather than the treatment of animals on industrialized farms. In other words, in an abolitionist mind-set it doesn't particularly matter how we treat animals, what matters is that we use them as our resources- period. The problem isn't how we treat them- its how we view them, for as long as the majority of us view non-human animals as inferior to the human race (so long as we reject their personhood) then we will feel no obligation to grant them a level of moral consideration that goes beyond a particular type of treatment that is necessary for us to feel morally justified in continuing to use them. For example, I can recognize that animals are sentient, yet also carry the belief that they are inferior beings. Therefor, so long as I adhere to a particular level of "humane" treatment of them, then I will forever feel morally justified in my own personal use of them. Because they are inferior to me, I don't owe them any full moral consideration.

Second, the reason why the quote above is flawed is because it proposes that the use of factory farmed footage as an activist tool is the only, if not, the best way to get the public's attention and to work towards a vegan world. I reject that notion. How many times have we all had somebody admit to us that they cannot watch those videos because a) it makes them sick to their stomach, or b) they would rather not know because they enjoy the taste of chicken to much to want to give it up, etc, etc, blah blah blah! Its true- ignorance is bliss! In addition, I know several people who have seen these types of videos- those who can no longer plead ignorance- and yet have shown zero interest in beginning to change their habits.

Don't get me wrong, divulging the holocaust conditions that animals are forced to endure on modern farms can be effective, provided it's coupled with an abolitionist message that animals are not here for us to use. Unfortunately, thats not the way the big players like PETA, HSUS and FOA like to do it. I'm not claiming that abolitionist activism tactics are 100% effective. No one form of activism is because there will always be those people who refuse to change, regardless of what you have to say. Fine. So be it.

Although the use of such footage can prove beneficial in getting some people to "wake up", I don't think its particularly necessary. I, for one, subscribe to the "optimist club", in that the large majority of us are generally compassionate, caring people with a moral conscious. I believe that we are wise- that there are those of us who will be compelled by the theoretical arguments of veganism, alone, without the need for terrifying blood-drenched video footage. We are people who seek constant movement as a species; we are evolutionary in science and in social normality. We are creatures of social change and hell yes, baby, we are ready for a vegan revolution!

The mainstream activist's perpetual mono-focus on the treatment of non-human animals and the use of factory farm footage as a primary activist tool does not challenge the inherent value (or lack thereof) that animals have. It fails to challenge the core of the human-nonhuman relationship, and rather teaches us to act in ways that are, merely, more gentle. Such tactics reinforce the notion that, ultimately, animals are here for us to use- it entrenches animals in speciesism. On the contrary, abolitionist activism seeks to change our core relationship with animals from one that is overwhelmingly superior/inferior to one of equal balance. We want to cut the chain that is tied to the slave, rather than merely increase its length. Changing the way we view our relationship with the non-human world involves educating people about the inherent moral value of animals- education that includes both practical and theoretical explanations of why our differential treatment of them as resources, things, god's gift to humans, or whatever, cannot be morally justified.

Once somebody has acknowledged the inherent moral value of non-human animals, their relationship with them can begin to change, and from there, unequivocal veganism suddenly becomes the only answer. Can we claim to acknowledge the inherent moral value of non-humans, yet act in ways that cannot be described as "vegan"? Sure. But we may as well, stamp the words "morally inconsistent hypocrite" on our foreheads, in the process. After all, we would never make the claim that all human races are equal while simultaneously attending a Klu Klutz Klan neighbourhood hoe down (if such a thing were to exist).

In addition, unlike the mainstream movement, abolitionists use the term "vegan" as an umbrella term for all types of social justice issues. For example, it wouldn't make much sense for somebody to identify themselves as a vegan, abstaining from the exploitation of animals, while shopping at the Gap (a company who shows little consideration for equal human labour rights). It also wouldn't make much sense for that person to reprehend the notion of speciesism while simultaneously spewing sexist, racist or homophobic rhetoric from the hole in their face. For example, PETA has been degrading women with their overtly sexist ads for years! How are we to teach people that exploiting and oppressing animals is morally wrong by exploiting and oppressing other human beings?

Speciesism = racism = sexism = heterosexism: This is a fundamental understanding of abolitionist-based veganism!

Human rights and animal rights belong together as one cohesive movement for peace, equality and non-violence. In the wise words of Russian novelist, Leo Tolstoy, "[A]s long as there are slaughterhouses there will be battlefields." Talk about hitting the nail on the head! As long as we continue to engage in violence towards animals (and yes, killing an animal, regardless of how "humanely" it is done, is a form of violence) we will continue to engage in violence towards other humans.

If we were to focus on educating people about the importance of extending our circle of moral consideration and justice onto non-human animals as a direct correlation of the moral cconsideration and justice we grant one another; than many of us would become much more understanding of- and therefore susceptible to- animal rights issues. Unfortunately, this simple and powerful concept has been overlooked by most animal rights people. Instead, we regard human rights and animals rights as being mutually exclusive to one another, blind-folded from the pivotal truth that is guaranteed to make a million times more vegans than any brainless PETA ad could do.

