7 Reasons Why Cats are Terrible Pets (Why I Will Not Adopt Another Cat)

As much as I love Sniff, my 20-year-old tabby cat, I can't pretend that cats make good pets. They don't, for several reasons.

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*References*

Fatty Liver Disease in Cats

The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States

Researchers track the secret lives of feral and free-roaming house cats

DO CATS REALLY HATE PETTING?

Is Toxoplasma Gondii Infection Related to Brain and Behavior Impairments in Humans? Evidence from a Population-Representative Birth Cohort

Don't flush cat feces down the toilet
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[fifikit]

cats shouldn't be vegan nor should they be deprived of love.

[SashaFierceBadass]

I dont consider my cat a pet, i found him in the street dying, i gave him food, i loved him he loved me back and now we are like family. I don't own him, he just lives with me and we love eachother.

[Chicagocanine]

I agree that if you're going to try to feed an obligate carnivore like a cat a vegan diet, you just shouldn't own a cat.

[amandaegeskovhald]

Well, I'm happy you don't want to keep cats anymore. Cats should _not_ be fed vegan food, it's flat out cruelty.

[The_Butler_Did_It]

Meanwhile, the cat's making his own video... "reasons why vegans make terrible owners (Why I'll be moving in with a full-time carnivore for my remaining 6 lives)"

[whatevs]

It's really irresponsible of you to advocate that vegans consider feeding their cats vegan diets. Cats are obligate carnivores. If a person is not willing to feed their cat a diet that will nourish them the way they were designed to be nourished, they're an irresponsible and unethical pet owner.

If a vegan has an ethical problem with feeding an obligate carnivore meat, they shouldn't own an obligate carnivore, it's as simple as that. I'm glad you've realized that cat ownership is not for you, and anyone who finds themselves in the same ethical conundrum you're in should come to the same conclusion.

I'm sure the majority of people who support feeding cats a vegan diet in order to avoid facing an ethical dilemma cats have absolutely no concept of would be appalled if someone advocated feeding herbivorous animals strictly carnivorous diets, but that's what advocating a vegan diet is for cats. It's a diet that prioritizes the selfish desires of their owner, not what's best for the cat. A compassionate pet owner wouldn't put themselves first when it comes to their pet's nutrition and health.

[lisasknow]

You have made me very sad. You have painted a miserable picture. Cats are not going to cease to exist just because people stop taking them in. I have 5 neutered/spayed cats that we have taken in over the years. They do go outside, but they don't roam or fight because they are neutered. They did hunt as young cats, but do so less and less the older they get. They love our two dogs, love to be brushed and will follow us on walks, if we don't lock them in the house before we leave. I have had cats for 40 years and remain disease free, my kids have had no illnesses related to infections from cats. I do get the contradiction of being a vegan and buying conventional cat foods. Not premium food. My dogs eat vegan dog food. In the future, when people no longer eat meat, and there are no longer "leftovers" to be used as pet food -cat food, then I will reconsider taking in stray cats.

[AvidlyUninspired]

I really have a problem with your statement "They become lethargic, they overeat, and they really don't seem to live very happy lives, "
I understand your vegan argument for choosing not to own a cat, but I've never had an unhappy cat. My cat follows me around, goes out on a leash, purrs, plays, cuddles, and eats the amount of food that I feed her (free-feeding will lead to overeating). I'm sorry that your cats have been lethargic and seemed unhappy, but if you understand your cat's needs and spend time with them they are happy little animals that can truly enrich your life.

[haleyvelasquez]

I love what veganism does for my body, the environment, and animals, but this is where vegans lose me and why I have trouble associating myself with the lifestyle. I adopted my two cats from kill shelters. They are living the high life and eating a diet that's healthy for them. It troubles me when vegans over complicate otherwise kind gestures such as adopting/having a pet in their home.

[nicolek.]

I'm a little confused. You make good points and I agree, but I don't really see how you not adopting a cat in need of a loving home will end any of these problems. There will still be cats out there, just in the hands of people who may not care for them as well as you can in ways like feeding them a mostly vegan diet or keeping them indoors. Adopting (instead of shopping for) cats doesn't increase their demand. Is it just something that's weighing on your conscience?

[sonnytots]

As someone who's worked with cats for years, my prognosis is that they certainly do enjoy the company of humans. While our domesticated cats don't have the same strong pack instincts as dogs, they do often form strong bonds with one or two other cats which is why stray cats often travel in pairs.

Cats also show appreciation for their favourite human(s) by simply sharing a space with you, bringing you "gifts" from their hunts, and keeping an eye on you - if you ever find your cat simply staring at you with a calm yet attentive gaze, it's because the cat is keeping an eye on you, making sure you're safe. Other ways your cat might show affection towards you are by licking you and attempting to groom you, letting you touch their stomachs (a massive show of trust), or, in the case of females with kittens, trusting you to watch over the litter while the cat goes to eat or to the toilet.

While I agree with a lot of the things in this video, I would say it's safe to say that cats truly do bond strongly with their favourite human(s), and show it by trusting you and caring for you in their own cat way.

[Nayr]

Swayze, can you explain how the arguments you present in this video aren't in direct conflict with your decision to have children, who will undoubtedly cause *much* more suffering, death, and environmental destruction than would be caused by adopting (or even breeding) a cat? Especially in the case of adopting a cat that already exists and will eat meat regardless of you adopting them, unlike the completely unnecessary decision to add to the over 7 billion people crowding out all other life on the planet. The average cost of raising one child to 18 years is $250, 000. How much good could be accomplished if that money were spent elsewhere? How much could Mercy For Animals do with that money?

[nikkib]

I love your videos typically but this I can't agree with.. what are we supposed to do? Let cats go extinct? They all deserve loving homes as much as other animals do. If a cat is alive, it has the option of being stray or in a healthy home. I'll take the healthy home option.

[Dani-thcl]

Cats are bad pets because they won't follow vegan lifestyle? I don't know how this clip popped up in my recommended but this is kinda disgusting.

[Spiritualmuslim]

I would never make my cat vegan, they're natural carnivores

[pinkpanda]

What???? Just feed your cat the NATURAL diet that it's supposed to eat. So dumb. Just because you're vegan does NOT mean your pet has to be.

[somuchluv]

1. Cats need to eat meat. Period. Obligate carnivore, literally no need for carbohydrates and they are actually harmful to them.
#5 is just ridiculous. Cats are not more 'toxic' than any other household pet.

[organicallyhannah]

My cat is 17 and on the brink of dying yet somehow brought a squirrel in

[Swaggdub]

this video made me loose brain cells.

“cats are bad pets because they’re not vegan”

yeah.... they’re carnivores

[MaryFournierCreative]

Yup, you're banned from the Internet now.