Legless cat ready to start new life.

Reading all the messages about the cat who had her legs amputated and
seeing the video I thought that I would chime in with my opinion.

A lot of this heated debate brought to mind the writings of Peter Singer.
For those not familiar with him, he is a philosopher and ethicist at
Princeton University. He is very strong on the issue of animal rights
and also on the question of whether it is always appropriate to preserve
human life at all costs.

My immediate response to the story was that we should be very careful
about making life and death situations for others, be they human or non-
human. If the cat could speak, we could ask whether her life was worth
living, but we can't do that. However, we can usually judge whether
someone (human or not) is in pain and is suffering. She doesn't seem to
be so.

What if it were a person who was horribly injured in an accident and a
decision had to be made whether to take heroic measures to save their
life, knowing that the person would be left horribly disabled as a result
of the injuries. Most people would shrink in horror at the idea of
letting the person die under such circumstances. Should we not apply the
same standards to a cat?

Remember that I cat probably doesn't dwell on her disability, but accepts
it and does the best that she can. Is it right for us to put ourselves
in her place and say that we wouldn't want to live under such severe
handicap? If we would be willing to live, then shouldn't she have the
same right?

A lot was said about cats having things that they enjoy in life, and if
she can't have some of them, then she shouldn't live. We restrict our
beloved cats in many ways. It is not natural for them to be desexed, to
eat processed food and to be dependant on human beings. But we accept
those things, perhaps because we can't picture ourselves being in such a
situation. But I suspect that we can all imagine ourselves gravely
disabled and shrink from it. Some would choose death rather than such
disablement, others would not. Society actually frowns on our making
such choices for ourselves, since assisted suicide is criminalized in
most countries.

Think about it.
--
Jerry Bank
Trenton, New Jersey
Music is the language of the gods.

I think i would have opted for pts before the treatment, mostly because of
the major and long time to heal from the pain, now that this has been done,
i think we must overserve the kitty and the slave if found to assist kitty
to be sure about the quality of life, I do understand both sides of this,
but to me without knowing kitty and seeing how things go we can't be sure,
but as i said in the beginning, had this been one of mine i would have opted
for letting go instead of making kitty indure all that pain, Lee
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:

wrote in message
...
Takayuki wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote:

"Joy" wrote:

I think that with the right owner, this cat could lead a very
happy
life.

No. Sometimes it's time to let go. What sort of happy life will a
cat that has no legs have? None.

I wouldn't say that categorically without some more information.
This
kitty looks like she's quite healthy, and even fairly mobile. Also,
we have posters regularly overcome great disabilities and challenges
to participate here, even disabilities as severe this cat. Suz, for
example, who I consider a wonderful friend.

I believe there are some people here who would know how to properly
care for a special needs cat like this one. For example, this case
sounds similar to Major Barbara, who was one lucky slave's heart
cat.
She needed to be carried from one part of the house to another, and
also relied on her hoomins to potty her regularly.

I agree. In the video, this cat looked like she was getting around
pretty well. There are things she can't do, but plenty of things she
can do. She looked pretty healthy to me, and lively. Does that mean
she's happy? I don't know. But I wouldn't say her life wasn't worth
living, either.

I would. She cannot even toilet herself, go out or enjoy anything cats
like
to do.
What does her life consist of except being alive to make her humans
glad
that she is?
I'd be ashamed if I did that to my cat.

Tweed, you once asked me to point out when you dig your heels in about
a position and refuse to budge or consider another point of view. You're
doing it now. No matter what anyone says to you, you reply in absolute
terms that you believe what you believe and nothing's going to change
your mind. (Those aren't your words, but that's what I'm hearing.)

I'm not saying that you *should* change your mind, I'm just pointing
out that you seem to be getting into that mode of arms folded, feet
firmly on the ground, barricades erected, and your mind made up, end
of story. It is possible to consider other points of view and understand
why other people would have those opinions or make those choices. It's
not a black-and-white thing.

This is meant in a friendly way, not to put you down. Feel free to
ignore my observation, I'm just offering because you seemed interested
in having it pointed out to you.

thank you, I do appreciate having it pointed out.
I know I have strong opinions on things - I am always up to be wrong and
challenged, but on this occasion I think I am right.
Even if my beloved Boyfie was an indoor cat I would not even consider
keeping him with inch long legs. No paws, how would he toilet? How would
he groom his face?
I doubt my own vet would have done this, he would have said "it's time to
say goodbye"
There are lots of disabilities that cats can live with but this is one
that I think they can't to have a quality of life. As a cat.

Feel free to disagree.

not at all hypocritical, in these two examples you are coming to the
decision making at different stages, in the first you don't wnt the cat to
wake up in pain without legs, and in the second, that pain has already been
indured and is assumably done with, Lee
"Takayuki" wrote in message
...
"Joy" wrote:
All of my cats have always been indoor-outdoor. All but one of those I
had
were used to being outdoors before I got them. At one point, I tried
keeping two of them inside, and they were miserable, so I unblocked the
cat
flap. If you had asked me then, I would have said all cats deserve the
freedom of going outside, and that, given the choice for myself, I'd
choose
a possible shorter life span with freedom than a longer life as a
prisoner.
I now have two indoor-only cats. They were three years old when I got
them,
and had never been outside in their lives. I feel they are safer, since
they never learned how to cope with the outdoors.