I don't expect everybody within the vegan movement to agree with abolitionist values or tactics- there will always be opposition. I do, however, expect them to do a little thing called research- to help them understand what abolition is all about- before they open up a can of blind criticism and say things that are blatantly false.

-Matthew Finateri

THE VEGAN FELINE DIET, Part III: Accusations From A Speciesist Public

People who express moral opposition to the idea of providing a cat with a vegan diet have pulled many arguments out of their hats. In no particular order, here are the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

"CATS ARE CARNIVOROUS BY NATURE."

This is probably the statement that most often reveals itself in the ramblings of people who have confronted me on the wrongdoing of feeding my cats a vegan diet. Understandably, it leaves much to be elaborated on. This type of remark will never cease to amaze me. I mean, what else could you really do when confronted by such fruitless words other than stare back in total awe, sporting a "did she just say what I think she said" blank look on your face? You pause for a short moment, while attempting to drum-up a dignified response and then sarcastically and lethargically utter something like "And the sky is blue. Thanks for stating the obvious. Never before have I been confronted with such coherent rhetoric. You have truly brought a new light to this debate. I will take you comment into serious consideration. Thank-you."

Honestly, I find it quite entertaining how often this remark comes up, as if its something that I have never given any thought to; as if I am feeding my cats canned peas and corn everyday with zero consideration for the animal-based nutrients that are essential to them as carnivores. Exactly how far must these people think I have my own head up my ass? Hmmm.

"ITS NOT NATURAL"

Correct! It most certainly is NOT natural for my carnivorous cats to consume plant-based foods. Its also not natural for my cats to consume the body parts of animals that they would never consume in their natural habitat. Cats do not hunt for chickens, ducks, cows, fish, etc! They prey on smaller animals like rodents, snakes, birds, insects and lizards. Moreover, its not natural for my cats to eat dry kibble out of a bag or food from a can; its not natural for my cats to relieve themselves in a plastic bin filled with fake "sand" that was made in a factory; its not natural for my cats to have regular trips to the doctor; its not natural for my cats to have their reproductive systems surgically altered; its not natural for my cats to spend half of their lives locked indoors; its not natural for my cats to depend on me for their health, wellbeing and, ultimately, for their entire existence. The vegan food that I choose to feed to my cats isn't making their lives any more "unnatural" than they already are.

"YOU'RE BEING CRUEL. I FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR CATS"

It is difficult to know whether or not a supposed "nutritionally complete" vegan cat food is going to provide a cat the same level of nutrition as a high quality meat-based brand of food, or even a BARF (bones and raw food) diet. All we have right now is anecdotal evidence to make the case. But even still, to know whether or not one's cat is purely vegan, the cat would have to remain indoors at all times, as once they are outside hunting is a likely occurrence. Sure, even inside a cat may be consuming the odd insect here and there, but honestly, I don't think this would be enough to have any significant impact on "supplementing" what the cat may or may not be lacking. I believe that, in due time, scientific advancements will be made that will without a doubt, make way for a vegan cat food that even the most skeptical of veterinarians will approve.

I find it quite absurd how somebody can accuse a person of "animal cruelty" by giving their cats vegan food. This is for two reasons. First, assuming the person doing the "accusing" consumes an omnivorous diet (which is usually the case), making such an inane accusation while your bowels are filled with the rotting corpses of sentient beings who where brought into this world to be confined, tortured and barbarically slaughtered as a result of your own trivial desire to consume animal products is utterly contradictory and mind boggling in itself.

Second, the majority of "pet owners" feed their cats (and dogs) cheep, commercial grocery store brands of pet food. It is no secret that these foods are made of slaughterhouse by-product waste that is deemed "unfit for human consumption". The first ingredient listed is often "meat by-products" or "meat meal" which is obscure-talk for things like chicken heads and feet, brains, intestines, cartilage, cancerous tissues, and even expired meats from grocery stores. Don't believe me? Then try Googling "the truth about pet food". Once you've read through the dozens and dozens of pages divulging the truth about pet food ingredients, then see how you feel about the subject. In addition, tests have been conducted on certain brands of pet food that have found traces of sodium pentobarbital, which is the main ingredients used to euthanize shelter animals, proving that many of these commercial foods contain the flesh of other cats and dogs! Of course, this is what happens when the "top five major pet food companies in the United States are subsidiaries of major multinational food production companies." These cheep brands of food have been proven to be toxic and poisonous to companion animals! But yet we choose to turn a blind eye to this sort of information and ignorantly point our fingers at the people who are trying to stay best inline with their values; those people who have spent enormous amounts of time weighing the issues at hand; those who are trying their darndest to represent the rights of all animals in a world where "pet ownership" often forces us to choose between the lives of our cats and the life of a cow, or chicken, or fish.

