I was watching a documentary called "Born to Kill" Season 3 Episode 2. Edmund Kemper. In it there are a range of criminal psychologists and behaviour experts breaking down the nature versus nurture debate on what makes a person a serial killer. One of the experts, Prof Louis Schlesinger, made a very poignant statement that absolutely shook me to my core. Not only did it resonate with something I (as a cat rescuer and welfare soldier) think about a lot, it also answered a very BIG question that I have often tried to understand myself....
What kind of people say "I HATE CATS"?
These people have a type. I can pick them a mile off. My inner alarms go off, my red flags are raised, and my very trustworthy gut instincts are on overdrive and high alert. Very rarely this statement comes from someone I am surprised by. But mostly, it is predictable. Maybe that instinct comes from over 20 years of working closely with cat welfare circles and dealing with people in general.
What did this expert Forensic Psychologist, say?
"There's many, many serial sexual murderers that have a background of killing cats, torturing cats, tormenting cats. Why cats? Because cats are a female symbol."
Don't get me wrong, I do not expect every human in the world to love, adore, or even like cats and definitely do not expect everyone to own one. In fact, I am glad that it is mainly cat lovers who own them, they make the most beautiful partnerships with these magnificent creatures and spoil them the way they deserve. But cats have a specific set of needs and traits that do not suit everyone. For this reason I do not expect everyone to want or like them. But 'HATE'?
Hate is a strong word. In fact, when you really think hard about it, hate is a VERY intensely strong and consuming emotion. One would expect hate to come from a source that has caused you intense pain, suffering, prolonged negative feelings of an extraordinary nature. I am wondering how ANY animal can create this emotion for any human? I have seen news headlines of dogs killing humans, yet you never hear of people saying "I HATE dogs". And I would like to say I am extremely glad about that. When dogs attack it is usually human error from the owner or the victim, or past human negligence be it derived from purposeful intent or pure ignorance. But I have always stood by the fact that any animal , no matter how much it has been domesticated and trained, has a raw natural instinct that can surface at any time. This is not something to be blamed, it is something that should see us sit up and take notice, have a respectful desire to understand behaviours and do what we can to prevent issues from happening. To prevent the animal from being seen as an agressor or killer and instead be understood and handled, housed, and treated apropriately. But it is very rare for any topical discussion of dogs to bring up the army of hatred that a similar discussion of cats will arouse.
I do not think the above statement is the be-all and end-all of it. In fact, I think whilst this was a massive revelation to me, it is only part of a massive pool of thoughts as to why cats are so largely targeted. In that pool are some other ideals thrown into the mix:
Cats are independant, they are survivors, they do not need humans. Of course, some of them have owners who think they are needed, but at the end of the day if you dump any cat anywhere they will simply resort back to their natural survival instincts and, well, survive! I think there are cat haters who are the kind that thrive off the ideal of 'mans best friend'. The obedient pet who caters to their masters every need, who brings the paper, who sits and rolls over when commanded to, who barks at potential intruders, and who seems to serve a purpose to the human race who would die without them. They like the kind of pet that will do as it is told, who will adore them and sometimes no one else, who will serve and protect them, and who sees them as their one and only 'Leader of the Pack'. Humans who like to be the boss, in control, who want to lord it over others. Essentially you can train a cat to do tricks, I have done it myself, but it takes a hell of a lot more work as cats are not responsive to pleasing a master, they simply respond to fulfilling their own needs and nothing more.
Then there are the type of cat haters who are putting on a show. When you quiz them and delve deep into their honest thoughts and opinions, they do not actually hate cats at all, they don't want to own one (as with many people), but they blame their non cat ownership status on a macho image of hatred instead of the reality which is that they honestly just don't want one as they do not appeal to them as a pet. These are usually the cowards, the weak, those trying to cover their butt and look a lot meaner and stronger than they believe in their heart they are. To claim to hate cats drums up a kind of brotherhood of 'machoism', these are the people who can branch off into two sub groups - those who like to say it but take it no further, and those who will verbalise it blatantly all over social media and in situations where there are groups of people so as to stir up reactions and further establish their masculinity and bravado. Both these groups are harmless to animals, but what they do not realise is that they do harm animals in an indirect way, because they give amunition and mob mentality to those who would do harm to animals. If all these 'harmless' people would realise what their words cause, they would stop in an instant so the actual psychopaths could be revealed and monitored. What they do is hide them among the population, giving them cover.