I think all of us think we know what we'd do if one of our cats were in
such
a horrendous accident, but some of us probably wouldn't behave the way we
think we would.

Honestly, I can't say for certain either what I would do if one of my
cats ended up like this. With a kitty horribly injured, and probably
due to wake up from surgery in pain, and with no limbs, it's likely
that I'd let her go to RB.

At the risk of being hypocritical, I'd feel differently if I were
presented with a such a kitty that had already survived this ordeal,
and was otherwise in good health, and not in pain.

something else that has occurred to me while reading this thread is not very
pc but i think i need to say it, while i said earlier that i wouldn't have
done it, but now her or any other cat
's quality of life must be an individual thing, i am set to wondering how
many cats could have ben rescued, cleaned up and adopted out with same
amount of funds, don't get me wrong, but rescuers make these decisions all
the time, its the reason i have most of the cats i do, i knew they would,
for differing reason have been pts if taken even to a no kill shelter
because of the expense.time. fullness of the shelter... so I guess when i
add i would have let her go before the surgery and the fact that that money
could have been used to save more cats, i am beginning to see that i
probably don't aprove on a few different levels, Lee
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
I feel the same.

"Granby" wrote in message
...
Being "handicapped" I have seen people in situations over the years. On
their good days they can work wonders on bad days, not so much. On the
bad days, at least they can tell someone where it hurts and get
appropriate medication, help, whatever.

I just feel this was wrong.
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

ingold1234[at]yahoo[dot]com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:50:11 -0700, "Joy" wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

ingold1234[at]yahoo[dot]com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
This very unfortunate cat was electrocuted, and all 4 legs had to be
amputated.

But, she is getting excellent vet care, and will soon be adopted.


I read the link but didn't see a pic of how she can get around to
lead any
sort of a normal life, maybe I missed a link to that.

Cats like to run and jump and when I read things like this I do
wonder if
we go too far to keep them alive, even though it's possible to save
them.
I love Boyfie so much, but if he lost all 4 legs I'd send him to RB.
It
would be cruel to keep him (or any other cat) like that. IMO.

Tweed

There was a video, showing the cat walking around on its stumps.
However,
since the cat would not be able to play, jump or climb, I think I agree
with
you.

Joy

I think that with the right owner, this cat could lead a very happy
life.

No. Sometimes it's time to let go. What sort of happy life will a cat
that has no legs have?
None.

I think your thinking is right on the mark Lee. I've read this story and
the money used could be used to save other kitties. Bless your heart for
taking in YOUR kitties You give them a good quality of life, and bless your
heart for that.
Love Kyla and my kitties agree .

"Storrmmee"
something else that has occurred to me while reading this thread is not
very pc but i think i need to say it, while i said earlier that i wouldn't
have done it, but now her or any other cat
's quality of life must be an individual thing, i am set to wondering how
many cats could have ben rescued, cleaned up and adopted out with same
amount of funds, don't get me wrong, but rescuers make these decisions all
the time, its the reason i have most of the cats i do, i knew they would,
for differing reason have been pts if taken even to a no kill shelter
because of the expense.time. fullness of the shelter... so I guess when i
add i would have let her go before the surgery and the fact that that
money could have been used to save more cats, i am beginning to see that i
probably don't aprove on a few different levels, Lee
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...
I feel the same.

"Granby" wrote in message
...
Being "handicapped" I have seen people in situations over the years. On
their good days they can work wonders on bad days, not so much. On the
bad days, at least they can tell someone where it hurts and get
appropriate medication, help, whatever.

I just feel this was wrong.
"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

ingold1234[at]yahoo[dot]com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:50:11 -0700, "Joy" wrote:

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

ingold1234[at]yahoo[dot]com (Gandalf) wrote in message
...
This very unfortunate cat was electrocuted, and all 4 legs had to
be
amputated.

But, she is getting excellent vet care, and will soon be adopted.


I read the link but didn't see a pic of how she can get around to
lead any
sort of a normal life, maybe I missed a link to that.

Cats like to run and jump and when I read things like this I do
wonder if
we go too far to keep them alive, even though it's possible to save
them.
I love Boyfie so much, but if he lost all 4 legs I'd send him to RB.
It
would be cruel to keep him (or any other cat) like that. IMO.

Tweed

There was a video, showing the cat walking around on its stumps.
However,
since the cat would not be able to play, jump or climb, I think I
agree with
you.

Joy

I think that with the right owner, this cat could lead a very happy
life.

No. Sometimes it's time to let go. What sort of happy life will a cat
that has no legs have?
None.