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My rationale for adopting and not breeding cats



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 13th 04, 05:29 PM
MaryL
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Default My rationale for adopting and not breeding cats

At one time in my life (while I was still a student, which is a *good many*
years ago), I thought I wanted to get a purebred cat. I thought I would buy
one once I was established and could afford to buy a "good quality" kitten.
Well, I changed my mind once I began to read about the huge number of cats
that are euthanized every year simply because there is no one to adopt them
(and especially after I served on the board of directors of our local Humane
Society and did some volunteer work at the animal shelter, which exposed me
"first-hand" to the horrors that many cats and dogs face). I then decided
that I would adopt and save a life rather than buy. Ironically, I also
learned that mixed-breed cats often have fewer health problems than many
purebreds, especially those breeds where genetic defects have contributed to
problems such as breathing, heart problems, and hip dysplasia. As a result,
every one of my cats has been a mixed breed -- and each one has been a
wonderful, loving, very special companion.

The motivation for this message is that I just received the latest
newsletter from our local Humane Society. The newsletter contains both
local and national statistics for last year (2003). The latest statistics
show than in excess of *FIVE MILLION* domestic animals are euthanized in
animal shelters through the United States each year. This does not include
those that are "privately" euthanized by owners, and the newsletter did not
break down the data by type of animal. Our local animal shelter euthanized
3,458 animals in 2003; only 849 animals were adopted, and the local Humane
Society also issued 385 spay/neuter certificates last year.

I may be "preaching to the church choir" in this newsgroup, but if any of
you still keep intact cats with the hope of breeding them (possibly to show
your children "the miracle of birth" and give them the pleasure of watching
cute kittens develop into cats) -- *please* spay or neuter your cats and
adopt instead. You will be saving the life of another cat or kitten, and
your children will not have to think about the "miracle of death."
--
MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Holly and Duffy:
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")



  #2  
Old November 13th 04, 05:40 PM
Mary
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"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message
...
[...]

I may be "preaching to the church choir" in this newsgroup, but if any of
you still keep intact cats with the hope of breeding them (possibly to
show your children "the miracle of birth" and give them the pleasure of
watching cute kittens develop into cats) -- *please* spay or neuter your
cats and adopt instead. You will be saving the life of another cat or
kitten, and your children will not have to think about the "miracle of
death."
--


Nicely said, MaryL. I just wanted to add that fostering a mama cat
and kittens for a local shelter is a wonderful way to enjoy kittens
without contributing to the problem. It is hard to let them go, but
then again, that teaches the children (and others) another lesson:
love without possessiveness: a "larger love," in a sense. (Breeding,
buying purebreds, and declawing, among other things, are practices
that can only be rationalized/condoned when considered with
severe myopia. This nearsightedness is really common in folks for
whom everything is "all about me." I hope your post enables some
people to move to another level and see the Big Picture.


  #3  
Old November 13th 04, 05:45 PM
MaryL
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Default


"Mary" wrote in message
...

"MaryL" -OUT-THE-LITTER wrote in message
...
[...]

I may be "preaching to the church choir" in this newsgroup, but if any of
you still keep intact cats with the hope of breeding them (possibly to
show your children "the miracle of birth" and give them the pleasure of
watching cute kittens develop into cats) -- *please* spay or neuter your
cats and adopt instead. You will be saving the life of another cat or
kitten, and your children will not have to think about the "miracle of
death."
--


Nicely said, MaryL. I just wanted to add that fostering a mama cat
and kittens for a local shelter is a wonderful way to enjoy kittens
without contributing to the problem. It is hard to let them go, but
then again, that teaches the children (and others) another lesson:
love without possessiveness: a "larger love," in a sense. (Breeding,
buying purebreds, and declawing, among other things, are practices
that can only be rationalized/condoned when considered with
severe myopia. This nearsightedness is really common in folks for
whom everything is "all about me." I hope your post enables some
people to move to another level and see the Big Picture.


Thanks! And, you have made an excellent suggestion fostering.

MaryL


  #4  
Old November 13th 04, 06:53 PM
Orchid
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Default

On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 16:40:23 GMT, "Mary"
wrote:

love without possessiveness: a "larger love," in a sense. (Breeding,
buying purebreds, and declawing, among other things, are practices
that can only be rationalized/condoned when considered with
severe myopia. This nearsightedness is really common in folks for
whom everything is "all about me."


Meet Hakaisha (nik.ascendancy.net/fosterpage.html). I have
two champion alter Bengals -- and Hakaisha, whom we discovered at 8
weeks old, severely malnourished, wandering our neighborhood. He had
no fleas and no earmites. The vet says he probably hadn't eaten for a
week or two to be in that condition, but his lack of parasites would
suggest that he had been out and wandering for only a few days at
most. We've dropped $600 or so on him in vet visits in the last two
months getting him vaccinated, checked over, dewormed, and tested.
He's now our baby boy, and gets the same love, care, and attention
that our Bengals get.

So tell me again how everything is all about me? How selfish
and uncaring for domestic cats as species I am?



Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid
  #5  
Old November 13th 04, 07:03 PM
MaryL
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Default


"Orchid" wrote in message
...

Meet Hakaisha (nik.ascendancy.net/fosterpage.html). I have
two champion alter Bengals -- and Hakaisha, whom we discovered at 8
weeks old, severely malnourished, wandering our neighborhood.
...He's now our baby boy, and gets the same love, care, and attention
that our Bengals get.

