How can you love some cats, but not all?

Someone I volunteer with is anti-TNR. She knows that I am strongly pro-TNR.
Her main argument is that ferals destroy the wildlife, particularly
songbirds. I, and another volunteer who does TNR, have gone round and round
about this and have come to that "agree to disagree" point.

Today she comes in with this article regarding the Wisconsin bill allowing
people to shoot ferals (although their definition of a feral is really a
stray). The article's point is that this bill is a good thing, it will help
restore the songbirds, etc. I said it was bull****, and the person who
started the stupid bill just did it because he was sick of stray cats. She
chuckled at me and said I was turning red. It was like she was baiting me,
or thought it was "cute" that I was getting mad. Side note: I've had this
happen in other situations because I'm normally a calm and quiet person,
people think it's funny when I get mad.

I honestly don't get how someone can claim to love cats, but not all cats.
Like the feral cats are a lesser species. Her solution is the "kill-em-all"
approach. Now, she did used to do wildlife rehab, but this was many years
ago before TNR and managed colonies gained acceptance. So I can appreciate
that there is a perspective I don't have, but still, I don't get it.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

Kelly:

I don't understand your friend, either. After all, especially when we are
talking mostly about house cats that were dumped by their irresponsible,
inconsiderate, idiot owners initially, and they had families, how can anyone
say "kill them all"? They are just as lovable as the cuties at the local
animal shelter, as far as I am concerned!

I am pro-TNR. Just think of how over-run we would be with birds if the
"ferals" didn't get some of them. We have a fair number of well-managed
(tnr) feral cat colonies here, and I certainly have not noticed any shortage
of birds.

Shooting a cat just because it happens to be on your property? What happens
if it escaped from a car at the vet clinic, and is on it's way home? (Yes,
things like this do happen.) Someone shoots a much-loved companion animal.
One of my neighbour's cats got out (don't let unreliable friends cat-sit),
and came back 3 weeks later, much thinner and scraggly looking, but still
alive. She was extremely distressed - - Phantom had lived with her for 12
years. Can you imagine if some homeowner had shot this "stray feral"? (by
the weird definition in the Wisconsin bill)

Your friend needs to re-examine her definition of "cat". I volunteer at our
local shelter. One room has feral (real ones) cats in it. One of my
treasured moments happened when I was handing out honeysuckle toys to the
cats. I was putting one in the bottom kennel, and I could feel someone
hooking at my hair. This HUGE stripey tomcat was repeatedly hooking and
pulling at my hair and I said "Oh, you want another one? Okay!"

I didn't realise he was supposed to be this really fierce, scary guy. He
was a big sucky-puss to me. Must have been all that honeysuckle *g* I have
related to a lot of ferals that had I a house, I would have tried to
integrate them into my household. Cats are cats. Your friend needs to
realise that ferals are the fault of human beings. They got there because
sometime, someone ditched a pet cat. It is grossly unfair to say that
because of that, now they, or their offspring, should be blasted away.

Anyway, where colonies are concerned, as all intelligent people know,
getting rid of a colony is pointless. Eventually another one will just move
in. Trap, neuter, release into the colony, and . . . well, I'm preaching to
the choir

You have a sympathiser in me ..............I really do not understand your
friend. My 3 year old, adopted Jan 22nd, was and still is pretty
people-shy, not a feral but probably was much like an owned cat gone stray
when she was confiscated by the SPCA. She came from a home that had 36 cats
and 16 dogs. No doubt there was not a lot of time for the lady who lived
there to socialize with all the animals - - she is a fulltime nurse. Animal
control allowed her to keep 10 animals, so she kept 6 cats and 4 dogs. I
cannot imagine how much that would hurt, having to give up your babies like
that. She was very well-intentioned, but things got out of hand.

It is really cruel to bait people about issues that hit core values or
beliefs. That this person does this shows just how small minded and
unintelligent she really is. Small minds are amused by small things. The
hardest thing is not to react, but if you can, try not to.

A cat IS a cat, feral or not.

