The truth about cats

By Deb Young

Americans own more felines then canines. Why?

We don’t treat them as well, You would think from the numbers that cats are “Man’s Best Friend.”

But here is the dirty little secret: Cats are more often neglected than dogs, more often relinquished to shelters than dogs and less often taken to veterinarians than dogs!
Cats are second –class pet citizens, I have even heard them called the Rodney Dangerfield of pets, they get no respect.

Owning a cat means more then just throwing down a plate of food and water, and letting the cat roam outside all day and night.

People complain their cat is over-weight, destructive, or aggressive, so they put it outside when it may be because he’s bored out of his mind.

The ultimate thrill for a cat is the hunt, stalk, chase, pounce. You can provide stalking and hunting opportunities indoors by leaving food, treats and toys hidden throughout the house.

Find toys that mimic your cat’s play. Since not all cats are food motivated, this requires paying attention to what really gets your cat going.

The Feline Flyer, mimics a bird’s actions. Laser pointers create easy interactive play between you and your cat.

Simple solutions to keep your cat happy and keep your cat indoors where its safe:

Declawing cats is a very emotionally charged and controversial topic in the cat world. Some people feel it’s unnatural to remove a cat’s claws, and it’s done for the owner’s benefit and not for the cat’s benefit. There are many other arguments you can make for this – the pain they go through, the complications after declawing. But I think it really boils down to, cats are born with claws and they should keep them.

If your cat is scratching furniture try trimming claws, Soft paws ( which covers the cats claws like a cap) or having something the cat can scratch on like his own scratching post.

Many think that since cats are fast and since they have claws they can do just fine outside on their own, but in this day and age, it isn’t just cars and coyotes felines have to worry about ….it’s humans and mischievous kids!

Felines need to be “fixed” (spayed/neutered). An unspayed female cat, her mate and all their offspring producing 2 litters a year can total 11,606,077 cats in 9 years, if you can not afford this please check into low cost or no cost clinics in your area.

Cats are not tissues to be used and disposed of. They are living, loving sentient beings that become family. They are dependent, like children, upon adult humans for affection, care, compassion, and respect. They are not objects to be abandoned or killed because they suddenly represent a “problem” or “inconvenience.”

There is only one good reason to euthanize , a significant decease in the quality of its life. This could be due to illness, chronic pain, severe disability, or significant neglect or abuse. But inconvenience is not a reason to end a cats life, or toss him outside to fend for himself.

When you take an animal into your home and life, you are committing yourself to caring for the animal to the best of your ability, to act responsibly, giving it the best life it could have for as long as nature and medicine make it possible.