Stepdaughter Demands Cat Go Vegan Because Smell Of Cat Food Makes Her Sick

Jan 08, 2022

There are many unexpected challenges that you can face as a parent. These challenges don't go away when the kids grow up, either. Sometimes, living with your children when they are adults can make things even more complicated. One blended family is facing the issue of the adult daughter being critical of her dad and stepmom over how environmentally unconscious they are, and one of the biggest problems is that she believes their cat should adhere to a vegan diet.

The girl's stepmother shared in a post on Reddit that her stepdaughter is vegan and claims that the smell and sight of cat food makes her sick. The stepmom added that it does look like the girl has lost weight, but she and her husband still don't believe that they should have to change the diet of their cat, Mango.

The parents tried explaining to her that if she has a problem with the food that Mango eats, then she needs to find another place to live. The husband's mother said that they are being unreasonable and the stepdaughter is suffering. This led the stepmom to wonder if she was making the right choice or if she was being rude and insensitive to her stepdaughter.

The woman posted her story on Reddit to get the opinions of other users. The commenters seemed to all be in agreement and thought the stepmom was doing the right thing because vegan diets can be dangerous for cats. Keep reading to learn more details about this story and to see what else readers had to say.

The stepmom explained in her post that her stepdaughter has been unhappy with more than just the cat's diet. She wrote:

"Since she's moved in with us (past 3 months) she's become increasingly snappy and unhappy with how her dad and I run our lives. We aren't environmentally conscious enough because we don't compost our waste, we are negligent because we leave lights on when we leave our home for security reasons, we should switch to electric cars, we are contributing to the inhumane treatment of cows by consuming dairy, the list is endless."

The stepdaughter offered to pay for vegan cat food, but the parents still don't want to change Mango's diet. The stepmom explained:

"My stepdaughter is now insisting she will purchase vegan cat food because seeing Mango eat meat makes her sick…. We feed him in the kitchen and she will literally throw up / retch/ leave the kitchen if she sees him eat meat. She HAS lost a lot of weight since claiming that seeing Mango eat meat makes her sick, and we leave out dry biscuits for him to snack on which also makes her sick."

The stepdaughter's reaction when she was told that the cat's diet would stay the same was explosive, but the parents held their ground. "Her dad and I both told her if she's unhappy with it she needs to find someplace else to live and although we are genuinely sorry she's lost her appetite and has lost weight we aren't going to change Mangos lifestyle- she has yelled, cursed at us, cried, begged, etc, but no, we are NOT happy with Mango eating a vegan diet," the stepmom said in her post.

Part of the issue is that the woman's mother-in-law is siding with the stepdaughter. The woman shared, "My MIL has waded in after my stepdaughter told her we were being unfair by refusing to let Mango go on her preferred diet for him, and is accusing us of being cruel and shortsighted. She says we are letting her get sick, and that Mango won't hurt from a change in diet but stepdaughter is hurting."

Commenters were almost entirely on the stepmom's side and agreed that a vegan diet is not right for cats. One user wrote:

"Veterinary nurse here. As explained above, cats are obligate carnivores, they absolutely need the taurine that only meat can provide. Cats can't thrive on a vegan diet. My mom is a pretty hardcore vegan and still feeds all her pets a species-appropriate diet because she is aware that's what they need to be the healthiest they can be."

Another person added: "Also a Vet Nurse. Agreeing with this one. If your elderly cat is doing well on his food then don't change it. Perhaps feed him in an out-of-the-way place (e.g. laundry) if he is happy to eat there. Aside from that, your house, your cat, your rules. Don't like it, vegan? Move out."

Other people pointed out that animals can die when fed the wrong food. A commenter said, "Pets can, and have, died when irresponsible owners force their dietary beliefs on them. Cats aren't made to be vegan. She is being unreasonable, plus it's your house - she shouldn't be making all these demands on you at all."

Who do you think is right in this situation? Would you feed your pet vegan food? Let us know and feel free to pass this on to your friends and family.