Is it wrong to want another purebred?

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

One of the points the indoors-only brigade keep misrepresenting is cats'
propensity to roam. Yes, they can roam a couple of miles, and some do.
Those
some are unneutered toms looking for a mate. Neutered pets, who know
their
territory is where the food is, and who encounter neighbouring cats (or
dogs) when they step over boundary lines "roam" in a much-diminished
area,
one that can frequently be measured in square metres, rather than
kilometres.

Your place sounds like a nice place for cats to live, as long as they stay
away from the road. I bet my Rowan would think she was in kitty heaven. I
think she's a reincarnated barn cat or something. LOL

Indeed, the suitability of my place for my cats was one of the major factors
in my decision to buy it and, as I've posted elsewhere, I actually refused
to view houses that, from the street, I could tell were entirely unsuitable
for my cats. If you're gonna allow your cats outdoors, you have to let that
be a major influence in where you choose to live - and I tend to think that
letting your cats' welfare influence the biggest financial decision of your
life might just, possibly, show that you care a teensy weensy bit ;-)


I don't honestly know how likely cats are to roam -- I just know what I
see
on the side of the road some days and how I'd feel if it were MY cat lying
there unmoving. Heck, I tend to cry even though it isn't my cat. And I
blame
the owner for letting that cat roam. If the cat didn't roam, it wouldn't
have
tried to cross the street, you know?

Yes, I do know. And, about 10 years ago, I held an 8-month kitten as it went
through its death throes after being hit by a car. Believe me, you do more
than cry. For that reason, I do everything possible and take every
precaution possible short of containing them inside constantly to reduce the
risk. And those precautions do cut the risk considerably. But like Mathew, I
believe that the benefits of access to outdoors are a vital part of my cats'
enjoyment of life and outweigh the risk that can't be overcome except by
indoor confinement. I understand other people make a different call on this
and I respect that. But, let's face it, we're all imposing our judgements on
our cats and those judgements are based on our individual belief systems and
world views.

"Ashley" wrote in message
...

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

One of the points the indoors-only brigade keep misrepresenting is cats'
propensity to roam. Yes, they can roam a couple of miles, and some do.
Those
some are unneutered toms looking for a mate. Neutered pets, who know
their
territory is where the food is, and who encounter neighbouring cats (or
dogs) when they step over boundary lines "roam" in a much-diminished
area,
one that can frequently be measured in square metres, rather than
kilometres.

Your place sounds like a nice place for cats to live, as long as they
stay
away from the road. I bet my Rowan would think she was in kitty heaven. I
think she's a reincarnated barn cat or something. LOL

Indeed, the suitability of my place for my cats was one of the major
factors in my decision to buy it and, as I've posted elsewhere, I actually
refused to view houses that, from the street, I could tell were entirely
unsuitable for my cats. If you're gonna allow your cats outdoors, you have
to let that be a major influence in where you choose to live - and I tend
to think that letting your cats' welfare influence the biggest financial
decision of your life might just, possibly, show that you care a teensy
weensy bit ;-)

It might if anyone believed it (see below).


I don't honestly know how likely cats are to roam -- I just know what I
see
on the side of the road some days and how I'd feel if it were MY cat
lying
there unmoving. Heck, I tend to cry even though it isn't my cat. And I
blame
the owner for letting that cat roam. If the cat didn't roam, it wouldn't
have
tried to cross the street, you know?

Yes, I do know. And, about 10 years ago, I held an 8-month kitten as it
went through its death throes after being hit by a car.

See, this just makes me sick to my stomach. First we have someone who, like
me, cries for cats she doesn't even *know* when she she's them laying on the
side of the road *KNOWING* that their owners didn't care enough about them
to keep them safe, *KNOWING* that they died in agony, *KNOWING* that their
last minutes of life were spent alone and in pain probably longing for their
special person to ease their suffering. Then we have someone who follows
that up by talking about her *OWN 8-MONTH-OLD KITTEN" in its death throes
but *STILL* refuses to see why cats should be kept indoors. Pardon me, I
need to go vomit!

Believe me, you do more than cry. For that reason, I do everything
possible and take every precaution possible short of containing them
inside constantly to reduce the risk. And those precautions do cut the
risk considerably. But like Mathew, I believe that the benefits of access
to outdoors are a vital part of my cats' enjoyment of life and outweigh
the risk that can't be overcome except by indoor confinement. I
understand other people make a different call on this and I respect that.
But, let's face it, we're all imposing our judgements on our cats and
those judgements are based on our individual belief systems and world
views.

Yes, and I guess some judgements are really crappy, especially for the cats
who suffer and die as a result of them!

Hugs,

CatNipped

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
"Ashley" wrote in message
...