Over the past couple of years I have been accused of being "ignorant", "cruel", "disrespectful", "singularily-minded", and have been personally insulted by people who oppose my choice to provide my cats with vegan food. Here are just a few of the comments I have received that express this:

"Personally, I think you are a cruel person for forcing your beliefs on an innocent creature."

"It is deeply disrepectful to them as fellow beings to make them into something they are not."

"[I]f you are still so singularly-minded about forcing a Cat to become vegan, then please search your heart, meditate, pray, garden, go to the gym or do whatever it is that makes you feel centered and at peace."

Oh, yes, and here is the Big Kahuna:

"I believe that there is a creator of this universe, and that cats probably weren't put here to cater to your wierd beliefs, nor to subsist on cereals and beans. I feel sorry for your cats, and I feel sorry for any other living creatures who falls under your wierd idea of superior wisdom/knowledge. Ignorance may be blissful, but only to those who embrace it, not to their victims!"

Despite what sorts of insults and accusation are thrown our way, let's remain realistic, here...

(Speaking from a personal stance): As an abolitionist vegan I could literally write a novel trying to explain to these folks my moral beliefs about animal rights, veganism and nonviolence, but it will only fall on deaf ears. The bottom line is that someone who does not understand (and possibly refuses to open their minds to) the moral implications of commodifying and enslaving other sentient beings to feed their own trivial desires for animal-based foods, clothing, etc, couldn't possibly begin to understand why someone would choose to feed their cat vegan food. In other words, if you consume, wear or otherwise use animals in your own personal life and see no problem with it, how are you supposed to see the potential problems in giving those products to your "pet"? In this sense, one's lack of education on the subject of animal rights theory while attempting to discuss vegan feline diets is the equivalent to the illiteracy of somebody attempting to read a book. With all do respect, this sort of person is lacking a fundamental understanding that is contingent to what they're arguing about.

Its quite easy for someone to criticize and insult others' beliefs/values when that person has completely closed their mind to any sort of understanding on the subject. They want to talk about ignorance? Well, I can tell you that I wasn't always a vegan... I haven't always had these views. For me, it was a gradual process. My beliefs changed as I became more aware; the more I read on the subject and the more time I spent weighing the issues, the more informed decision I was able to make. So you see, I have been on both sides of the fence- its the people who point fingers and utter insulting remarks that HAVE NOT. But yet I am the ignorant one? Hmmm. Interesting accusation.

Please don't misunderstand me... I dont want to come off as being "snooty", but to anybody consuming/wearing/using animals in their daily lives, I have this to say:

If you want to have a debate about animal rights in regards to our own personal consumption of animal products, then believe me, I'll bring the popcorn! But if you want to have a debate about vegan cats, you're in the wrong ball park.

So...

Become informed first- Educate yourself on animal rights theory! By no means do you have to agree with it... but you can't do long-division without knowing how to add, subtract and multiply. Catch my drift?

-Matthew Finateri

THE FELINE VEGAN DIET, Part II: Health Concerns and FLUTD

First off, I just wanted to say that I am no expert in the field of feline health (nor do I ever plan to be) but as a result of me choosing to switch my cats over to a (mostly) vegan diet, I was forced to learn- at the very least- some basic information on what makes cats "tick". And so should you! This may require a few hours or more (probably more... yeah, definitely more) of browsing websites (preferably non-bias ones), talking to fellow vegan cat people, reading this blog, or getting yourself a copy of Jed Gillen's book, Obligate Carnivore. No excuses, people! Nobody cares how busy you are- your cat's certainly don't, and it's their health we are talking about here. So let's be realistic: you are attempting to feed an obligate carnivore vegetables; your loving, venerable kitties are dependent on your for their survival... so suck it up and hit the books, yo!

That being said, I don't want to come off as a know-it-all for vegan feline health. I most certainly don't know it all. So if you feel at any time that the information I give is incorrect or incomplete, or that you have heard differently, please share your comments!

FIRST: SOME DEFINITIONS

Magnesium: An essential mineral. It is involved in numerous functions of the body like energy production, formation of urea, in muscle relaxation, and neuromuscular transmission and activity.

Alkaline: A basic ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element; the adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base, especially for soluble bases.

Methionine: An amino acid that acts as an acidifier.

Urine pH: Used to classify urine as either a dilute acid or base solution (alkaline). 7.0 is the point of neutrality on the pH scale. The lower the pH, the greater the acidity of a solution; t

he higher the pH, the greater the alkalinity. A cat’s pH should always read between 6.0 and 6.5.

As history has shown, the #1 concern you should have when first introducing vegan food into your cat's diet, is their potential increase of developing FLUTD.

