Vegans should go cat-free

Is it ethical for vegans to own cats? It’s an interesting question because vegans look set to take over — there are more than 3.5 million now, up from 500,000 in 2016, and a fifth of us say we’d eat less meat if only we could be bothered. Veganism is the life-style choice for the thoughtful and planet-conscious. The only thing more 21st century than veganism is cats.

Cat ownership in the UK is growing at almost as impressive a rate. A quarter of all British adults have cats. There are 11 million of the sinuous little horrors weaving in and out of our homes. More Brits own cats than dogs, which is depressing.

That vegans are often cat owners is a no- brainer. Even if you know nothing about the booming market for vegan cat food or the T-shirts that say ‘Go Vegan Meow’, it’s somehow obvious. Vegans and cats just go together.