Still, many (if not most) people cannot relate to cat owners finding preciousness and other qualities in their beloved pets, including a non-humanly innocence, that make losing them someday such a horrible heartbreak. Even when the innocent animal has been made to greatly suffer needlessly, perhaps before finally being killed/murdered, many will instead think and maybe say, ‘It was just a cat’.
Many also don’t care for the innate resistance by cats to heeling at their masters’ command. Also, their reptile-like vertical-slit pupils and cliché Hollywood-portrayed fanged hiss when confronted, in a world mostly fearful/hostile toward snakes, caused cats to have a seemingly permanent PR problem, despite their Internet adorable-pet status.
But cats can and often do offer reciprocally healthy relationships — many cat lovers describe them as somewhat symbiotic — particularly for those suffering physical and/or mental illness. It’s the pet's many qualities, especially its non-humanly innocence, that makes losing it someday such a heartbreaking experience.
Yet, human apathy, the throwaway mentality/culture and even some societal hostility toward them often result in cat-population explosions thus their inevitable homelessness, neglect and suffering, including severe illness and hunger. As such, the mindset of feline disposability likely goes: ‘Oh, there’s a lot more whence they came’.
Due to general human mentality, it’s likely that only when their over-populations are greatly reduced in number through consistent publicly-funded spay/neuter programs, might these beautiful animals’ potentially soothing, even therapeutic, presence be truly appreciated rather than taken for granted or even resented.
Sounds like a trying time for you, Susan. Thank you for sharing a bit with us. I hope things start to settle down with your health and with Nutmeg. All the best for the book fair! If I was a bit closer I would be THERE. Would be so lovely to meet one day.
Precious yet often misunderstood, prejudged and even unjustly despised, cats are.
whispers - I think things are improving.
Still, many (if not most) people cannot relate to cat owners finding preciousness and other qualities in their beloved pets, including a non-humanly innocence, that make losing them someday such a horrible heartbreak. Even when the innocent animal has been made to greatly suffer needlessly, perhaps before finally being killed/murdered, many will instead think and maybe say, ‘It was just a cat’.
Many also don’t care for the innate resistance by cats to heeling at their masters’ command. Also, their reptile-like vertical-slit pupils and cliché Hollywood-portrayed fanged hiss when confronted, in a world mostly fearful/hostile toward snakes, caused cats to have a seemingly permanent PR problem, despite their Internet adorable-pet status.
But cats can and often do offer reciprocally healthy relationships — many cat lovers describe them as somewhat symbiotic — particularly for those suffering physical and/or mental illness. It’s the pet's many qualities, especially its non-humanly innocence, that makes losing it someday such a heartbreaking experience.
Yet, human apathy, the throwaway mentality/culture and even some societal hostility toward them often result in cat-population explosions thus their inevitable homelessness, neglect and suffering, including severe illness and hunger. As such, the mindset of feline disposability likely goes: ‘Oh, there’s a lot more whence they came’.
Due to general human mentality, it’s likely that only when their over-populations are greatly reduced in number through consistent publicly-funded spay/neuter programs, might these beautiful animals’ potentially soothing, even therapeutic, presence be truly appreciated rather than taken for granted or even resented.
Sounds like a trying time for you, Susan. Thank you for sharing a bit with us. I hope things start to settle down with your health and with Nutmeg. All the best for the book fair! If I was a bit closer I would be THERE. Would be so lovely to meet one day.
Indeed. It's been a YEAR, and we are only in February 😵💫
Thanks for the kind words and the boost 🌹🌹🌹