Do cats and dogs actually feel affection when you treat them right or is it really just an instinct for “more food and drink” etc?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen dogs, cats and other domestic animals smile because they’re happy and show love to their owners for treating them right.

Yeah I see memes but those are either photoshopped or snapped at the perfect moment to make it look like they’re smiling.

  • Pilgrim@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Not only dogs and cats are individuals who have their own way of showing how they feel and how much they love you.

    Most people would probably switch to a vegan lifestyle if they realised how much we underestimate animals (and overestimate ourselves)

    • Evil_incarnate@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      I struggle with this all the time. I hate watching cute piggy videos because I remember them next time I eat bacon.

      • Pilgrim@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Well, why not start with gradual changes?

        If you feel bad, you already made the first step: listening to yourself because you already realised how wrong it is.

        If you need motivation, watch dominion. I think it’s fair to say that people should have footage like that in the back of their mind when they want to enjoy animal products.

        You might not believe me, but changing things like your diet to be free of any animal cruelty feels fucking great, and it just takes a certain amount of time to learn new recipes and then it’s just easy going.

        I can help you with whatever you struggle with if you ever need some help

    • actionjbone@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      My cats eat a diet almost entirely of delicious, delicious meat.

      None of it is made of cats.

      Nor do I eat cat meat.

      There’s nothing wrong with being omnivorous as long as you’re ethical about it.

      There’s also nothing wrong with veganism as long as you’re ethical about it.

      I draw the line at cannibalism, though. Way too easy to spread human pathogens that way.

      • 🦄🦄🦄@feddit.org
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        1 month ago

        If you kill a sentient being for pleasure against its will, there is nothing that could make it ethical.