Environmentalists. Those who like to share articles and information about the impact of feral and domestic cats on the environment. These also branch off into two categories, those who truly believe the information they read and are a concerned environmentalist (just expressing it ignorantly), and then there are those who are not true environmentalists, who are just looking for excuses to fuel their hatred and reason away their desire to hunt and kill animals. The enjoy the kill, they have bloodlust, this is not hunting for food this is hunting for fun. I think these are the ones who are truly worth monitoring by criminal investigators. They are the ones who have potential to progress to bigger and more difficult prey to hunt. It is not uncommon to come across these people on Facebook. They love nothing more than to shock cat lovers and animal welfare workers with photographs of their kills. They will happily post photos on social media of themselves holding up dead, mutilated cats. They tell you they are merely "eradicating feral animals who decimate the natural fauna" but the reality is, they are just hunters themselves, decimating living creatures. If they had any environmental inclination they would also be living a life that reflects that: respecting life, conscious of waste, recycling, reusing, avoiding plastics, organic gardening, reduction in meat consumption, renewable energy, natural fibre clothing, etc etc. Cats are not the only feral animal in the Aussie outback, there are camels, horses, goats, foxes, rabbits, just to name a few, but it is the little cat that is targeted for torture and hunting. Why? I think if we circle back to the way those published articles (regardless of their validity or reliability of source) that we are constantly bombarded with of the impact of cats on the environment are worded. If you ask a farmer, it is the packs of wild dogs that cause the most problems, yet no one hates and hunts dogs (thank goodness). For some reason, cats attract the hatred of these (mostly) men. Why is it that instead of these environmental warriors sit on their arses and spread hatred instead of doing anything about it? The people you see actually making a dent in the environmental issue are the cat lovers. They are the ones who get out to factory settings, parklands, beach groynes, and areas where colonies of cats have been reported, and they set up traps to capture these cats and either TNR or take to a shelter for socialisation and rehoming. So if the way to combat the feral cat issue is to take action, why is it that so many people would rather sit behind a keyboard and say "I Hate Cats because they kill wildlife"? Because they don't actually hate cats, remember what true hatred is, they have just fallen victim to sensationalist media headlines designed to attract debate and hate and designed to increase following and engagement on their social media sites. They are designed to fuel negative feelings, they are designed to make those who love cats get defensive and upset. They instigate those who have no compassion, no filter, no heart to kill kill kill. The rednecks and psychopaths in their bloodlust filled frenzy now has a reason to pick up their guns and kill living creatures. They don't actually give a flying fuck about Australian wildlife and flora, if they did they wouldn't be flattening it with their 4WD's and trucks, and they sure as hell wouldn't be recreationally going out shooting at moving targets in the bush. True environmentalists trust in research and respect the land and all that dwells in it. These are nothing more than creeps who want to piss off what they refer to as 'crazy cat ladies'. Perhaps Prof Louis Schlesinger is actually onto something. Makes sense.