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

One of the points the indoors-only brigade keep misrepresenting is
cats'
propensity to roam. Yes, they can roam a couple of miles, and some do.
Those
some are unneutered toms looking for a mate. Neutered pets, who know
their
territory is where the food is, and who encounter neighbouring cats
(or
dogs) when they step over boundary lines "roam" in a much-diminished
area,
one that can frequently be measured in square metres, rather than
kilometres.

Your place sounds like a nice place for cats to live, as long as they
stay
away from the road. I bet my Rowan would think she was in kitty heaven.
I
think she's a reincarnated barn cat or something. LOL

Indeed, the suitability of my place for my cats was one of the major
factors in my decision to buy it and, as I've posted elsewhere, I
actually
refused to view houses that, from the street, I could tell were entirely
unsuitable for my cats. If you're gonna allow your cats outdoors, you
have
to let that be a major influence in where you choose to live - and I
tend
to think that letting your cats' welfare influence the biggest financial
decision of your life might just, possibly, show that you care a teensy
weensy bit ;-)

It might if anyone believed it (see below).


I don't honestly know how likely cats are to roam -- I just know what I
see
on the side of the road some days and how I'd feel if it were MY cat
lying
there unmoving. Heck, I tend to cry even though it isn't my cat. And I
blame
the owner for letting that cat roam. If the cat didn't roam, it
wouldn't
have
tried to cross the street, you know?

Yes, I do know. And, about 10 years ago, I held an 8-month kitten as it
went through its death throes after being hit by a car.

See, this just makes me sick to my stomach. First we have someone who,
like
me, cries for cats she doesn't even *know* when she she's them laying on
the
side of the road *KNOWING* that their owners didn't care enough about them
to keep them safe, *KNOWING* that they died in agony, *KNOWING* that their
last minutes of life were spent alone and in pain probably longing for
their
special person to ease their suffering. Then we have someone who follows
that up by talking about her *OWN 8-MONTH-OLD KITTEN" in its death throes
but *STILL* refuses to see why cats should be kept indoors. Pardon me, I
need to go vomit!


This caps it. Anyone of first-hand experience with this who still allows
cats to roam is just plain malicious.

On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 18:10:50 -0400, "Mary"
wrote:




This caps it. Anyone of first-hand experience with this who still allows
cats to roam is just plain malicious.



When I was in high school, I was walking home from school and saw a
cat up ahead at the side of the road. His tail was twitching, so I
know he was alive. I hurried to get to him. I guess I figured I would
haul him home and get a ride to a vet. By the time I got to him, he
was dead. I was horrified. This was before any of mine own had died,
so this was my first time to actualy witness somebody dying. I went
home, bawling. My dad just couldn't understand why I was bawling over
somebody else's dead cat.

I still remember that image, and I would never forgive myself if my
own cat ended up like that.


--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 18:10:50 -0400, "Mary"
wrote:




This caps it. Anyone of first-hand experience with this who still allows
cats to roam is just plain malicious.



When I was in high school, I was walking home from school and saw a
cat up ahead at the side of the road. His tail was twitching, so I
know he was alive. I hurried to get to him. I guess I figured I would
haul him home and get a ride to a vet. By the time I got to him, he
was dead. I was horrified. This was before any of mine own had died,
so this was my first time to actualy witness somebody dying. I went
home, bawling.

Oh, man, that is horrible. It is the kind of thing you never forget.


My dad just couldn't understand why I was bawling over
somebody else's dead cat.


How weird is that? But there are people who are like that.
I don't understand them but they are there. My dad would
have been trying not to look like he was crying but he would
have been if he saw the cat, anyway.


I still remember that image, and I would never forgive myself if my
own cat ended up like that.


Yes, I feel the same way. And I do think others reading this
debate have something to think about. It's an important
issue, regardless of who is tired of it and even if the
feelings run strong. It's a battle worthy of our weapons.
Those who support allowing cats to roam unsupervised
in areas where there are cars should be asked to explain
how this is the right thing to do by the cat, who cannot
begin to understand what can happen to it out there.

On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 23:44:44 -0400, "Mary"
wrote:

My dad just couldn't understand why I was bawling over
somebody else's dead cat.


How weird is that? But there are people who are like that.
I don't understand them but they are there. My dad would
have been trying not to look like he was crying but he would
have been if he saw the cat, anyway.


Now, he would probably cry. But back then, he was still in his
conversin stages. He was not an animal person and must not have had
any idea what he was in for when he married my mom. And then produced
3 children who all wanted pets. My brother had a dog. My sister has
cats. I have both. And now my nephew lives with us, and his cat moved
in before he did

When my dog died, my dad did cry. I had to remind him that dead dogs
don't feel anything if you drop them into the grave. He was trying so
hard to do it gently.

