On 05 Jan 2004 01:33:57 GMT, (GovtLawyer) wrote:

If you live in an area where, for whatever reason, you feel unable to
allow a healthy cat its freedom to roam for at least some time each
day (and only you can judge your area) then don't have a cat. To have
a healthy cat, knowing you will keep it in 24/7 marks you are being
cruel, selfish, or both.


I'll agree to the selfish part. Yes, I am selfish.

Then please stop being selfish - it is not fair on the cats.

I have decided to take an
animal (in this case two homeless animals from an animal rescue service) and
keep them locked in my home; for my own selfish amusement. They give me a
great deal of enjoyment; they are funny, and warm, and friendly, and in short .
. . just great to have around. I am keeping them captive, quite possibly
against their will.

Sick.

In return for their captivity;I feed them better than they would ever eat in
the wild, I take them to an animal doctor on a regular basis and keep them in
better health than they would have in the wild; I keep them warmer or cooler
than they would be in the wild, depending on the season; I keep them away from
predators bigger than they are; I buy products which I know they would like or
would amuse themselves with; and, they will likely live twice as long as they
would in the wild.

As they would in the wild - maybe. Average age in the wild would be
about 7. However, the average age of an indoor-outdoor cat is no
different than that of an indoor only cat -- it just seems like longer
for the poor imprisoned cat that is cut off from so much that it needs
in the outside world.

NO, I am certainly not cruel!

Yes you are.

Its funny, but I did not invent the idea of
keeping pets. For all of my years people have kept pets; in fact, they have
been doing it for a very long time.

They have - and all over the world. And it is only really in the USA
that this abuse of animals is so widespread.

So, I have taken pets which are already on
this earth and made the trade I've outlined above. It would be cruel of me to
let them go out into the city at will, and invariably shorten their lives. It
would also be doubley, no tripley cruel of me to allow them to go into the
night and either get knocked up or do the same to another animal, so the
population of unwanted animals could explode.

So, now that you've taken the liberty to call me selfish and cruel, let me ask
you a question. You sound like an outdoorsman! Do you hunt?

I'm neither an outdoorsman nor a hunter - in fact I campaign against
hunting in nearly all its forms.

What I am is an animal lover, one that knows enough about cats to call
you a very sick and cruel individual - a very selfish person who gives
no though to the basic needs of his cats.

I'm glad to say that in the UK you would not have been allowed to
adopt cats from a shelter. We have home inspections that are designed
to root out abusers like you.

--
Bob.

I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in
public.