FLUTD: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Because the water intake of a cat is quite low (keep in mind that naturally cats are desert-dwelling animals) the mineral content in their urine is usually fairly concentrated. Under certain circumstances these minerals can spontaneously arrange themselves into “crystals”. A cat’s urine pH is rated on a numerical scale. This value can change due to the amount of acid vs. alkaline in their urine. Cats benefit from a relatively low (acidic) pH of 6.0 – 6.5. The acid content in their urine is vital in fighting off the formation of crystals. A more alkaline (high) pH of 7.0 or higher can lead to the formation of struvite crystals (the most common type of crystals).

When a cat is fed a strictly plant-based diet, the risk of FLUTD is

increased simply due to the fact that plant protien is lower in acidity than animal protien causing their urine pH to rise. To help counteract this, most commercial vegan cat food is supplemented with methionine. These foods are also lower in magnesium which will yield fewer minerals in the cat's urine, therefor decreasing the potential for crystals to form in both numbers and in size.

Based on this information we can say that the development of struvite crystals is dependent upon the:

• Urine pH
• Urine volume
• Concentration of minerals in the urine (magnesium)

Once the formation of struvite crystals is present, a cat has the potential to become "blocked". This will happen when the crystals in the bladder increase to such a size that they become lodged in the cat's urethra, making it difficult for them to urinate. Potential signs that your cat may have developed some blockage are:

• repetitive trips to the litter box

• urinating outside of the litter box

• straining while attempting to urinate, usually accompanied by crying or meowing

• frequent licking of the genitals as well as vomiting or weight loss, due to stress

• presence of blood in the urine (this is serious, and means your cat is probably in extreme pain and requires an immediate trip to the vet).

If mild signs in your cat's behaviour lead you to believe they may have developed crystals, schedule an appointment with your vet asap to get it checked out.

A cat that has a partially or fully obstructed urethra requires immediate medical attention. It will be excruciatingly painful for the cat if left untreated and can be fatal in as little as 72 hours or less.

But wait! Before I completely scare you away from your vegan cat endeavours, it may be refreshing for you to know that the risk of FLUTD is substantially lower in females, as their urethras are both shorter and wider than a male's, so they are more easily able to pass any crystals that may have formed. Also, it is said that roughly only 10-15% of cats are prone to FLUTD (whether they are fed a plant-based or meat-based diet), while most cats will never experience it at all!

If you are concerned about your cat's pH level when switching them to a plant-based diet, or if they have a history of FLUTD, there are certain types of vegan food, such as VegeCat phi, that contain additional acidifiers to further help them maintain a proper (acidic) pH level.

Whether your cat does or doesn't have a history of FLUTD, there are certain preventative measures you can take at home. The most important one, as far as I'm concerned, is increasing your cat's water consumption. Increased water consumption will result in less concentration of minerals in the bladder. Also, more water = more peeing = less time for any potential crystals to develop. Increasing your cat's water intake can be done quite easily by:

• Getting your hands on one of those cat water fountains with the replaceable filters. (Cats are more likely to drink from something with moving water). I have two of these in separate rooms of my house and am constantly having to refill them. (Although, I must admit our two litter-trained rabbits are responsible for drinking a lot of it).

• Always making sure the water in your cat's bowl is fresh! Changing it several times a day may help.

• Putting ice cubes in their water bowl may entice them to "play" in it, dipping their paws in and licking off the water.

• I have even heard that cats will be more likely to drink when their water bowls are placed AWAY from their food dish.

• You may also want to try increasing the moist-food content in your cat's diet, as (obviously) moist food is considerably higher in water content than kibble. There are some brands of vegan cat food that offer moist canned products. Personally, I have had limited success with these as my cat's did not enjoy them very much, but many people have had great success. You can also try soaking your cat's kibble with a little bit of water and allowing it to sit until it has moistened. Yes, reminiscent to a bowl of soggy cardboard, it may be, but its worth a try! My cats have never gone crazy for it, but they tended to find it slightly more palatable if I coated the moistened pieces in a bit of nutritional yeast or crushed nori flakes. Certain baby foods like squash, sweet potato, applesauce or even crushed cantaloupe are appealing to many cats, so you may want to try adding a spoonful of any of those to the dry kibble.

Some cats, however, are sensitive to moist foods and may develop diarrhea or other stomach issues after consuming them. I must be honest, this is something that has always confused me, as the consumption of moist foods should most closely resemble the natural diet of a cat, which is comprised entirely of "moist" food in the form of smaller prey animals. But then again, the moist food we feed our cats- even the finest, most expensive brands- have gone through a series of processing and supplementing, which in turn, far resembles their natural diet of wild prey animals. If you find your cat is sensitive to moist foods, but still want to include them in his/her diet, you may want to try using the VegeCat supplement by Hoana. This supplement is incorporated into fresh homemade recipes using things like chickpeas, lentils, seitan, etc. with the addition of fresh fruits and veggies. Perhaps these recipes will be more gentle to your cat's stomach. Hmmm... something to think about.