Lets have a look at some of these sensationalist headlines:
The West Australian "Cats, foxes take toll on native species" "Aggressive Cats claw vine causing major issues"
The Conversation "One cat, one year, 110 native animals: lock up your pet, it’s a killing machine"
Smithsonian Magazine
And again, I understand there are serious topics on the table for discussion here, of course I value the Australian native species and our important delicate ecosystems, and of course I am happy to discuss those issues with people who are doing the research, have correct data and research and are coming up with viable solutions instead of massacres, torture, and hatred. But my issue is not the topics, it is the SENSATIONALIST HEADLINES, it is the way they are worded. They instigate hatred. Cats are always labled as 'killers' 'decimators of the environment' 'vermin' 'feral killers'. The truth is that cats are living creatures who by no choice of their own have been dumped into a country far across the waters from their homeland and when a cat is given a choice between perish or survive they always fight for survival. What drums up so much hatred is that they are such awesome survivors. As independant little creatures they can be left on their own (unlike dogs who need to form packs and follow the leader) in an unfamiliar territory and they will find food, find water, adjust to extreme temperatures and landscapes, and fucking survive like no man could even try! Perhaps that hatred that we are looking at stems from an underlying jealousy. No man when raised in a city with everything served to them would flourish as well as a cat that has been dumped in the outback. Hated for surviving. Isn't that a strange concept. Those haters need to take a good hard look at themselves.
I have personally proved that feral cats are totally able to be domesticated. I myself trapped a feral cat in an abandoned nursery and socialised her. It took me and my hubby 2 months to turn her from a dangerous hissing, spitting, lashing out, biting, untouchable fierce street cat into a loving domestic princess that if you saw her you would assume she was raised around people since birth. See her story on fabebook by searching the hashtag #rosieferalcat
Then there are those whose hatred stems from city dwelling. Nuisances! That's what the community groups call them. How many posts a week on your local community social media groups include the words 'nuisance cats' in the headline. For me it is MANY. Mostly they are from people who are having issues with neighbouring cats using their gardens as toilets, fighting in their yards at night, preying on the wild birds they are feeding or watering, tormenting their own pet cats or dogs by walking along fences roofs and patios, and setting off car alarms. Such pests - they say. I have to admit, I have fallen target to such 'pests'. I had a neigbouring cat I called LBF (little black fucker) who caused no end of issues and vet visits with my own cats as he would walk along the top of my fence ar along the ground on the edge of my cat enclosed yard and wind up my very territorial cats. One of my cats got what is called redirected agression which meant when LBF wound it up it would then attack my other cats in frustration. It even attacked me and put me in hospital requiring plastic surgery to zip my shredded hand back up. I didn't then run around telling people I HATE CATS, I wrote a letter to the neighbours telling them what the cat laws are, stating that some cats have been causing my contained pets some grievances, and noting that if the problem persists I will be trapping the straying cat and taking it to the pound where owners will face up to $5k in fines if they are deemed to be breaking cat laws. I dropped the letter in all the letterboxes in my surrounding streets and never saw LBF again. We have happily reigned in peace ever since. I kept a copy of the letter in case we ever need to respond to the negligence of neighbouring cat owners again. In all honesty it is barking dogs that piss me off way more. And screaming kids. Do I hate them? No. What I do get annoyed with is the owners who clearly either do not care about responsible ownership or are ignorant to it. But luckily for them I am an educator not a hater.
Ever come across those people who say "ooh, I hate cats, I'm allergic!" ?
I do, all the time.
