Because humans aren't special unique beings with souls that make us the only ones with moral worth. Many animals are capable of suffering and emotion.

Cheetahs don't get any flak for hunting caribou.

We are the ones with the social system allowing for moral frameworks to guide our decisionmaking. Cheetahs aren't moral agents. And if they are, they follow cheetah morality. Plus, they are obligate carnivores anyway (which is why your cat should not be deprived of meat)

[–] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

You said they were morally equivalent when you called it murder

I didn't, actually

Yes you did, that's what the word "murder" means

your cat shouldn't be deprived of meat

All right then. Do you believe that owning a cat is immoral, since in order for the cat to thrive, creatures with souls must die?

[–] Strawberry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There are no creatures with souls. But no, I wouldn't say keeping a cat in general is immoral. There are definitely ethical concerns around things like kitten breeding mills and letting cats roam around outdoors, though

[–] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So if cats are allowed to eat meat, why aren't we?

[–] Strawberry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 4 months ago (2 children)

We are the ones with the social system allowing for moral frameworks to guide our decisionmaking. Cheetahs aren't moral agents ... Plus, they are obligate carnivores anyway (which is why your cat should not be deprived of meat)

please act in good faith or let me know that you're not interested in doing so

[–] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Why is me killing a chicken to feed to my cat morally acceptable, but me killing a chicken to feed to myself is not? In both cases the one with the moral code is doing the killing.

Do you believe that if there were a race of intelligent aliens who were obligate carnivores, they should be allowed to slaughter humans for food? It sounds like you think the answer is yes. I would agree, provided the humans were treated humanely.

[–] Strawberry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

If you've taken in a cat you have committed yourself to its care. It's not a matter of the moral agent being a killer as the combination of being a moral agent and not an obligate carnivore. You can choose not to consume animals because you don't need to. If you choose for your cat to not consume animals, you are killing the cat. But this is not a huge factor in the real world when it comes to the meat industry. Cat food is not nearly its main driver.

As for your alien hypothetical: Whether they should be "allowed" is kind of an unclear question. Who is allowing or disallowing this action? I think humans would be justified in fighting back to prevent our own demise. I think it would be ethical on the part of the aliens to strive towards a solution for their diet that doesn't involve killing or harming sentient beings

[–] AVincentInSpace@pawb.social 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

But this is not a huge factor in the real world when it comes to the meat industry. Cat food is not nearly its main driver.

So it's just a matter of degree? Meat could be a delicacy for humans as long as we weren't overconsuming?

I think it would be ethical on the part of the aliens to strive towards a solution for their diet that doesn’t involve killing or harming sentient beings

If they're obligate carnivores, what could they eat instead, if killing any living creature for food is morally equivalent?