Stress also plays a factor in creating potential risk of FLUTD. A happy cat is a healthy cat. Providing a comfortable and clean living space for your cat will help reduce their risk. A friend of mine had a male (non-vegan) cat who passed away last year from FLUTD. He was under the impression that his crystals were induced due to the environment of his home, as he was undergoing a lot of renovations at the time. His cat became unaffectionate, reserved and lethargic. He was unaware of the seriousness of these signs until it was too late. Although, I am not sure, it is possible that his cat had a small history of FLUTD, thus exacerbating the condition when the renovations began.

Use an appropriate number of litter boxes to accommodate the number of cats that are in your care, and keep them clean, as this will help your cats to remain stress-free. We have a total of four litter boxes throughout our house to accommodate our five cats and two rabbits, which we find is suitable. These get used a lot less during the warmer months when our cats spend a lot of time outdoors.

All beings benefit from affection and social interaction. Giving your cats the belly rubs, head-scratches and snuggles they deserve will make them feel loved and help to keep them stress- and FLUTD-free!

"Are there any other health concerns I should have about my cat's plant-based diet?"

No. Not really. But your homework isn't quite done yet, so keep your fanny parked and continue reading!

Having a basic understanding of the types of nutrients that are essential to your cat's health, and how plant-based foods differ from meat-based foods with respect to these nutrients will prove beneficial if/when your vet finds out you're feeding an obligate carnivore vegetables, and attempts to scold you for being "irresponsible". Knowledge is your armour, people!

As carnivores, cat's are dependent upon certain types of nutrients that can only be found naturally in animal flesh. They are as follows:

Taurine: An amino acid that is essential for the proper function of the heart, eyes (retinas) and reproductive system of cats, as well as the development and integrity of the nervous system. Humans and other omnivorous animals do not require a source of taurine in their diet, as our bodies are able to create it through bio-systhesis, from the presence of amino acids methionine and cysteine. Cats' bodies are unable to do this, therefore requiring a dietary source of taurine. In other words, taurine is to cats what vitamin B12 is to humans.

Vitamin A: Many people carry the presumption that vitamin A and beta-carotene are the same thing, when in fact they are not. Vitamin A is found only in animal products, while beta-carotene is found in an abundance of plant foods such as kale, carrots, sweet potato and apricots. We vegans obtain our vitamin A through our consumption of beta-carotene, which is then converted to vitamin A in our bodies. Cats bodies lack the enzyme responsible for making the conversion, creating a necessity for vitamin A in their diet.

Arachidonic Acid: An essential fatty acid that produces an inflammation response. Unlike other species, cats are not able to manufacture arachidonic acid from linoleic acid, therefore requiring a dietary source of it. Arachidonic acid is found primarily in animal products, but is abundant in certain types of seaweed, such as kelp, which is an ingredient found in vegan cat food.

Vegan cat food manufacturers use synthesized versions of taurine and vitamin A. Some anti vegan cat enthusiasts may argue that the synthesized versions of these nutrients are inferior to those found naturally in animal foods. I am no health scientist, so I can't argue against this. However, I do happen to know that many of the nutrients found in animal flesh (particularly taurine) are killed during the processing of non-vegan pet foods, and are therefor replaced by their synthetic counterparts once the bulk of the processing is complete. So regardless of whether somebody chooses plant-based or meat-based cat food, they are giving their loved one a hefty serving of synthetic nutrients in every meal.

There are other nutrients that are essential to feline health but that are not unique to animal foods alone. You can visit http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2243+2244&aid=2575 for more information.

Switching your cat to a plant-based diet may seem overwhelming at first. If you are overly concerned about potential health complications, such as FLUTD, then start out small. Make the switch to a 25% plant-based diet and slowly work your way up as your worries fade and your confidence grows. The least you can do it try.

In my next post I'll be discussing the ethical and moral issues that come with choosing to feed your cat a vegan diet. From a purely abolitionist perspective I'll confront the many bias- and ultimately, ignorant- accusations that I've encountered from omnivores and even fellow vegans over the years.

-Matthew Finateri

THE FELINE VEGAN DIET, Part 1: My Personal Experience

It wasn't until several years after consuming a mostly vegan diet, and then several months of being a full-fledged abolitionist vegan when I realized that I could cut my last remaining ties to animal-exploiting industries by choosing to feed my three feline companions a (nutritionally complete?) vegan diet. I was giddy with excitement to find out that such animal-friendly, vegan alternatives existed. After hours and hours of research on feline nutrition, I almost immediately hopped on the vegan cat food band wagon.

I thought it would be easy-peasy... that I would be happy, my cats would be happy, and we could all finally live together in a wonderful, euphoric vegan world with sunshine, gumdrops, lollipops, and- well... little did I know that what lurked patiently amidst the fog-covered future was months and months of perpetual eye-ball gouging, hair-pulling, teeth-grinding, "what-have-I-gotten-myself-into?" roller coaster moments of emotional ups and downs. Yes, I know this makes me sound a little bit crazy. But was I crazy? No. Obsessed? Maybe a little.