I find that odd. You don't hear anyone saying "ooh, bees, I hate them, I'm allergic" or "oooh, Peanuts, I hate them, they can kill me!" nope, people treat allergies as just that, allergies. Except when it is cats. This is where my skepticism for the human race, its weakness and all its bloody excuses and lies comes into it. I am the first one to be skeptical anytime someone uses illness and disease as an excuse for anything, but whenever someone uses allergies to cats as an excuse to hate them I always like to delve more into it, quizzing them on their symptoms, the severity, the official diagnosis, the experiences, their treatments etc etc. Usually with some interrogation (which they always hate, but hey, make a claim you better be able to back it the fuck up, clown!) I find out that they are most of the time not medically diagnosed they are self diagnosed, they don't have some form of life threatening, anaphylactic, suffering inducing condition, they merely get a dose of the itches and sniffles. Why am I not sympathetic to this? Because I also have this same reaction. When I have had lengths of time not owning a cat and then I get one, I too have itches and sniffles and nose tingles for a while. With a bit of Telfast 180mg and perserverance I find my allergy settles down. In fact, we have lovely friends who visit that have reactions to cats, they just take an antihistamine and they are fine. And if the allergy is a lot more intense, then there are desensitisation courses you can have at the doctor. I had them as a kid, my mum had me tested and put through the course to help alleviate my asthma, but of course the courses have definitely come a long way since the early 80's, new studies still being tested. I think that a lot of my grudge bearing for 'allergies as an excuse' comes from my time working at a cat shelter where we saw a common pattern of surrender excuses, with allergies being in the top 5. I have no sympathy for these people, just the same as I have no sympathy for people surrendering because they've had a baby, moved house, taken in a new partner, or can't deal with it ruining the furniture. At the end of the day, these are lame as hell excuses that people use to give up on a relationship that many others would sell their souls to solve without having to surrender the pet. I have no time at all for these excuses, all they are is EXCUSES. Hatred? what have they done to you? Made you sneeze? You poor fucking petal, here's a kleenex, use it on your way out.
There is another group, those who are simply uneducated, ignorant, they are mostly from lower socioeconomic areas, raised by people who themselves have not evolved from a mentality that comes from bygone eras where land living meant having cats on the farm as mousers, not sterilising them, letting them breed, drowning excess kittens, shooting the mame ones, and thinking on the lines of the animals on this planet are here for our amusement, our use. They do not see them as living creatures, they see them as a piece of farming equipment to be gotten rid of when no longer needed. Even when they are city dwelling that 'ideal' has not yet shifted. It takes time for ideals to shift. A bit like when dog containment laws were passed. Back in my younger years it was normal for all the dogs in the street to roam around. People didnt have fences, they didn't use leashes, they didn't have laws. Dogs would come and go as they please. I remember our street dog, Candy, owned by the people two doors up. All of us loved that gentle old girl, a big fat golden retriever. Fed by everyone in the street Candy would mostly be seen laying on the front lawn of her owners house but she would also wander into our front and back yards and sometimes our homes. She was not out of the ordinary, lots of the dogs in our area were like that, some of the fiesty ones would chase you as you passed their home. Then in the 80's I noticed dogs slowly being shut away behind gates and fences. I was not old enough to note the response to the change in dog ownership laws, and social media wasn't around back then, but I imagine the reaction was no different to what we see today as slowly council by council cat laws get tighter and tighter, heading in the direction of dog laws where one day cats roaming the streets will not be a norm, it will attract much attention as everyone will know that the roaming cat has either escaped or been dumped. I think this is a good thing, but that ideal is yet to catch on. Mostly it is the old fashioned mindsets and the uneducated areas pushing back because they are holding onto the idea that cats should run free or that it is way too expensive to contain a cat, and ways of thinking their parents passed onto them. Mindsets just need time to be educated, to get used to new ways, and to be opened to new thinking. One day they will be the minority, and the last few left thinking differently will be weeded out. Kinda the same way the Gladiator killing arenas as a form of entertainment were weeded out, so too will cat hatred.
I wonder why cats are seen to be a feminine symbol?
I remember my Nanna always refering to any cat she came across as a 'she' and any dog she came across as a 'he'. There is a gender delegation to how these animals are seen. Cats are just as dangerous as dogs so I am not sure where that came from. I know that when you see fairytales of witches they have cats. The lonely lady who no one likes, except for some mangee straggly cat. When you want to call a man weak you call them a 'pussy'. It is also a derogatory term for the vulva to call it a 'pussy'. Strange how bad women are also referred to as 'bitches' which comes from the dog, but that was the only example I could think of. I also know there is a type of male who insists on getting a 'muscle dog', those guys who want to make a statement about their own toughness, they want to be seen as macho, they wouldn't be seen dead owning a cat. Their muscle dogs are often seen in the back of their ute or van with its studded collar on and the balls intact. "My dog aint getting castrated, he needs his nuts", this is what they say when you tell them (with your vet nursing cap on) that castration will reduce their urge to fight, will prevent many behavioural issues, will prevent many cancers and diseases, and will prevent future excessive veterinary costs and life threatening emergencies. Nope, you don't know shit, my dog was born with his nuts and he will proudly walk the earth showing those things off with pride, and will die with them!" (albeit much earlier) Kinda like the dogs nuts are his own. Yep, THOSE guys. There are some girls like that too, they are usually the type who are trying to impress and snag themselves one of THOSE guys, or have spent so much damn time around the circles of THOSE guys that they believe their bullshit too. Poor girls. I see them happily reciting and spitting out their cat hatred on social media. I feel sorry for them and the life they lead. Hatred, such a consuming and cancerous emotion. Sounds miserable.
