Revisit: My Formerly Vegan Cat

Since my post about my cat, Data, I have received responses in many forms (email, comments, facebook message, comments on my facebook note and status). I am simply floored by all of the things that people have to say about this issue. I have received over 5000 words in response to this post and I have provided about 2600 in response. Well, here's a few more. This is pretty much a series of questions that are still floating around in my mind. Comments are more than welcome!

I feel that, by feeding meat to Data, I am making other animals' lives worth significantly less than Data's. Am I degrading other species by making them lesser than Data? Does this mean that by allowing Data to eat meat I am reinforcing the speciesism that I think is prevalent in our society? (In this case I would be including companion animals in the realm of species that deserve special consideration)

I feel like if I were in one of the terrible, hypothetical situations, that seem to be so often contemplated in philosophy, my decision would be different. If I had to immediately choose between Data's life and the lives of hundreds of other animals and they were all right in front of me, I would reluctantly pick the hundreds of animals. I'm not sure that society would fault for me such a choice, either. What is it about the slow, hidden process of killing animals for his nourishment that makes it acceptable? How are these scenarios fundamentally different?

What philosophy is appropriate here? Clearly, I've abandoned utilitarianism. Is this some type of social contract between Data and I? I think the attitude that animals are ours and we can do with them whatever please would make this easiest. Unfortunately, I cannot embrace that. Not sure if there is a legitimate moral philosophy that supports that idea. Perhaps a Descartes or Kant idea, but I do not accept transcendentalism. I reject Descartes' separation of mind (i.e. soul) and body idea. He claimed that non-human animals lack mind and therefore only pantomime pain. I also do not prescribe to sanctity of human life. (A discussion of my rejection of these ideas will have to wait for another post)

Is it odd that our society would punish me for animal cruelty if I did not feed Data the proper food, which is made from animals that suffered and died?

My cat is not living a 'natural' life. Is it appropriate to use the argument that it is natural for him to eat meat? He is not hunting for his dinner, it is being delivered to him in an unnatural form. I do not normally fault animals for their nature because they lack the ability to think about the ethics of their choices, but I am making this decision, as well. I guess where this line of thought is going is: can I be an accomplice in the violation of animal rights by another animal? Animals cannot grasp the meaning of these rights and are therefore not bound by them, but I understand them. It could be argued that I am responsible for making the best choice for my companion animal, but where is my responsibility to the other animals? They don't get to live natural lives.