The first (unsuccessful) attempt at switching my cats over to a vegan diet consisted of making their kibble from scratch. I used a pH-balanced powered supplement called VegeCat, from the American company Harbinger's Of A New Age, which I incorporated into a homemade recipe using gluten flour, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, olive oil and other ingredients. The result: A massive ball of unappetizing dough that I then rolled out onto several large cookie sheets, baked, cut into bite-size pieces, and slow-dried in the oven to a golden-crisp perfection. I had mediocre success with this product. One of my cats seemed to like it a fair bit, one of them thought it was alright, and the other just ate around it, spitting it up whenever he accidentally got some in his mouth. After several weeks or more of trying to ween them onto the new stuff with no signs of hope, I discontinued my plight, and reluctantly went back to the drawing board.

As I continued to feed my cats their standard (byproduct free) meat-based kibble, I began using the VegeCat supplement to make homemade moist food recipes, such as ground chickpeas with seitan, green peas, carrots and apple... or green lentil pilaff with tofu, avacado and sweet potato. I fed my cats this stuff for the better part of a year, but was never able to ween them fully onto it- no matter how much nutritional yeast or nori that I used- and had to mix it with a little bit of canned meat-based food in order to lure them in for a taste.

During this time I introduced Evolution into their diet, which is a more popular North American brand of vegan cat food. Evolution comes as a kibble and as a moist canned food. I had little success with the moist stuff, but the moment I cracked open the first bag of kibble my cats were all over it like flies on a lightbulb. Success at last! I immediately began incorporating evolution into their regular diet.

However, there was one problem. Although Evolution was a popular brand, it's hitosry didn't prove it to be the most trustworthy. A 2006 interview with Evolution CEO, Eric Weisman left me with some serious concerns about the nutritional adequacy of the food. Plus this massive list of Evolution customers who's experiences range from bad to horrifying only furthered my lack of trust in the food. However, I couldn't find any evidence or negative customer feedback that dated past 2006. It was now three years later, so perhaps the company had gotten their act together. I tried hard to have good faith in the food, but just to play it safe, I decided it was best if a small portion of their kibble remained meat. Any possible nutritional inadequacies will have most likely been covered.

After a few months of feeding my cats a mixture of 75% Evolution to 25% meat kibble, I made another switch to an Italian brand of vegan cat food, AmiCat. Although very few customer reviews and information for this product existed on the internet, everything that I could find was positive. My gut and I trusted this product and confidently made the switch to 100% vegan kibble for the kitties.

My feline family has since grown from three to five. Currently everyone is eating AmiCat and loving it. They have been eating this food for almost a year now. Unfortunately, I cannot find a vegan moist food that they enjoy, and I discontinued making the homemade moist recipes from VegeCat as each of my cats preferred a slightly different vegan-to-meat ratio, so preparing it every day became extremely complicated. However, I feel it is important for all cats (especially vegan cats) to have as much moist food incorporated into their diet as possible, so I am currently giving each of my cats a meal of healthy, byproduct-free, holistic canned meat-based food every morning. They also roam the outdoors, and are therefor preying on smaller birds, rodents, insects, etc. on a regular basis. (Although I personally don't like to see my cats preying on innocent small animals, I do realize that they are only fulfilling their utmost natural behaviours- something they would never get to experience from a life-long confinement in a house that is far far from resembling anything close to their natural environment.)

As it stands, I can only say for sure that one of my cats is 100% vegan (or close to it), as she will only eat her vegan kibble (no moist food) and does not hunt- except for maybe the odd insect or something. Ideally, I would like it if I could feed all of my cats a 100% vegan diet, but it doesn't bother me terribly that (for now) I cannot. I am always keeping my eyes peeled for other brands of vegan moist food to come onto the market. As soon as one does, I will be waiting with open expectations and an open wallet.

Of course feeding an obligate carnivore things like tofu, grains and veggies has its quarrels even inside of the abolitionist vegan community. Opinions range from "it is our moral obligation as vegans" to "you are slowly killing your cat, you moron". On and off, I struggled quite a bit (and sometimes still do) with the realities of the situation. As an abolitionist vegan what choice do I make that best remains consistent with my values? If I indeed am slowly killing my cats by feeding them veggies who do I act in the best interests of then? Do I act in the best interests of the animals' who's corpses I spoon out of a can every morning... or do I act in the best interests of my cats? Do I have nothing to worry about? Perhaps my cats will live long and healthy lives from a properly formulated vegan diet! Or should I just suck it up and give my cats what centuries of evolutionary design made their bodies require?

I have literally spent nights just laying in my bed, asking myself these questions and racking my brain to try and find some answers. To this day, I cannot say for sure that my cats are getting the best possible diet that they deserve. However, I stand by my choice to feed them a vegan diet (and increasingly so). By feeding them veggies I feel that I am simply making the best of a really really really shitty situation. What have we gotten ourselves into, here?

