After getting a harsh, personal email on this subject (not at all like your tactful dissent, Stacy), I thought I’d take a stand and defend this fictional, satirical, meant-to-be-thought-provoking post. (BTW, I think it’s perfectly OK to disagree. I just thought the post required more of an explanation before others dismissed it out of hand.)
For starters, I’m not advocating cat breeding here. In fact, I abhor any sort of pet breeding outside of the confines of serious hobby-fanciers who adhere to responsible, well-informed practices. What I was getting at is sort of a corollary to last week’s post on feline second-class citizenship.
Consider that our domesticated cat is far closer to wildlife than the vast majority of our dogs. That’s a large part of why I believe we have a feral cat problem. And here’s my reasoning:
Cats were domesticated to hunt and kill things close to where people live. Bringing strays indoors and neutering them (even as babies) doesn’t extinguish these instincts (nor does bottle-feeding, which can indeed exacerbate their effects). It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that most cats need only a generation or two to get back to full-blown, feral mode. The wild side is lurking just beneath their surface.
Dogs were bred to hunt and protect us. Then we bred the heck out of them to make house pets out of them. Cats have never been bred this intensively. It makes sense, then, that when a cat breeder selects for personality traits and less instinctual behavior, less aggressive pets are the result.
I know of at least two breeders (Ragdolls and Cornish rexes) who manage perfectly serene pets every time. Everyone’s reaction when they meet these cats? “They’re so relaxed, so, friendly and cuddly—almost dog-like!” No. They’re not dogs. They’re still cats and will always be cats. They’re just more domesticated.
Still, our culture isn’t ready to embrace cat breeding as we do for dogs. Not when statements like these are the rule: “How can you have a ‘purebred’ cat when there are so many unwanted ones outside?” Dog breeders don’t get nearly as much flak for their efforts.
Our society’s widespread point of view on cats, I posit, is mere cultural construct. One: because cats are allowed outdoors and therefore have no common experience of breeding them (we let “nature” do it). And two: because this condition is self-perpetuating. It assures that average house-cats are never bred purely for companionship as most dogs have been.
As a result, cats are more likely to act territorially in ways that ensure they are discarded and maligned as a species (urinating on carpets, attacking our legs, clawing furniture). Not all and perhaps not yours, but a whole lot of the ones I see.
I know this has raised many hackles and perhaps you’ll think it simplistic (indeed, cats are less socially human-like and more difficult to align to our way of thinking), but consider my politically incorrect point, nonetheless:
If what we like about keeping cats is having occasional indoor wildlife and if we consider tampering with their genetics an insult to their wildness, then we shouldn’t be surprised when they act like wild animals by engaging in behaviors we can’t fathom. Nor can we bemoan their collective fate as they huddle in their FIV colonies behind our local Pizza Huts—because we do have solutions. We’re just not ready to accept them.
Our cats truly are second-class citizens in the world of pets. And it’s our schizophrenic, hands-on/hands-off approach to them that’s mostly to blame. Sure, dogs might always win out for their expressivity and interactivity in the minds of some, but if we value cats’ company as a species, they deserve far more than we’ve managed to provide them so far.
After all, cats got into this mess because of us. And they're not going to get out of it without our help. I think it's only reasonable and respectful to consider taking active measures--genetic or otherwise--to imporove their condition.
Cat breeding is no solution, I agree. But thinking about how we think about cats? Considering all our options? IMHO, these are steps in the right direction.
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I didn't comment on your other post, but read it knowing full well what the intent was. And I have to say that I agree with what you've written here. I think cats ARE a misunderstood species, and it is their "cat-ness" that makes them so disposable in our society.
The cat pees on the carpet--get rid of it (usually by dumping it somewhere). Go* forbid they stop and think about WHY the cat is peeing---new member in the family (furry or human), dirty litterbox, medical problem (UTI).
Cat scratches at the furniture--get rid of it. Don't bother buying or building a scratching post or cat tree. Or, gasp, trim their claws. Or consider that cats shed their claws and scratching is a way to achieve that. People wouldn't let their "claws" grow into their fingers, yet don't stop and think that maybe this is the cat's way of stopping that from happening to them.
