Congratulations Jenna!  Enjoy the gift basket.  I have some of the products that they are putting in it, lik the Hurraw Lip balm, and they are absolutely wonderful!  I know you will love it all.  I love living a kind life, and I love thekindlife.com web-site/blog.  It's wonderful!  I'm so grateful to Alicia, and everyone who contributes.  I feel so much support here, get so much great info., and feel such a sense of community.  It's like a home to me.  Your suggestions were great and I can't wait to see the new look of the site...exciting!  

I'm a dedicated vegan but I don't think it's fair to subject your animals to your own diet choices. I would never jeopardize my animal's health by trying to make them conform to a diet they are not evolved for. We as people are very in control of what we eat and can make sure we're healthy since we know what we need. I would not trust even myself to compose a vegan food for a cat or dog that would be adequate in nutrition. This applies especially for cats. Felids are 100% carnivorous, while canids are somewhat omnivorous. I'm all for buying the highest quality food with the kindest possible ingrediants, but there has to be meat in there for my kitties. I'm an animal rights activist but I'm also a naturalist. And to me feeding cats soy isnt natural. 

If one has the flexibility to let their cats out in the wild to catch their own natural prey and eat wild plants then that would be great and as natural as one can get.  Those of us living in condos don't have that option. Cats aren't 100% carnivorous like snakes and spiders. They do eat plants. Anyone with houseplants and cats can attest to this and don't forget about cat grass and catnip.  I don't just feed my cat soy. My cats eat almost anything I eat for dinner in addition to their own cat food.  I believe I do buy the highest quality food with the kindest ingredients:  Evolution Diet and Ami Cat. It's possible to have vegetarian cats and people are doing it with great sucess.

i would like to know more about how my cats can eat vegan and where i can buy these products, etc. ! i think the submission was a great idea! thanks for the pet vegan  ideas as i read through the comments!

Oh Geez! Thank you very much for telling me.  Some of our cats only like kibble but some like other things too. I never even thought to read about it, because they just eat whatever they want and they are healthy.  They eat a lot of plant food I eat, I hope they aren't eating anything else bad! They eat lettuce, dark greens, tomatoes, grains, apples, and other things too.  I will certainly do some research now.  Thank you sincerely.

Robert, I have heard it is not good to let your cat catch it's own prey, because domestic cat's are resposible for devestation of natural ecosystems when left to this activity.  We were talking about this in my Natural Resources class at university.  I will look into it more, and post back.

Leanne, 

I do not think it is a "one or the other" situation.  And I think by you saying that humans are more important than animals you are perpetuating the idea that Humans are ABOVE animals, an idea that is already widespread in our culture and has caused endless animal suffering.  Many of us beleive that all living creatures have equal value.  Also, being vegan is one of the surest ways you can help hungry humans, because you are consuming less of the resources on this finite plantet by doing so, including food.

On another note, maybe cats shouldnt be vegan, but they can be fed a kinder diet, and so can dogs, and other pets.  Again, it isn't all or nothing.  We should all do what we can to make this world a better place for everyone! Even if its a small thing :)

For information on vegan pet food check out Evolution Diet's website:  http://www.petfoodshop.com/index.cfm?id=1582674&fuseaction=browse&pageid=36 I also recommend reading Obligate Carnivore: http://store.veganessentials.com/the-obligate-carnivore-by-jed-gillen-2nd-edition-p1091.aspx  

About the devastation of natural ecosystems by letting cats catch thier own prey,  millions of hungry cats couldn't do a fraction of the damage that factory farming animals is doing today. ie sewage ponds, clearcutting forests and spraying pesticides to grow grains and soybeans to feed cows.  A handful of soy beans can make a gallon of soymilk. It takes much more go grow a cow to produce the same amount of cows milk.  The people blaming cats for destruction are likely the same ones responsible for why cow milk is cheaper than soy milk.