Q:I have a young, healthy male cat named Mink. He lives indoors and gets the best food, toys and veterinary care available. The problem is that I'm a vegan. I have a hard time knowing even the high-quality foods he's eaten all his life come from animals raised on inhumane factory farms. Recently I've been transitioning him to a commercial vegan feline diet but Mink hasn't been taking well to it. My vet thinks I'm crazy to try this, by the way.

A: I've had very little success converting cats to a vegetarian or vegan (no egg or milk protein) diet. Though commercially available vegan diets with special supplements now make this diet nutritionally viable (at least in the short-term), it's my impression that cats know best. Most won't eat it without serious coaxing.

Cats are obligate carnivores, as I'm sure you know. That means their bodies (specifically, their gastrointestinal tracts) are not ideally suited to digesting non-meat foods. The long-term effects of feeding felines diets that lack animal proteins have not been established.

On the other hand, I understand your predicament. I can see why buying standard cat foods with all their reliance on cheap meats might be in opposition to your moral agenda.

It's argued, however, that extending your own moral code to your cat in this way is akin to subjecting factory-farmed animals to our human values. After all, no cat would choose such an abnormal diet. Viewed in this light, it seems to me that accepting a meat-based diet for a feline could be considered consistent with a vegan's values.

Judging from your distaste for standard commercial feline food, perhaps you should look into one of many brands that employ humanely raised meats. These can be obtained from the same specialty outlets that probably also sell the vegan food you're buying.

So, do I think you're crazy? Not at all. But do I think a vegan diet is best for your cat? No on that score, too.

In fact, if you feel strongly enough about adhering to a vegan diet for your pets you might want to consider a rabbit or a goat. Both species make great pets and neither requires that you compromise your vegan values.

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