Poor Nelson - vegans & pets

This morning, for once, Nelson crept into our bedroom quietly, rather than bounding in or chasing us and hiding under the valance. I was listening to BH - my Sunday morning treat - and explained to him that if I was vegan I might not agree with keeping him as a pet. He didn't seem to react. And it shows he does vaguely see us as masters in our own home because he occasionally cries out ahead of his entrance to the bedroom - as if he's asking for permission to enter. Overnight, when he's not out killing mice and squirrels, he sleeps downstairs on a thick, fluffy blanket which his aunties gave him at Christmas. He rarely sleeps on our bed.

Now he's almost nine he does doze more. He certainly perpetuates his habit of sleeping in the guest bedroom most afternoons. That's fine but he loves meaty cat food - something  I doubt plant-based food eaters would condone. Indeed I've been told pet ownership is something vegans really don't agree with at all. Although two vegans I know very well each own a dog and they've never said to me that having a pet is something they don't hold with. And we love vegan food - just not all the time.

It just so happens Nelson isn't a pet that vegans would necessarily be concerned about. He was a rescue cat; his heavily pregnant mum had been found wandering and forlorn by a lovely family who took her in and helped her give birth. She and her tiny kittens were well cared for at Bath Cats and Dogs Home until the kits were weaned. After all the kittens had been adopted - Nelson was one of them - the lovely family took the queen home with them. The family even came to see Nelson on his first day with us - the day we collected him from the cats' home. 

My understanding is that vegans don't like the fact that we 'own' our pets. If I am correct ownership goes against their belief in animal rights. However I may have got that wrong. But as we are giving what-would-have-been-a-stray cat a warm, loving, food-filled home we are likely doing the right thing. We are certainly not keeping him in a cage on a meat farm. I regularly donate to charities who rescue dogs - especially - from such harsh, terrifying places. And we are not using him to breed like the poor animals in a puppy farm. In this case it's the females who are at risk by being kept constantly pregnant. They must be worn down with it. And they never go out for walks or play. Just get mated, give birth and suckle their young. I quite understand why vegans are opposed to factory farming - especially for sentient creatures like dogs - especially - and cats.

And of course I agree with caring for animals properly and find dog and cat farms abhorrent. I also don't like the idea of buying an animal as a pet from a breeder - unless the nursing dogs or cats are truly well cared for and aren't expected to be constantly mated. Our family were very careful in choosing a breeder for their first labrador. And a fine animal he turned out to be. 

But I don't want to give up Nelson nor the idea of having a pet. Although he can be a tyrant - we are his slaves when he's hungry - he also provides warmth, companionship and interest. And, of course, woe unto you if you're a mouse looking for a warm house in which to reside. Nelson will get you, mousey! 

Our cat would have been a stray or an inmate at an animal sanctuary if we hadn't adopted him. 

He wasn't born in a pet shop, nor is he the result of forced breeding on a puppy farm. Thankfully he wasn't rescued from a meat farm either. I think we are doing the right thing caring for and keeping a cat. I don't, however, think we are going to convince him to eat plant-based  foods. (Although he eats grass and licks cat mint in the summer months).

 I knew of one family of four cats - all strays - who were content to eat vegetarian cat food. I think if we tried that with Nelson he would ambush us and grab us round the ankles until we gave in. Cats like meat, don't they?