That being said, whether you are an abolitionist vegan who chooses to feed your feline companion meat or veggies, I support your decision completely, so long as you have given the topic some serious thought and have went through the process of weighing the issues at hand.

Stay posted for Part 2 of this topic where I'll be discussing the health concerns of the feline vegan diet and things that everybody must know if they're planning to make the switch.

-Matthew Finateri

Abortion & Veganism

Perhaps I'm over-emphasizing here, but recently there seems to have been a lot of talk about abortions- inside and outside of the vegan community. Last week's debate between Professor Francione and Wesley J. Smith has provoked a bit of dialogue in the comments section of my last post as well as (and to a much greater degree) on the Facebook page of Dan Cudahy. Abortion issues have also taken part of the front stage in mainstream media lately, in reaction to the Canadian government's refusal to fund abortions in poor countries, as part of the G8 maternal-health initiative.

In my last post I expressed my frustration of the recent Francione debate by stating that:

"[T]here were questions and scenarios that Medved thew at Gary, that had absolutely no relevance in animal rights theory."

One of the examples I gave was "abortion".

A reader contested to this by arguing that "abortion has all to do with Animal Rights ethics." He stated:

"Animal Rights theory is about ALL animals, in the sense of sentient beings."

I agree, completely! I believe I was mistaken to use the term "animal rights theory" and instead should have used, simply "animal rights".

The reader continued by saying:

"If you are talking only about the moral consideration about nonhuman animals, it is not correct to use the term "animal rights." "

I couldn't disagree more. If we are talking solely about the moral consideration of nonhuman animals then what other term are we supposed to use?

I believe that there is a practical side and a theoretical side to "animal rights"...

There are certain interests that are unique to humans, such as earning a university degree or obtaining a driver's license. My right to getting an education has no relevance to a dog or a cow. In this sense, I find it important to distinguish animal rights from human rights. And it is in this sense that abortion has absolutely no relevance in animal rights issues, as the issue of abortion does not exist outside of human society. This is what it means to talk about animal rights in a practical sense.

That being said, veganism, however, in my view is the moral code that marries human rights and animal rights, with respect to our basic rights, such as continuing to live our lives, or not being treated as economic commodities. Both humans and nonhumans share these basic interests. In this sense, I couldn't agree more that the term "animal rights" should seek to include all animals- human and non. This is what it means to talk about animal rights in a theoretical sense.

The abortion comment that I made in my last post was from a practical animal rights point of view.

But just because abortion fits into the theoretical side of animal rights, (ie. "animal rights" under the umbrella of veganism) this doesn't make it a vegan issue.

As vegans, so often are we confronted by AR opponents (or by people who are just curious) on our beliefs on abortion. I don't mind when the question is asked out of non-confrontational, genuine curiosity... What I find extremely frustrating is when the person imposing the question is doing so in attempt to find some sort of flaw in our theory of animal rights. What these people fail to realize, however, is that there is no "true vegan" position to take on the issue of abortion.

Why? Because as a vegan, regardless of whether I am pro-life or pro-choice, I am taking an explicitly non-vegan stance on abortion. If I am in support of pro-life, then I am denying the right of a woman to make her own choices about her body- a choice that will inevitably have a hugely significant impact on the rest of her life. If I am in support of pro-choice, I am denying the right of an unborn child to continue living his/her life. (Of course, this is provided that the fetus is in the third term, as much controversy exists as to whether a fetus is sentient during the first and second terms).

In addition, the issue of abortion and the variables that surround it are exceptionally prolific and complex. If the courts were to decide whether or not a pregnant women was eligible to have an abortion, based on the variables, a great amount of investigation and testimony would more often than not have to occur before a decision could be made. I'd be willing to guess that in most cases, the length of time it took to have the courts make their decision, would surpass the due date of the mother.

The issue of veganism, on the other hand, is anything but exceptionally prolific and complex! When we are confronted with theories such as the "principle of equal consideration" and the "humane treatment principle", both purported by Gary Francione, what else is there to be debated, really? Veganism and non-violence is exceptional in at least one way- its exceptionally easy to understand. Anybody who disagrees with this simply hasn't made any real effort to think outside of their constructed social norms.

So although the issue of abortion can, in a theoretical sense, be defined as an "animal rights" issue, in that it concerns the rights of (human) animals, it remains autonomous to animal rights issues with respect to the principles of vegansim and nonviolence, as it is entirely unique unto itself.

-Matthew Finateri

Gary Francione Debates Wesley J. Smith: Some Comments

Radio show host, Michael Medved, recently welcomed Gary Francione and Wesley J. Smith onto his show for an animal rights debate. This was in light of Smith's new book, "A Rat is A Pig is A Dog is A Boy: The Human Cost of The Animal Rights Movement", where he argues that our recognition of the rights of animals will have a detrimental effect on the human species. Now, I haven't actually read the book and- if the points argued by Smith in the debate are any indication of what the book entails- I most certainly don't plan on it.