To me, there is nothing sexier and more appealing than a guy who is SO comfortable with who they are that they can live life freely, doing what they want to do, having whatever pet they want to have (be it a little fluffy dog or a sleek independent feline) and there is nothing more beautiful than those guys freely talking about and posting photos of themselves with the cats they adore. Those same cats that the rednecks with their muscle dogs and hotted up 4WD's & utes will scoff at and call them derogatory names for owning. Those are the guys with courage, with infinite bravado, the ones who don't care what anyone thinks, they'll love their kitty cat just because they love it, and not because it is an accessory to build their image.
I LOVE a man who loves ALL animals, but one who freely adores cats is extra special. This is my extra special man...
But my man is not the only one, I know lots of extra special men. Bless em all! xxx
To name a few who come to mind - Adrian P, Leon P, Damien P, Jason B Coz, Richie P, Kevin E, Dave H, Darren D, Carl O, Piero T, Karlifornia, and a new recruit - welcome to the crew Nick T (thanks Teagan and Pixy for converting him)
I googled some images of famous people with cats and put together this little slideshow. I am right into heavy metal music and the most fascinating thing I have always found about guys in the heavy metal circuits is that lots of them love cats. I am not talking about bogans with their flanno shirts and rats tails (they are usually THOSE guys with their muscle dog handbags), I am talking true metalheads, there is a BIG difference. I can see it, someone not in the circles probably can't, this is why a lot of metalheads often get lumped into the 'bogan rock' group - something so opposite in reality. Anyways, for me it is a huge phenomena that SO MANY metalheads are cat owners. My own thoughts are that metalheads have long been the school outcasts, grown up in the 'not cool' groups, and formed their own brotherhood/sisterhood within the metal circles they join after school ends and they are old enough to hang out in music venues. So they don't give a shit about image because metalheads are extremely openminded, forgiving, and non image orientated because they've never impressed anyone to start with. So to be seen as owning a cat? Meh! So what. I've been called a 'pussy' all my life already due to my passion for heavy metal, my long hair, my attire, my metal accessories, my refusal to fall into the world of popular culture, my refusal to spend my day pumping and preening in a gym or getting shit altered in salons to look like a plastic Kardashian clone so I can pout into my instagram at night, my refusal to swap my band shirts for overpriced unethical sweatshop made designerwear, what's another thing to add to the list, I just love my cat! Fuck you.
Here are some of those people (plus a few legends I think are cool as fuck) .... Note: thank you to all the sources of these images - you rock!
Cool dudes, Rockstars, Legends, and Idols proudly showing their kitty-cat love.
My absolute favourite facebook group is called "Real men are kind to animals" Check it out, the photos will melt your heart. I love to go there when I have stumbled across yet ANOTHER horror story of cats suffering by the hand of man. People often say that the world has gone to shit, that it is all falling apart, but the reality in my eyes is that the fact that animal cruelty makes headlines and creates so much shock reaction means that the number of people who are sympathetic to the feelings of animal is growing. Decades ago, centuries ago, those stories wouldn't have made the news because they were commonplace and nothing to report on. Now we have a growing wave of people who understand that humans have a massive responsibility to ensure the planet, its ecosystems, its life and its living creatures are treated with upmost respect and are left in peace, helped when they are suffering, left when they are thriving, and to ensure our actions as a human race do not impact them negatively. The animal haters are the minority. The awareness is definitely growing rapidly, what we do need more of it people who ACTIVELY care. Keyboard warriors are a dime a dozen, you know them, the ones who say "I wish I could help BUT", "I will pray for you/it", "I hope someone helps", "That is so sad", but their empathy and sympathy and prayers are where it ends. What the world needs more of is the people who say "I can help!" "I will donate", "I can do this". We need action Jacksons not thoughts and prayers. At the end of the day thoughts and prayers do sweet fuck all.
