This Man’s Vegan Girlfriend Wants Him To Get Rid Of His Cat, What Should He Do?

This 22-year-old man is caught in a difficult situation with his 21-year-old vegan girlfriend, who is asking him to give up his beloved cat, Mittens, in order to continue their relationship. She believes that owning a cat is against vegan principles because cats hunt and consume meat, and she insists that he can’t be fully cruelty-free while keeping a pet like Mittens.

He’s deeply conflicted, as he adores his cat and doesn’t think he should have to give her up. He’s already made compromises for the relationship, including transitioning to a fully plant-based diet.

Despite their strong connection and his care for his girlfriend, he feels that this disagreement over his cat may be a dealbreaker. His friends, who are also vegan, think his girlfriend is taking things too far, but he still wants to try and make things work.

The big question is: can they find common ground on this issue, or is this a fundamental incompatibility that could end their relationship?

A 22-year-old man is torn after his vegan girlfriend demands he give up his beloved cat to continue their relationship

From the moment we fall in love, we hope our values will align, but the hardest moments arrive when they don’t. This Reddit user believed he and his girlfriend shared a strong philosophical bond rooted in veganism. He even adopted her values to the point of eliminating animal products from his own diet.

But when that shared ideal collided with his deep emotional bond to his cat, everything became complicated and painful. What began as mutual admiration now feels like a clash between loyalty to a beloved companion and loyalty to a partner.

At the core of this conflict are values, identity, and emotional attachment. The OP’s girlfriend views pet ownership through an ethical lens that goes beyond diet. This perspective, while held by a subset of vegans, is not universal, but it is rooted in strong moral reasoning about animal use and exploitation.

Some ethical vegans argue against the concept of “owning” animals as property and question the morality of pets existing in human environments, including feeding them meat‑based diets. However, most vegans do choose to keep companion animals and balance ethical concerns with practical needs like nutrition and welfare.

For the OP, Mittens isn’t a symbol of compromised ideology, she is family. The intense emotional reactions he describes, shock, denial, anger, are understandable when someone you love challenges something so fundamental to your life and identity.

It feels like a personal rejection, not just a difference of opinion. Meanwhile, the girlfriend’s stance reflects a principled and consistent interpretation of her values, even if it feels extreme to others.

According to relationship research on conflicting values, romantic partners will inevitably face disagreements rooted in deeply held beliefs. What distinguishes relationships that thrive from those that fracture is not simply agreement, but the ability to communicate constructively, empathize, and negotiate differences without contempt or personal attack.

Healthy conflict resolution doesn’t mean that either partner abandons their core values, it means they commit to understanding the other’s emotional experience and work together toward solutions that honor both sides.

In the context of this relationship, compromise doesn’t have to mean “giving up” what matters most to one person.

Expert therapists emphasize that compromise is about collaboration and mutual respect, not sacrificing your essential needs or dismissing another’s. A strong partnership can accommodate differences in perspectives on pet ownership if both partners feel heard, respected, and valued.

So where do they go from here? They need honest, compassionate communication about what each cares about most, not just ideologically, but emotionally.

The OP must gently explain why Mittens is non‑negotiable for him, while the girlfriend must articulate her ethical concerns without framing them as ultimatums. If both parties can shift the conflict from “me vs. you” to “us vs. the problem,” they may find a path forward that honors both love and values.

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

These commenters strongly supported the OP’s decision to keep their cat, expressing disbelief at the girlfriend’s request and criticizing her behavior

This group provided advice on handling the situation with the girlfriend, suggesting contacting a shelter to re-home the girlfriend

These users expressed frustration with the girlfriend’s reasoning, explaining that a cat’s carnivorous nature cannot be ignored, even by vegans

This group speculated that the girlfriend’s request might reflect deeper control issues in the relationship and shared personal experiences

These users criticized the girlfriend’s extreme stance on veganism and urged the OP to keep the cat

Reddit users have overwhelmingly supported his decision to stand by Mittens, and experts recommend carefully considering the relationship’s long-term viability if such requests for compromise are a recurring theme.

Ultimately, the young man will need to decide whether his relationship with his girlfriend is worth sacrificing something he deeply values. But for now, it seems clear that Mittens has earned his place as part of the family.