Your volunteer associate, however, is a fool.

Melody



"KellyH" wrote in message
...
Someone I volunteer with is anti-TNR. She knows that I am strongly
pro-TNR. Her main argument is that ferals destroy the wildlife,
particularly songbirds. I, and another volunteer who does TNR, have gone
round and round about this and have come to that "agree to disagree"
point.

Today she comes in with this article regarding the Wisconsin bill allowing
people to shoot ferals (although their definition of a feral is really a
stray). The article's point is that this bill is a good thing, it will
help restore the songbirds, etc. I said it was bull****, and the person
who started the stupid bill just did it because he was sick of stray cats.
She chuckled at me and said I was turning red. It was like she was
baiting me, or thought it was "cute" that I was getting mad. Side note:
I've had this happen in other situations because I'm normally a calm and
quiet person, people think it's funny when I get mad.

I honestly don't get how someone can claim to love cats, but not all cats.
Like the feral cats are a lesser species. Her solution is the
"kill-em-all" approach. Now, she did used to do wildlife rehab, but this
was many years ago before TNR and managed colonies gained acceptance. So
I can appreciate that there is a perspective I don't have, but still, I
don't get it.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

KellyH wrote:
Someone I volunteer with is anti-TNR. She knows that I am strongly
pro-TNR.
Her main argument is that ferals destroy the wildlife, particularly
songbirds. I, and another volunteer who does TNR, have gone round
and round
about this and have come to that "agree to disagree" point.

I have a problem with "managed colonies" in that they perpetuate
breeding of cats that can't be TNRed. I don't know a single managed
colony in which breeding has been stopped altogether. (I'm totally
pro-TNR, BTW.) I also don't have any problem euthanizing FeLV and
(truly) FIV positive cats when they cannot be rehomed. Completely
healthy cats die daily for lack of homes. So in that regard, yes, I
believe some cats are more "worthy" than others. You have to draw the
line somewhere; you can't help them all. That's where I draw my line.
Many times I have treated and rehomed cats with other illnesses.

That being said, irradicating ferals is just plain stupid. Shooting
them is even more stupid.

-L.

In article ,
enlightened us with...

I honestly don't get how someone can claim to love cats, but not all cats.

How can some people claim to love "animals", and then eat them and/or wear
their skins? (like me *heh*)

Everyone has a line. The line is just different for some people than for
others. Few of us can *really* explain with logic why our line is where it
is. I know I can't, and I have yet to hear anyone really do so (except hard-
core vegans). It's not really about logic.
Just like we all have a different concept of 'love'. When some people say
they love animals, they might not mean the same thing as you do when you say
you love animals. It's one of those abstract concepts, so it's hard to say if
one person's love of animals is the same as another's. It is more likely
different, all things considered. Some people love them because they're
tasty. *so sorry LOL*

I mean, honestly, where is it written that cows are good eatin', but cats
aren't? It's not logical. It's just something that IS for most of us in this
culture. Other cultures have no problems eating cats and dogs. They may even
keep a dog as a pet, but eat non-pet dogs. Like some people here in the US
keep pigs as pets, but quite possibly do still eat ham and bacon.

--
--
~kaeli~
Press any key to continue or any other key to quit
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

"kaeli" wrote in message
...
In article ,
enlightened us with...

I honestly don't get how someone can claim to love cats, but not all
cats.

How can some people claim to love "animals", and then eat them and/or wear
their skins? (like me *heh*)

Everyone has a line. The line is just different for some people than for
others. Few of us can *really* explain with logic why our line is where it
is. I know I can't, and I have yet to hear anyone really do so (except
hard-
core vegans). It's not really about logic.
Just like we all have a different concept of 'love'. When some people say
they love animals, they might not mean the same thing as you do when you
say
you love animals. It's one of those abstract concepts, so it's hard to say
if
one person's love of animals is the same as another's. It is more likely
different, all things considered. Some people love them because they're
tasty. *so sorry LOL*

I mean, honestly, where is it written that cows are good eatin', but cats
aren't? It's not logical. It's just something that IS for most of us in
this
culture. Other cultures have no problems eating cats and dogs. They may
even
keep a dog as a pet, but eat non-pet dogs. Like some people here in the US
keep pigs as pets, but quite possibly do still eat ham and bacon.

