Do a lot of vegans keep meat-eating companion animals like cats & dogs?

It is difficult to make any statement for vegans as a whole, although we are all playing for the same team, opinions differ between individuals, we are only human after all. Some vegans do find pet ownership to be wrong all together. And technically this would be correct, but as another poster said we have a terrible issue with over population of pets in the west and if we did not adopt them, they would die in shelters.

All of the vegans I know have pets, a few of them even run no-kill animal rescues. Some feed their pets vegan diets (and they thrive on them), others have tried multiple vegan diets and it just did not agree with their pet, so they had to switch back. Others, like myself choose to feed Orijen, which is a very high quality brand with decent ethics.

In a perfect world, vegans would probably not own pets. However, today's world is far from perfect and vegans, like any one else are faced with challenges and decisions everyday. All that we can do is try our very best to live as compassionately and respectfully as we can.

All vegetarians don't eat red meat. Some will call themselves vegetarians and still eat chicken or fish. A person who only eats fish but no other meat is a pescetarian. More extreme types of vegetarians will not eat eggs or dairy because they are animal products. However, if you are doing it for health reasons rather than moral reasons, there is no point in denying yourself those sources of nutrition. As for sweets, the ones you need to avoid as a vegetarian are those that contain gelatin, as it's made with animal products. You don't need to skip all of them.

I rescue cats (I currently have 10) and they are fed specially formulated vegan cat food. As cats are true carnivores (unlike dogs who are omnivores or humans who are meant to be herbivores), some (about 5% I've found) will sometimes need a little extra and I'll give them eggs from rescued chickens (who will not be killed) at a vegan rescue farm I go to.

"So, do a lot of vegans keep cats and dogs even though the animals are meat-eaters? Or do they only keep vegetarian pets like rabbits and guinea pigs?"

False dichotomy.

My husband and I feed our four cats a vegan pet food available online and recommended by our vet.

Veganism is opposition to animal commodification-

even ethical vegetarians oppose animal slaughter for human use,

and to finance the suffering and death of thousands of cows, pigs, and sheep to feed one cat or dog is neither veganism nor ethical vegetarianism.

"Or do they oppose keeping pets/companion animals altogether?"

Well yes, by definition- using animals for human entertainment or emotional needs is inherently not vegan. However, in light of the industrial "pet" complex which exists in the West, wherein there are millions of sentient beings who will die in shelters because people refuse to stop breeding them as commodities, it makes sense to care for some of these animals who will just die otherwise. But this is distinct from using them as a "pet" or "companion".

"They make sure the cats meat, reasoning that they do not have a choice"

Neither did the "meat". O_o

"whereas humans can get by very nicely on a vegan diet."

Except veganism isn't a diet, but an ethical philosophy and resulting lifestyle, which means not funding many practices.

Yes, many do, mostly cats and dogs; some even feed them "vegan" pet food. In my view veg*ns should not keep carnivores as pets. But it's a matter of personal choice, so, no problems.

A couple I know are vegan and have two cats. They make sure the cats meat, reasoning that they do not have a choice, whereas humans can get by very nicely on a vegan diet.

I live with a cat who eats meat products. I have a choice. She doesn't. And I have a cat for companionship and someone who will greet me when I get home. She gets love, food, water, and shelter in exchange.

cats usually make fun of vegans due to the cat having better diet sense than the vegans! It would be better of the cats kept quiet about their superior diet because they are eating better than their owners but that this their personality. Cats especially make fun of those who eat vegan cheese and guys that have moobs from eating soy products!

I agree with Froggie-

ethical vegetarians by definition don't fund animal slaughter,

especially not considering how many animals are killed to feed just ONE dog or cat with meat-filled food.

Good question, I try to avoid those people when i can, because i lived with my x girl friend for2 years and what a pain in the as$ trying to go out and eat with her. I don't know any at this time.