Its important to point out that Smith rejects the animal rights position, but rather adopts an animal welfare position. He does not believe that we owe animals the right to live or not be used as resources, but rather that we have moral obligations toward them to try and substantially reduce- if not, eliminate- the suffering we impose on them. (Of course, this type of view fails to understand the economic reality of animals as property- so Smith is mistaken right from the get-go).

Just like most debates between a vegan and a non-vegan, there were questions and scenarios that Medved thew at Gary, that had absolutely no relevance in animal rights theory. Medved pulled the infamous "abortion" and "seeing eye-dog" questions out of his hat (big surprise, there!). Another scenario he used to challenge Gary included sacrificing your life for another human vs. sacrificing your life for an animal. These examples, of course, only cover the tip of the iceberg, in the colossal amount of foolish nonsense that Medved spewed from his ignorant speciesist pie hole.

While there are nearly a dozen things or more that I can comment on about this debate, there was one part, in specific, that really had me shaking my head in utter disbelief. Towards the end of the broadcast, Smith summed up his position (and the basis of his book) by giving several- of what I thought to be- quite trivial examples of why our recognition of animal rights will have a negative effect on human beings. Upon recognizing that the animal rights position equates the moral significance of humans to that of nonhumans, he stated that:

"[I]f we perceive ourselves as just another animal in the forest that is precisely how we will act."

I am confused. What exactly does Wesley mean by this point? Perhaps he's suggesting that by adopting an animal rights position, we will all start swinging from tree to tree, hanging upside down on branches and eating bananas, while picking insects from each other's body hair. Hmmm... I seriously don't understand this. How do animals "act" according to him? Well, we most certainly know for sure that animals do not maliciously kill each other in the name of war, sexually prey on the physically weaker or discriminate against each other based on sex or colour - things that are, sadly, rampant in human society today. They don't rob banks or commit adultery. Nor are they responsible for global warming or water and land pollution. So how do animals "act"? Animals, as we know are pure. They are innocent. They are nondiscriminatory, emotional, living, breathing sentient beings who just live- as nature intended them to. So if Wesley's view that we will all start "acting" like animals by adopting an AR position is true, I certainly can't wait for the day when we have a peaceful vegan world, where we can all start being more like animals.

The previous quote is yet another example of how the non-vegan world continues to misunderstand our position. Why is it that fighting for the rights of animals is viewed by so many as being disrespectful to humans, as if we are "bringing them down to the level" of nonhumans, while in fact we are actually advocating the opposite, by bringing the perceived moral significance of nonhumans "up to the same level" of humans?

Smith continues his rant by stating that:

"We have duties to animals, I agree with that. But we also have duties to human beings. We have duties to end disease; we have duties to provide good nutritious food for the multitudes. We have the right to derive pleasure from owning dogs and cats and have that wonderful, loving companionship. A world in which we could not have wool coats; a world in which we could not horseback ride...; a world in which we could not eat meat would be a world far diminished over the one that we have, and it wouldn't only hurt human beings it would also tend to hurt animals."

Interesting assumption, Wesley. But the last time I checked, owning wool coats, horseback riding and consuming "meat" most certainly do not constitute the pinnacle of human life. More importantly, however, its interesting to know that in the days when our economy was built off the exploitation of African slaves (just as it is now built off the exploitation of animals), granting slaves the moral right not to be treated as property would most certainly have put a toll on the economy, thus effecting many people's lives, considerably. And I'm sure it did! But this would never serve as a moral justification for continuing to deny certain human beings the fundamental right of self ownership! In this respect, Wesley's theory is seriously flawed.

Expressing the frustration I felt while listening to this radio debate cannot be put into words. Having to constantly listen to ridiculous made-up scenarios of "what if this" or "what if that", in attempt to turn the focus away from the personal actions of the individual being confronted, makes my brain hurt. Arg! The whole agonizing 37 minutes of listening to Medved and Smith toss irrelevant bits of garbage at Gary was yet another example of the fundamental misunderstanding that non-animal people have on the principles of veganism and non-violence.

That being said, as much as we animal rights advocates are forced to repeat ourselves when confronted with the same old jaw-dropping, irrelevant (and sometimes facetious) remarks, its important to remain calm and reply with total clarity, confidence and respect for the other individual- almost as if we have never heard anybody ask us that before. I applaud Gary for remaining so composed over the past 20 years doing the work he has been doing. And for returning to Medved's show next week to keep the debate going with Medved, himself, and Wesley J. Smith. Two against one can be pretty intimidating, especially when you know the large majority of your audience is taking the speciesist side of the argument. I plan on calling in to show my support for the vegan side. I hope you do too!

-Matthew Finateri