Cat food

[octobersun79]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times previously, but I'm not sure of the karmic consequences of purchasing cat food. I have looked into my kitten eating veggie and tried her with all different types of alternitives. She's not having any of it.. on the plus side she will only eat a brand of cat-food that has 4% meat derivatives.

I could only feed her veggie food but could this spur her on to go hunting outside.

[tiltbillings]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times previously, but I'm not sure of the karmic consequences of purchasing cat food. I have looked into my kitten eating veggie and tried her with all different types of alternitives. She's not having any of it.. on the plus side she will only eat a brand of cat-food that has 4% meat derivatives.

I could only feed her veggie food but could this spur her on to go hunting outside.

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

[aardgoat]

It's in the nature of cats to eat meat. I think it's worse not to provide your cat with what she would naturally have (albeit out of a tin). Can't see there being a problem with that myself as your intent is to look after your pet not to kill.

[David2]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times previously, but I'm not sure of the karmic consequences of purchasing cat food. I have looked into my kitten eating veggie and tried her with all different types of alternitives. She's not having any of it.. on the plus side she will only eat a brand of cat-food that has 4% meat derivatives.

I could only feed her veggie food but could this spur her on to go hunting outside.

As far as I know cats need at least some meat or fish. So you shouldn't feed your cat just vegeterian. (My parents had a cat, this is the reason I suppose to know that.)

My view may seem a little bit radical to some people, but: I can't see a sense for having pets. Why not enjoy the living beings that are outside your home? Even if you live in a city, there should be a park. Even if there is no park near your home, are people not enough? People also are "just" animals.

[octobersun79]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times previously, but I'm not sure of the karmic consequences of purchasing cat food. I have looked into my kitten eating veggie and tried her with all different types of alternitives. She's not having any of it.. on the plus side she will only eat a brand of cat-food that has 4% meat derivatives.

I could only feed her veggie food but could this spur her on to go hunting outside.

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

A cats natural habitat is outdoors. If I lock her indoors then surely this is not compassionate. Also, there is no doubt she would look for spiders or other insects so there is no way of me preventing her from hunting. Its within her nature.

In all fairness, she's a terrible hunter - she brings back moss.

[octobersun79]

It's in the nature of cats to eat meat. I think it's worse not to provide your cat with what she would naturally have (albeit out of a tin). Can't see there being a problem with that myself as your intent is to look after your pet not to kill.

Thanks Aardgoat.

[perkele]

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

I agree. We should also captivate all wild carnivorous animals and lock them in to protect them from accumulating bad karma, to save all sentient beings!

[octobersun79]

I'm sure this has been discussed many times previously, but I'm not sure of the karmic consequences of purchasing cat food. I have looked into my kitten eating veggie and tried her with all different types of alternitives. She's not having any of it.. on the plus side she will only eat a brand of cat-food that has 4% meat derivatives.

I could only feed her veggie food but could this spur her on to go hunting outside.

As far as I know cats need at least some meat or fish. So you shouldn't feed your cat just vegeterian. (My parents had a cat, this is the reason I suppose to know that.)

My view may seem a little bit radical to some people, but: I can't see a sense for having pets. Why not enjoy the living beings that are outside your home? Even if you live in a city, there should be a park. Even if there is no park near your home, are people not enough? People also are "just" animals.

Hey Rahula

Yes I am completely with you on the pet front. But, my son is autistic and has little empathy towards people. However he has a great capacity for compassion towards animals, which we are nurturing and with care trying to transfer this compassion and love to human relationships. So on a karmic level there is a lot of loving kindness generated by a persons ability to care for an animal. For this purpose I think its ok.

'm allergic to cats, dogs and pollen, so its like living in my own personal itchy samsara

[octobersun79]

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

I agree. We should also captivate all wild carnivorous animals and lock them in to protect them from accumulating bad karma, to save all sentient beings!

Nice idea.. can we also stop all humans from harming all beings too?