I know I am probably the exception in most social circles, but my cats are worth more than carpeting or furniture. I spend more on their healthcare than I do my own. I test my acromegalic/diabetic's blood sugar at home. I give insulin shots. I give desmopressin so my kitty with diabetes insipidus doesn't have to live in the water bowl and litter box. I worked out a system of sign language for my deaf CRF girl so I can talk to her. My cats have cat trees all over the house, they are fed a high-quality, species appropriate diet of canned and raw---even though it means I never get to sleep in because they want their breakfast. I'm the type that doesn't adopt kittens because they always find a home--it's the older, sick ones that find love from me.
Just as I wish veterinary research would stop treating cats as small dogs, I wish people would stop lumping all cats together as a wild bunch that just pees everywhere and destroys furniture. Just as all pit bulls and rotties aren't vicious, all cats aren't destoyers.
OK...getting off my soapbox now!;)
Carolynn April 18th, 2007 01:55:00 PM
I didn't get the first post, but that may be the result of allergy medicine (yea springtime). I wasn't offended, just didn't "get it". Now it makes more sense.
I agree that it's infuriating that cats are considered disposable or even second class. Cat peeing? Dump it. Claw the furniture? dump or, God forbid, declaw. Dont want to spend the money to fix it, just dump it. No longer a cute kitten? Get rid of it. I swear I'm the queen of finding one year old stray cats because of this mentality. I have a scratching post. A couple of my cats prefer carpet. Fine...WalMart sells bound carpet pieces for $20. When they finish tearing that piece to bits, I can spend $20 and buy another. Maybe I'll go wild and get a brighter color. They pee. Fine. I'll clean it up. I have hardwood and laminate floors and paper towls are cheap. What do you expect when you have 7 cats living in one house? Deal. Those hormone plug in things you can buy at the pet store really help. And I'll just briefly mention the $35 house plant I bought that one cat destroyed in two days by using it as a "tarzan" swing rope. Or that (free) desk chair I got from work that they all love to sharpen their claws on....right next to the scratching pole.
I suppose I'm guilty of reverse discrimination. The dog gets a good quality food, but not the prescription diet the cats do. And the cats get away with far more that the dog ever will, behavior wise.
I agree with Carolynn....my cats are worth far more than floors and furniture. And I see your point about the breeding. I'm not sure we need man improving the cat species the way they have "improved" dog species.
Dawn April 18th, 2007 02:56:00 PM
Dr. Khuly has a valid point that cats have not largely been bred for temperament and domestication. I used to have a cat that the vet diagnosed as neurotic. His explanation was that she wasn't mentally/emotionally capable of living indoors only. She pulled all of her belly fur out, destroyed furniture, and urinated anywhere but in the litter box. I was renting an apartment at the time; the carpet that had been new when I moved in was destroyed within three months. I tried training her to use a scratching post; it didn't work and I refused to declaw her. My choice was to turn her into an outdoor cat or medicate her heavily with what the vet described as valium for cats. The cat went to live with my ex-husband, because I simply could not care for her needs, emotionally or financially.
Any good pet owner will first check with their vet and then try to work with their pet to resolve the behavior. But the emotional toll is huge and the financial cost is nothing to discount. It's unreasonable to expect that the only thing people have to do is try harder, spend more money, stop caring about their house, and the problem will be magically solved.
Unless I can find a cat that has been bred for temperament and domestication, my house will remain cat-less. My dog understands perfectly well the behavior expected of him. There's no reason cats can't do the same.
Sheri April 18th, 2007 05:12:00 PM
" It's unreasonable to expect that the only thing people have to do is try harder, spend more money, stop caring about their house, and the problem will be magically solved. "
It's also unreasonable to expect that all cats are like the one you had. And I know plenty of dogs that chew things up, pee/poop on the floors and destroy things too.
I don't think the good doc was trying to start an arguement of dogs vs. cats. Just as all people can't be painted with the same brush, the same goes for animals.....
