Thursday, October 29, 2009

National Cat Day



Didn't even know there was one.  Cats are either loved or loathed.  I know very few people who are inbetween on  that.  I love them but I had a friend once who was sitting on her lawn with her son, the cat sitting on the edge of the lawn and some guy purposely swerved as he drove by to hit the cat.  There are shelters who won't let you adopt a black or white cat at this time of the year because of the horrible things some people will do to them.  I am allergic to dogs and a little afraid of big dogs but I don't hate them and would never willingly hurt one.  There are also a lot of people who feel a cat should live outside and the huge numbers that just get tossed aside is appalling.  A cat has been domesticated for thousands of years - they are no longer a wild animal.  They are also prey for a wide range of animals.  Coyotes see them as snack food.

Now you can't always domesticate a feral cat as - big surprise - they no longer trust humans and have regressed to a more primal state, but there is no need for people to keep making more feral cats.  Get your cat fixed.  And don't just discard any pet - cat or dog.  There are shelters.  True, too many still use euthenasia on unadoptable animals but that is changing.  And, considering the hard, short life any discarded pet has to live, euthenasia might just be a mercy in the end.

There's my rant for the day.  I have hugged all five of my cats and hope that will ease their annoyance when they are toted off to the vet in a week or so.  Bad owner that I am, I am a little behind on their shots.  So I must brace myself for trying to grab them and get them in the carriers to go to the vet.  It usually takes a couple of trips as once you get one in a carrier the rest scatter and one thing a cat can do very well is hide.  Two of the five in carriers is a good day, three is a miracle.  Then I have to wait a few days to lull the others into complacency before I make a go at them.  Fun times ahead.

So - be kind to a cat today and maybe make a small donation to a shelter.  If you are in a position to do so - adopt a stray.

Tomorrow we will have a guest blogger.  Author Susan Hanniford Crowley will talk on her new book and vampires.(oops - must have had vampires on the brain)   Halloween traditions.   Perfect for the Halloween season. Hope you will tune in and leave a comment for her.


2 comments:

  1. Hi Hannah! It was great to chat with you the other night at Coffee Time Romance!

    I so didn't know there was a Cat Day! I have two cats, Misha, which is the older one, about 8 and huge! And Hunter is about 3. Both were my daughter's cats, she picked them from the adoption shelter here but they ended up wanting to be with me all the time! LOL. So I say they are mine. When she moves after her marriage next year, this shall be some debate, LOL. Her and her fiance adopted a cat, James Dean JD (or my husband calls him 'Trouble' He comes down to visit my hubby when he comes home from work, on the dot! And my daughter says 'now don't steal him too' :) They know when I'm in pain and won't leave my side. I really do think they feel it from me.

    I so agree with having the cats fixed. I too suggest adopting them from the shelters. They take the cats here and none are euthanized here. I love adopting them and knowing that the small fee goes to taking care of the others there.

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  2. Oh, I truly believe that cats are somewhat empathhic. Mine always know when I am ill, or hurt, or upset. Helping me (aside from curling up next to me and purring)is another matter.

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