--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

In article ,
enlightened us with...
I understand other people make a different call on this
and I respect that. But, let's face it, we're all imposing our judgements on
our cats and those judgements are based on our individual belief systems and
world views.

I agree with that statement.
I don't agree with *some* of your views, but I respectfully agree to disagree
on those.

I'll stop beating a dead horse now. *g*

--
--
~kaeli~
When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
...

When I was in high school, I was walking home from school and saw a
cat up ahead at the side of the road. His tail was twitching, so I
know he was alive. I hurried to get to him. I guess I figured I would
haul him home and get a ride to a vet. By the time I got to him, he
was dead. I was horrified. This was before any of mine own had died,
so this was my first time to actualy witness somebody dying. I went
home, bawling. My dad just couldn't understand why I was bawling over
somebody else's dead cat.

I still remember that image, and I would never forgive myself if my
own cat ended up like that.

Yeah, I can relate. When I was a teenager I was riding in a friend's car,
joyriding actually but not speeding, when he hit a cat. I started crying so
hard they had to take me home and my mother would *not* believe that it was
"just a cat" that was hit - she kept giving me the third degree, "Are you
*sure* it wasn't a person???" Yeah mom, I can confuse a person with a cat!
I know she was worried about how much trouble we might have been in but,
geez, she had known me for 16 years and *should* have known how I felt about
cats. To her, the hysterics I was displaying could only be for a human and
not an "animal". But, ohmygawd, to this day, *38 YEARS LATER*, I can
*still* feel that awful bump as the car ran over his little body!

Just a couple of years ago I was driving to work and saw the car in front of
me hit a cat and I had to turn around and go home (after I made sure the cat
was dead and didn't need my help). I threw up for 3 days afterwards.

Just a few months ago some "jokester" on an email list I'm on sent me a
video of a cat - well, I can't describe it - my DH told me again and again
that the video was faked and it could not really have happened as filmed,
but I cried for *weeks* afterwards (for several reasons, first because of
the thought that someone would have thought faking something like that was
"funny", second because of the thought that those things really do happen
all too often to cats, third because I break up at the thought of *any*
helpless innocent being harmed by some sicko, and fourth because someone I
knew even just electronically would be mean enough to send me something like
that knowing how I feel about cats - I had done nothing to him, not even an
argument via email, *WHY* would he want to hurt me like that???).

Just sitting here and thinking about a cat, *ANY* cat, being hurt in any way
will make me start crying (one of the reasons I can only contribute money to
rescue organizations instead of physically helping out - though I thank gawd
that there are people who feel like I do about cats but *do* have the
fortitude to do what I can't).

So, yeah, when I hear about someone letting their cat come to harm, because
of (what seems to *me*) bad assumptions about what's best for him/her, it
really upsets me to the point where I lose control in a public forum! ;

Hugs,

CatNipped

--
Meghan & the Zoo Crew
Equine and Pet Photography
http://www.zoocrewphoto.com

"Meghan Noecker" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 23:44:44 -0400, "Mary"
wrote:

My dad just couldn't understand why I was bawling over
somebody else's dead cat.


How weird is that? But there are people who are like that.
I don't understand them but they are there. My dad would
have been trying not to look like he was crying but he would
have been if he saw the cat, anyway.


Now, he would probably cry. But back then, he was still in his
conversin stages. He was not an animal person and must not have had
any idea what he was in for when he married my mom.

I see. I do understand that.


And then produced
3 children who all wanted pets. My brother had a dog. My sister has
cats. I have both. And now my nephew lives with us, and his cat moved
in before he did

When my dog died, my dad did cry. I had to remind him that dead dogs
don't feel anything if you drop them into the grave. He was trying so
hard to do it gently.


Bet he also cried for love of you. No good daddy wants to see
his little girl hurting. It sounds like you and your parents have a
great relationship--like friends. That is the best kind and the kind
that lasts.

"kaeli" wrote in message
...
In article ,
enlightened us with...
I understand other people make a different call on this
and I respect that. But, let's face it, we're all imposing our
judgements on
our cats and those judgements are based on our individual belief systems
and
world views.

I agree with that statement.
I don't agree with *some* of your views, but I respectfully agree to
disagree
on those.


NO, kaeli, Ashley is not right. I base mine on how I feel when I
see cats dead or dying. That is why I keep my cats safe. Here
she just admits to subscribing to that bull**** Victorian nonsense
I have been talking about. The Romance of the Great Hunter
out in the Garden and etc. Belief systems and world views?
What the **** do they have to do with the fact that when you
combine cats and cars you get dead cats? And cars are
everywhere. Jesus.