How can you help combat cat hatred?
1) Do not respond to sensationalist media headlines. They want your reaction and interaction, do not give them that. When no one reads the news the news goes away. The writers of these articles know that they will reel in a good ongoing debate, do not help grow their popularity and their paycheque. They suck, your silence will tell them so.
2) Do not reply to social media trolls. Majority of vocal cat haters are just fuckwits trying to stir up cat lovers. They do not actually care either way about cats, what they do care about is making people upset and angry. Do not engage. Weed those sad little pricks and prickettes out by ignoring them like the nothings that they are.
3) Do combat misinformation with factual information. Do not be agressive, just maturely and intelligently lay out the facts. Anyone replying agressively has the problem, not you, and others witnessing the conversation will notice that. The person who comes across as intelligence and a level head is the one whose information they will take on board, if not now, but down the track. Emotional Intelligence counts for a lot when debating. Do not try and win, try to educate.
4) I know it is really difficult to deal with vocal cat haters in person, but sometimes they are just wanting to be seen in a certain way (catering to their own insecurities) and no amount of education or level headed response will sway them or even just get them to keep their opinions to themselves in your presence. My next step with these people is not to associate with them. They are not my people anyway, who wants to be around someone like that? They are not likeable nor are they respectful or caring. Red flag - walk away. Plenty of wonderful people in this world to spend time with, do not waste time on the broken ones.
5) REPORT! It is so important to report those who have crossed the line of just being vocal pricks and who are giving proof of hurting cats, be it with photos or videos. Do not tell them you are reporting them, take screenshots, take copies, gather as much evidence as you can and report them to police and RSPCA. If you do not report then the true psychopaths go undetected and if they are hurting one animal they are sure as hell hurting many. And many can escalate very quickly. If you are not getting a satisfactory response from police and RSPCA (which in my experience is not uncommon) then go to your politicians, your local rangers, your local council security, your main cat shelter network in your area, do not give up - keep on keeping on until you feel that someone is taking notice of your concerns. I find facebook reporting to be a waste of time, you would have better luck getting a picture of a harmless nipple taken down than you would a video of a human torturing and killing an animal, facebook are run by incompetent robots who clearly only give a fuck about shit that doesn't matter. Plus, the trolls usually have multiple accounts, will enjoy the reaction, or will be pushed further underground where they can carry on harming things without being noticed. It is a case by case assessment of what you think should be done.
6) Be an Action Jackson, don't be a 'thoughts and prayers' cheersquad. The cheersquad is overflowing with members, dime a dozen. It's the Action Jackson team who are struggling to do the job of millions with just a handful of people. If you see a straying cat - do not ignore it! Pick it up, take it to a shelter, pound, rescue, vet clinic, ask them to scan it for a microchip. If there is one, ask them to educate the owners on keeping the pet contained. If there isn't one, then hopefully the cat will go through a health check and rehoming process to land in the welcoming arms of responsible new owners. I see way too many people posting photos of straying cats in community groups on social media "is this cat yours?" "this cat looks sick and is hanging around, if it is yours come get it" do not wait! Just take it to get help. I recommend that everyone keep a collapsible pet carrier in their car boot with a little emergency kit (towels, gloves, bandage, leash, etc) so they have the ability to collect a straying or injured animal (pet or wildlife) and transport it safely to a vet). Be prepared, that is how you become an Action Jackson. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing"
7) Remember that hate is the haters character flaw. It has nothing at all to do with whatever their hatred is aimed at. If someone is saying "I hate cats" they are just showing the world that they are damaged, they are ignorant, they are using excuses, they are deflecting from their own weakness, or the true worrying one is that if they really do have hatred and no compassion they are psychopathic and in this case should not be freely living in society. Instead of fueling their flaws, spread love and happiness. They will soon realise that their hatred is of little importance in the lives of those who are loving life and all the beauty within it, including the fun and love that comes from understanding cats.