Orchid


There are also a number of breed-specific rescue groups for a variety of
purebreds (including Bengals). This would be a good way for someone to
adopt a cat and save a life, yet at the same time acquire a specific breed.

MaryL


  #6  
Old November 13th 04, 07:17 PM
Mary
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Default


"Orchid" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 13 Nov 2004 16:40:23 GMT, "Mary"
wrote:

love without possessiveness: a "larger love," in a sense. (Breeding,
buying purebreds, and declawing, among other things, are practices
that can only be rationalized/condoned when considered with
severe myopia. This nearsightedness is really common in folks for
whom everything is "all about me."


Meet Hakaisha (nik.ascendancy.net/fosterpage.html). I have
two champion alter Bengals -- and Hakaisha, whom we discovered at 8
weeks old, severely malnourished, wandering our neighborhood. He had
no fleas and no earmites. The vet says he probably hadn't eaten for a
week or two to be in that condition, but his lack of parasites would
suggest that he had been out and wandering for only a few days at
most. We've dropped $600 or so on him in vet visits in the last two
months getting him vaccinated, checked over, dewormed, and tested.
He's now our baby boy, and gets the same love, care, and attention
that our Bengals get.

So tell me again how everything is all about me? How selfish
and uncaring for domestic cats as species I am?



You did a nice thing for Hakaisha, the stray you adopted.


  #7  
Old November 13th 04, 08:47 PM
Mary
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Default


"Barb" wrote in message
erio.net...
I did go through having the Siamese cats as a young adult and just loved
them so and gave them the best of care. They lived to 11 and 7 and 3 and
then I had the heartbreak of their losses and at that point I decided to

get
black alley cats because I had seen a beautiful sleek black cat running
across a lawn one day while driving. The black cats have well outlived

the
Siamese probably because of no inbreeding and I love them just as much as

I
did the Siamese.

--


I really, really want a cat with Siamese coloring and looks.
Not so much the modern super-flat and narrow head,
but the blue eyes and the points and the lovely creamy
coat. I want a cat that looks like this for purely selfish
reasons--they are so beautiful!! When I feel I can take
another cat, I'll get one from a shelter. Happily these
looks appear to occur naturally, which was a surprise to
me. That a Siamese-looking cat could be born of
a tabby mother floored me.


  #8  
Old November 13th 04, 08:52 PM
Barb
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Posts: n/a
Default

I did go through having the Siamese cats as a young adult and just loved
them so and gave them the best of care. They lived to 11 and 7 and 3 and
then I had the heartbreak of their losses and at that point I decided to get
black alley cats because I had seen a beautiful sleek black cat running
across a lawn one day while driving. The black cats have well outlived the
Siamese probably because of no inbreeding and I love them just as much as I
did the Siamese.

--
Barb
Of course I don't look busy,
I did it right the first time.


  #9  
Old November 13th 04, 09:21 PM
Phil P.
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Posts: n/a
Default


"Barb" wrote in message
erio.net...
I did go through having the Siamese cats as a young adult and just loved
them so and gave them the best of care. They lived to 11 and 7 and 3 and
then I had the heartbreak of their losses and at that point I decided to

get
black alley cats because I had seen a beautiful sleek black cat running
across a lawn one day while driving. The black cats have well outlived

the
Siamese probably because of no inbreeding



Here's a delightful quote from Roger Tabor - an avid cat lover and biologist
that hits the nail smack on the head:


"Moggies, as British cat lovers call non-purebred cats, are good, gutsy
animals that have the best possible pedigree, going back unhindered through
the mists of time. Because of their near-random mating, they have enjoyed
the best possible breeding program for countless generations. Their survival
and subsequent breeding derived from natural selection, favoring functioning
characteristics. It is an unbeatable combination for healthy animals,
producing a natural perfection of design and function."

"A natural perfection of design and function." - that about sums it up for
me!

I gotta laugh when breeders say they're inbreeding to "improve" and
"preserve" the breed. While they're inbreeding to fix a certain trait
they're also passing on the same set of genes for the immune system from
both parents. After several successive generations the kittens become
genetically very similar with less vigorous immune systems. Since all the
cats are so genetically similar, if one gets sick, they all get sick.
That's why we hear of "epidemics" of certain diseases in catteries.

Instead of preserving the breeds, their paving the road to extinction. As
the gene pool contracts, so does immunity.

In a few more years, the brachycephalic breeds with the most extreme
conformations (e.g., Persian and Himalayan) won't even be able to breathe.

Phil


  #10  
Old November 13th 04, 09:40 PM
Rhonda
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Me, too. Our rescued, pregnant stray was a gray and white tuxedo cat.
Three of her six kittens were siamese. Sadly one was stillborn. Another
one is a lynx (or tiger) point. I have always wanted one of those and
could not believe that one was born in our house! The other girl is
blonde and white, with gray points. She has a couple of white smudges on
her face and pale blue eyes. They are both gorgeous.

I was looking for homes for them earlier this year, but now they are ours...

Rhonda

Mary wrote:

I really, really want a cat with Siamese coloring and looks.
Not so much the modern super-flat and narrow head,
but the blue eyes and the points and the lovely creamy
coat. I want a cat that looks like this for purely selfish
reasons--they are so beautiful!! When I feel I can take
another cat, I'll get one from a shelter. Happily these
looks appear to occur naturally, which was a surprise to
me. That a Siamese-looking cat could be born of
a tabby mother floored me.




 




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