Carolynn April 18th, 2007 05:50:00 PM
I don't expect that all cats are the same as the one I had. And yes, plenty of dogs are destruction machines as well. However, dogs have largely been bred for temperament, behavior, and overall domestication, whereas cats have not been. The cat I had was a result of allowing nature to do its work, and resulted in an animal that was unfit for living indoors. Our society has placed far too much value on having a "lion in our living room", while conveniently forgetting that lions don't make good pets. Hence my comment about finding a cat that had been bred for desirable personality traits, which is a minority of the feline population.
Sheri April 18th, 2007 06:27:00 PM
Hmmmm.....guess all mine are minorities then. And they are all awesome pets...
Carolynn April 18th, 2007 07:42:00 PM
Wow, I hope I didn't give the impression that I don't care about my house and that I like to live like a slob...
Once again, I agree with Carolynn. Cats, like dogs, have distinct personalities. Just because you've had one neurotic cat does not mean they are all like that. My kitties personalities range from my 'neurotic little old man' who whines at everyone for just breathing (he's 4) to my 'surfer girl' who you can just picture in your mind saying "dude....what's your problem?"
Sheri, if you go to any responsible shelter, they should be able to tell you about any animals temperment before you take them home. It wouldn't be hard to find a personality that fits with your own.
And yes, my dog is well behaved. But I use more papertowls cleaning up around her water dish than I do on kittie pee. And she's a husky so she sheds more than my 7 cats combined. She makes brown spots peeing in the yard ( going where she's supposed to go). If you're looking at the whole picture, she's more "destructive" than the cats I have.
In my opinion, the decision to have a pet somewhat like the decision to have a child. You know they're going to cost you something. Money....time.....effort....LOVE!
And finally, look what irresponsible breeders have already done to dogs and cats breeds. I'm not sure how much more selective breeding either species needs. (I'll hop right back off that soap box quick!)
Dawn April 19th, 2007 10:34:00 AM
Perhaps cats have not been bred as selectively as dogs because human beings haven't seen it as something worthwhile to do. Perhaps humans don't see it as worthwhile because they don't value the cat species or appreciate or understand what makes cats unique.
It seems to me that many people view cats mainly in terms of how they are or aren't like dogs. Not to single out Sheri, but your comment about how dogs know what's expected of them so therefore cats should behave the same way too is a good example of this. Cats are *not* dogs. They're... well, cats. Recognizing their catness is, I think, one of the first steps that needs to happen in order to elevate their status.
Anna April 19th, 2007 05:21:00 PM
I don't believe I've explained my opinion clearly, so I'll give it another try.
I am not saying that all cats are neurotic; I'm quite sure some are lovely pets. I'm not saying dogs are better than cats. I'm not saying cats should act like dogs.
I am saying that humans have bred dogs for various purposes, but all have an underlying basis in how well they work with humans (with the exception of physical appearance). Whether a sporting, working, herding, etc. if a dog wasn't willing or capable of working with people, it couldn't complete the job it was needed for.
I am saying that cats, on the other hand, have been largely bred by nature. Nature doesn't select for human friendliness. It selects for survivability, hunting ability, territorial defense, etc. Those qualities do not necessarily translate into desirable pet traits.
As Dr. Khuly said, “If what we like about keeping cats is having occasional indoor wildlife and if we consider tampering with their genetics an insult to their wildness, then we shouldn’t be surprised when they act like wild animals…” Granted, part of a cat’s appeal to people is their relative wildness. What people really want, imo, is a cat that is selectively wild. But I’ve never met a cat that could be ordered around, so trying to tell one to be aloof and dignified while leaving out the less desirable behavior is a bit of a lost cause. ;)
I agree completely that irresponsible breeders have done horrible things to dog breeds. But what humans have done, on the whole, is fully domesticate them. If cats are ever to approach the same level of respect, giving them the same level of domestication isn’t a bad place to start.
Sheri April 19th, 2007 08:47:00 PM
Nice article, very helpful. Thanks!!
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