8) It is time we stop accepting the derogatory terms that fuel cat hatred. Crazy Cat Lady is not endearing, it is an insult, it is not just an insult to the type of people who own and love cats, it is a massively misogynistic term derogatory to women. Do you ever hear someone called a crazy cat man? Crazy cat couple? Crazy dog man? Crazy dog lady? No. Why? Because they are insinuating that only a crazy woman would choose the partnership of a cat over men. Only a crazy lady would love a cat, a creature that is not begging for her command or ready to do something for her. Only a crazy lady would choose the company of felines over socialising in society (one that ostrasizes and ridicules her). Independant women, and in particular SINGLE women are always pinned as sad, scary, broken. Cats are also independant creatures. They do not need you. But when they choose to be with you it is all the more rewarding. I think some humans fear these independant creatures because society is reliant on people needing each other, kinda like the dog pack mentality, safety in numbers, lets all do this together, while you need me I can control you. Independence is not to be feared, it is to be admired, someone who does not feel the need to be a part of a pack and be under the comand of a pack leader is a really strong entity, they are survivors. Do not ridicule and ostrasize them. Celebrate them.
9) Normalise cat ownership across all people. Your choice of pet is not an accessory, it is not a reflection of your looks, your wealth, your strength, your status, your power, your popularity, your class, your personality. Your choice of pet is about who you feel will be a part of your home and family in the best possible way that suits your residence and its layout, your lifestyle, your capabilities, your free time, your budget, your health, and your needs for a certain type of relationship and interaction. Why so many pets get put into the rehoming cycle is because people are considering the wrong things when they get a pet, too many are looking for what the pet will do for them, not what they can do for the pet. It is not reflective on the person if they choose a cat or a dog, or what 'breed', it is reflective on them HOW they look after that cat or dog. If a big strong grown man wants to own a little fluffy dog or a pretty kitty then so what. If you think that makes them less of a man, then it is you who needs some thought process readjustment.
10) Do not categorise cats. Cats are cats. There is absolutely no difference between that pampered pedigree princess getting its gournmet meal served to it on fine bone china in that mansion on the hill versus the dirty moggy street cat digging around in alleyway bins for scraps versus the bush feral catching grasshoppers and birds for its survival. They are all cats, they are all equal, they all have feelings, emotions, an instinct to survive, the urge to interact with their surroundings to get their next meal, and all have the potential to be feral or domesticated. That bush feral is weeks away from being the pampered princess at the table in the mansion, and the papmered princess is only one car trip away from reverting back to its hunting and survival instincts if dumped in the bush. If you don't believe me, read Rosie's story #rosieferalcat . You should not hate one and love the other. Respect all.
I know that many people who categorise themselves as 'cat haters' who may happen across this will have a multitude of things to call me, and explain themselves, and the hatred they feel is rational. But I stand by my words. I believe that there is absolutely no animal on this planet who can sincerely and purposely give any human reason to hate. Apart from human beings, that is.
So if you are someone who comes across cat haters, hopefully I have given you some food for thought and an action plan. And if you are a cat hater, hopefully I have made you think deeper into where your hatred comes from and to evolve that feeling into something less damaging to yourself and cats. Maybe you will no longer feel like naming and shaming yourself as a hater of anything is cool. Maybe you will hide that character flaw of yours while you work on it.
I think the most important theme to everything I have said, and what I want any 'cat hater' to take away from this, comes down to this one image:
