There is always a great debate between vegans about whether omnivorous/carnivorous companion animals should be fed vegan cat food. In the case of cats, it is indeed true that they are obligate carnivores. Does this mean that feeding them other animals is the best answer? I don’t believe so. From an ethical standpoint, I can’t imagine there are any vegans out there who like feeding other animals to their companion animals, however, there is also the dilemma of doing what is best for our four-legged friends.
I don’t believe there is much argument that carnivorous animals eat other animals in the wild (what we might perceive as the natural way of things), however, does this hold true for domestic animals? Rendering is the process by which animal food is made. Put simply, it involves the recycling of dead animal carcasses of all sorts (including cats and dogs – it seems we have unwillingly made our companion animals cannibals too!) to create pet food, tallow etc. Many are not aware of what is behind pet food production. In the words of this article:
“The dead animals are accompanied by…unwanted ingredients.Pesticides enter the rendering process via poisoned livestock, and fish oil laced with bootleg DDT and other organophosphates that have accumulated in the bodies of West Coast mackerel and tuna.
Because animals are frequently shoved into the pit with flea collars still attached organophosphate-containing insecticides get into the mix as well. The insecticide Dursban arrives in the form of cattle insecticide patches. Pharmaceuticals leak from antibiotics in livestock, and euthanasia drugs given to pets are also included. Heavy metals accumulate from a variety of sources: pet ID tags, surgical pins and needles.
Even plastic winds up going into the pit. Unsold supermarket meats, chicken and fish arrive in styrofoam trays and shrink wrap. No one has time for the tedious chore of unwrapping thousands of rejected meat-packs. More plastic is added to the pits with the arrival of cattle ID tags, plastic insecticide patches and the green plastic bags containing pets from veterinarians.”
I was appalled to find that this was what I had been feeding my cats for years. How did I not do the research? How could I be so careless? I mean, these are family members we are talking about here! In light of how conventional animal food is made, it is no wonder that we are seeing similar ailments in companion animals as we are in humans: cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, dental decay, obesity and more. This is the reason why vegan cat food wins out 100% in my eyes – it is made by people who care about veganism, who care about animals and who provide a very high quality product for our loved ones. So, in light of the alternatives, it really does seem that vegan animal food is the best option for domesticated animals.
What is even more surprising about Ami Vegan Cat Food is that cats thrive on it! They are losing weight, their ailments are clearing up, and their overall health is much better. You can also be at ease about meeting your furry-friend’s nutritional needs – Ami contains plant-derived taurine so that cats don’t lack anything they otherwise would on a vegan diet (they need it in much larger quantities because they are carnivores, human don’t lack anything on balanced vegan diet.)
Price
$26 for 1kg
0.50 for a sample
Longevity
The same as any other cat food
Overall Rating
As far as vegan cat food goes, I give it a 10/10. Cats love the taste (they actually eat it quite happily), and they get much healthier on it.
We also stock Ami Vegan Dog Food samples.
Coming up: Vegan Snicker Doodles, a delicious veggie stew & a caramel cuppa!