--

You are completely right. I've had this internal struggle myself. I love
animals, but I do eat them and wear them (not fur, the occasional leather).
I drew my line for eating at poultry and fish, but recently started eating
red meat again, damn pregnancy cravings! Plus, I'm anemic now. I know, I
could load up on the spinach, what a hypocrite I am. I even ate bacon the
other day, and I haven't eaten pig for a looong time.
I felt bad getting a car with leather interior, but I wanted the options
that went with that package.
I'm sure if I had to kill my own food, I'd be a vegetarian. I've tried to
be a vegetarian, but can't stick with it. I really do admire hard-core
vegans.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

"-L." wrote
I have a problem with "managed colonies" in that they perpetuate
breeding of cats that can't be TNRed. I don't know a single managed
colony in which breeding has been stopped altogether. (I'm totally
pro-TNR, BTW.) I also don't have any problem euthanizing FeLV and
(truly) FIV positive cats when they cannot be rehomed. Completely
healthy cats die daily for lack of homes. So in that regard, yes, I
believe some cats are more "worthy" than others. You have to draw the
line somewhere; you can't help them all. That's where I draw my line.
Many times I have treated and rehomed cats with other illnesses.

That being said, irradicating ferals is just plain stupid. Shooting
them is even more stupid.

-L.


Probably every colony has a couple cats that won't go in the trap. But, I
think it's better than them not being managed, not having someone look out
for their well-being, and none of the cats being TNR'ed.
I have mixed feelings on releasing FIV and FeLV cats. Some TNR groups don't
test, others do. I have more issues with releasing a FeLV cat than FIV.
FeLV is more easily spread, FIV has to be a deep bite wound or intercourse,
which if the cat is s/n, they won't be doing anyway.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

"Mel" wrote in message
news:gEO0e.778554$8l.615425@pd7tw1no...
Kelly:

I don't understand your friend, either. After all, especially when we are
talking mostly about house cats that were dumped by their irresponsible,
inconsiderate, idiot owners initially, and they had families, how can
anyone say "kill them all"? They are just as lovable as the cuties at the
local animal shelter, as far as I am concerned!
snip

I think she bases a lot of her stand on out-of-date information. I tried
explaining the "what if your cat got out and was shot?" angle of that
idiotic bill, but she said her cat wouldn't get out. I'm the most careful
person and one of my cats got out and was missing for over a month. I'm
glad none of my neighbors shot him!
I guess ferals are almost like a different species to her. I still don't
get how you can love and coo over the strays in the shelter, but say, if
they were outside, someone has the right to shoot them? Don't get it. I
think some of it was baiting me to get me mad, though.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG

KellyH wrote:
(...)

I honestly don't get how someone can claim to love cats, but not all
cats.

Really? Do you not care for your cats more than - say - my cats?

I may love the cat species, but I value my own cats far more than any
unknown mogs out there. I suspect that most people are similar in this
regard.

Steve.

"KellyH" wrote in news:3aj326F6buvc0U1
@individual.net:

I
think some of it was baiting me to get me mad, though.


Why do people do that? It always seems so hostile and disrespectful to me.

--Catherine
& Rosalie the calico

"Steve G" wrote
Really? Do you not care for your cats more than - say - my cats?

I may love the cat species, but I value my own cats far more than any
unknown mogs out there. I suspect that most people are similar in this
regard.

Steve.


I would grieve for my cats much longer and more intensely than I would your
cats. Doesn't mean I think your cats are less worthy or value their life
any less. I wasn't saying "how can you love some cats more than others?".
I guess I should have phrased it "how can you care about some cats but not
others?". I'm such a softie that I do tear up at every death annoucement on
here.
--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
"Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG