Why do some vegetarians and vegans insist on feeding cats a vegetarian diet?

It boggles my mind. While dogs are opportunistic scavengers who can consume and utilize both plant and animal matter (though they are build to consume primarily the latter), cats are true carnivores, obligate carnivores. People think if they toss some taurine on carrots, a cat will be fine.Why do some vegetarians and vegans insist on feeding cats a vegetarian diet?
I'm a vegan about to invite a cat into my life for the first time. I will be feeding it a full meaty diet as it was designed to ingest.



I have considered the possibility of vegan pet foods for non-vegan pets, but I really don't think I can make myself do it. I am vegan through my own choice and it would be grossly unethical to force my choices on an animal that doesn't understand them, let alone the possibility that it might not be the healthiest option for them (far from it in some cases).



Side note: a few months ago I was considering owning a snake. When trawling for info on how other vegans feel about the obvious stumbling block of having a freezer full of mice, I came across such suggestions as "set it free" and "feed it vegetable protein". It's that sort of thing that gives the whole vegan community a bad name and I hate it.
I am a vegetarian and would never even think of feeding a carnivorous animal an herbivorous diet. Humans are omnivores and can choose which foods they want to consume to obtain their nutrients from. Many animals do not have that option. Both cat's and dog's bodies and digestive systems are designed for the sole consumption of protein. (With the occasional ingestion of vegetable matter to assist with digestion.) There is nothing that is going to change that fact. To deprive an animal of the nutrients that it needs to survive is nothing short of animal cruelty. If a vegetarian claimed that they loved animals, they would feed animals what they need to be healthy.Why do some vegetarians and vegans insist on feeding cats a vegetarian diet?
I had this argument recently on our blog. I don't understand it myself because making a decision as a human to live a vegetarian life is one thing, but forcing that on a cat that you are responsible for just does not sit right with me.

Cat foods can add synthesized nutrients to make the food a complete and balanced diet for cats buy why would you choose to use synthesized nutrients over naturally derived nutrition?

http://www.petfooddirect.com/blog/2010/0…
Because they don't realise that carnivores need meat? Some people just think whatever they do, their cats will be smart enough to follow them and become vegetarians themselves. Cats are natural born hunters, and they don't realise they are screwing with their natural instincts.



In short... they are idiots.Why do some vegetarians and vegans insist on feeding cats a vegetarian diet?
Because they claim to love animals; but they don't really respect them. Even if you don't eat meat, you need to respect animals are animals, and their needs differ greatly to humans.



They should either not own a pet, or own an animal which is a vegetarian like a guinea pig.
it's because vegeterians are idiots
they dont like the way nature works
they believe that all things are Precious so they don't want there animals to turn into cannibals because in some food there are pig and other eat products