[Aloka]

Hi octobersun,

I've been a vegetarian for most of my life, but I've never tried to make any cats I've had into vegetarians too, I've always fed them tinned meat based pet food. For me it would be wrong to try to impose my own dietry choices on to carnivore pets.

with kind wishes,

Aloka

[tiltbillings]

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

I agree. We should also captivate all wild carnivorous animals and lock them in to protect them from accumulating bad karma, to save all sentient beings!

Nice idea.. can we also stop all humans from harming all beings too?

While I may not have control over the guy who is doing my siding on my house to stop him from hunting bears with dogs, I can keep my cats inside. There is no need for cats to go outside to roam freely. Worrying about what you are feeding your cats, but not being concerned about letting your cats roam freely outside - something of which you have control - is not very consistent.

[tiltbillings]

You should not be letting your cat outside at all, given cats' propensity to kill birds and other animals. It is also a good way for them to get worms and other parasites.

I agree. We should also captivate all wild carnivorous animals and lock them in to protect them from accumulating bad karma, to save all sentient beings!

The thing is, you do have control over your cats and their movements. Letting them out, knowing there is a good likelihood of their killing (not even to survive), place the burdened on you.

[octobersun79]

While I may not have control over the guy who is doing my siding on my house to stop him from hunting bears with dogs, I can keep my cats inside. There is no need for cats to go outside to roam freely. Worrying about what you are feeding your cats, but not being concerned about letting your cats roam freely outside - something of which you have control - is not very consistent.

But when is it acceptable to take away an animals freedom for your own personal viewpoint. Yes I have control over what the cat eats when she is in my house, but I have no control over what she eats outside of my house. The issue is, do I take away my cats freedom in order to prevent her taking a life? I am concerned of this but I am also concious that I could be imposing suffering - its not natural to prevent an animal from being free. I know a monk who keeps ferrets and dogs - he does not lock them up in captivity.

[tiltbillings]

While I may not have control over the guy who is doing my siding on my house to stop him from hunting bears with dogs, I can keep my cats inside. There is no need for cats to go outside to roam freely. Worrying about what you are feeding your cats, but not being concerned about letting your cats roam freely outside - something of which you have control - is not very consistent.

But when is it acceptable to take away an animals freedom for your own personal viewpoint.

First of all, if you start out when they are kittens not letting them outside, they will never know any different. Their world will be the inside of your house. The outside will likely be very, very frightening to them.

Yes I have control over what the cat eats when she is in my house, but I have no control over what she eats outside of my house. The issue is, do I take away my cats freedom in order to prevent her taking a life? I am concerned of this but I am also concious that I could be imposing suffering - its not natural to prevent an animal from being free. I know a monk who keeps ferrets and dogs - he does not lock them up in captivity.

You let your cat out, knowing it is going to kill, you bear some some responsibility for that death. Have you ever seen a cat kill?

[octobersun79]

While I may not have control over the guy who is doing my siding on my house to stop him from hunting bears with dogs, I can keep my cats inside. There is no need for cats to go outside to roam freely. Worrying about what you are feeding your cats, but not being concerned about letting your cats roam freely outside - something of which you have control - is not very consistent.

But when is it acceptable to take away an animals freedom for your own personal viewpoint.

First of all, if you start out when they are kittens not letting them outside, they will never know any different. Their world will be the inside of your house. The outside will likely be very, very frightening to them.

Yes I have control over what the cat eats when she is in my house, but I have no control over what she eats outside of my house. The issue is, do I take away my cats freedom in order to prevent her taking a life? I am concerned of this but I am also concious that I could be imposing suffering - its not natural to prevent an animal from being free. I know a monk who keeps ferrets and dogs - he does not lock them up in captivity.

You let your cat out, knowing it is going to kill, you bear some some responsibility for that death. Have you ever seen a cat kill?

So by the same token, you also are saying that the theravada monk who cares for a dog and takes this dog for walks is also responsible for any death his dog intentionally takes when he is walking it?