Pet Lovers Thread

[fr0d0]

The vast majority of people that keep pets (other than cats that roam free) do so with little consideration for the animal. If the pet has to be taken out of its natural environment (have it's freedom restricted/ kept in solitary confinement/ etc etc) then it's usually extremely cruel. I'll knock these people as strongly and as much as I like. They disgust me.

[Kyuuketsuki]

I love other people's cats!

My wife, my youngest and particularly my eldest daughters have asthma and cats and dogs trigger attacks yet everyone blithely seems to assume, "Aw, let's have a cat for a pet ... what's the harm in that?" so unless they keep rooms animal free my daughter is essentially banned form their houses from that moment on.

I love them because we have none so guess what the little [expletive deleted]s do in our garden? And guess which poor [expletive deleted] has to pick up every week before he cuts the grass? I think the record is about 12 lots!

So yeah, I love other people's [expletive deleted] cats, I really do.

And then there's dog owners ... I love dog owners (no word of a lie)!

In the UK there are laws about dogs [expletive deleted]ing all over the pavements, this is fine except that every time those [expletive deleted]s take their pets out they [expletive deleted] outside our house and even though they pick it up in some bag there's still going to be some left (thanks for that guys!) or their dog raises a leg and [expletive deleted]es against our wall (so again thanks for that guys) and then of course there's the [expletive deleted][expletive deleted]'s who don't bother ... so there I am walking back from wherever and SQUELCH ... ewwwww! Thanks, thanks a [expletive deleted] bunch! Our carpet really loves your dog's [expletive deleted] on it ... honestly it does ... no, no, really ... it really does!

Oh I love pets, I do ... but I love their [expletive deleted] owners even more!

Kyu

[Giff]

Animals are only good as food. The only reason human find pets cute is because the brain associate them with human babies, becuase they have similar proportions. So the reaction is that we find them cute. That's why dog is cute and not a spider or a crocodile.

So, you've never met anyone who kept rats, spiders, or snakes as pets? I have a friend who adores spiders and has around 30 tarantulas in her home at all times. Some of them won't throw their hairs so she holds those ones and obviously likes them.

I have met such people. But no one can claim that they are cute, can you? That what it was all about.

I prefer mammals as pets so I have one cat and two ferrets and it has nothing to do with me thinking of them as my babies. I like the companionship and cats and ferrets have epic battles every time I let the ferrets out.

Rhizo

You don't have to think. It's instincts, there's a reason why people find a bunny to be cute and not a mantis for an instant, or a long legged spider, or a snake and so on.

[Eilonnwy]

The vast majority of people that keep pets (other than cats that roam free) do so with little consideration for the animal. If the pet has to be taken out of its natural environment (have it's freedom restricted/ kept in solitary confinement/ etc etc) then it's usually extremely cruel. I'll knock these people as strongly and as much as I like. They disgust me.

If your talking about keeping wild pets, then I agree. No one should have wild animals as pets, but cats and dogs have been domesticated, and it's in their best interest. If these animals were set free they would be left on their own to die. Sure some would survive and become feral but they would only cause problems and be hunted down like other animals considered pests in society. Honestly, don't make such blanket statements about something that is far more complicated. These animals have a better quality of life when they are with caring owners. Bella was a starving stray when the Animal Rescue league found her, now she's content and lives a happy life never wondering where her next meal might come.

In fact it's been argued that the best way to protect endangered animals is to have a use for them. Seems horrible, but it's true. Any animal seen valuable whether for food or as a companion has no fear of ever becoming extinct.

You honestly sound like Peta, an organization I despise.

[LEDO]

My cat Satan....



and his semi-feral daughter Litttle Satan...

---

my semi-feral cat Midnight



his daughter Isis



Isis and Little Satan are from the same litter. They have the same mother, but different fathers.

---

This is Azarel, a Hemmingway Cat. He belonged to my redneck neighbors who named him "Tip-Tap" becuase of how he walks. Cats however choose their owners, so he hangs out with me and helps me type and download kitty-porn. All typing errors are his.



Not pictured: Momma Cat (Tabby), Nova (partial Siamese- sister to the other two) , and Goliath (large feral tabby that doesn't let me touch him, although he will come in the house to eat food.)

[Rhizomorph13]

Animals are only good as food. The only reason human find pets cute is because the brain associate them with human babies, becuase they have similar proportions. So the reaction is that we find them cute. That's why dog is cute and not a spider or a crocodile.

So, you've never met anyone who kept rats, spiders, or snakes as pets? I have a friend who adores spiders and has around 30 tarantulas in her home at all times. Some of them won't throw their hairs so she holds those ones and obviously likes them.

I have met such people. But no one can claim that they are cute, can you? That what it was all about.

I prefer mammals as pets so I have one cat and two ferrets and it has nothing to do with me thinking of them as my babies. I like the companionship and cats and ferrets have epic battles every time I let the ferrets out.

Rhizo

You don't have to think. It's instincts, there's a reason why people find a bunny to be cute and not a mantis for an instant, or a long legged spider, or a snake and so on.

Dude, my point was that my friend DOES find here spiders cute. She gets all silly and coos at them, it is weird. In a normal distribution of people she is an outlier in more ways than one. She despises babies, and loves spiders.

I simply disagree with you on the child thing but have fun holding on to that idea. Speaking in absolutes is NEVER a good idea. Statements that begin this way, "The only reason..." are usually false. The universe is not black and white but a whole spectrum of colors.

I love my pets but relate to them very differently than I would a human child so add that to your sampling of the human population and let it guide you to a new way of thinking. It is only one data point and qualitative in nature but could be considered valid.

Rhizo

[Rockthatpiano06]

Love all your pets

This is my aunts cat Angel sitting on top of my final paper, haha:


My dog Blanche and Angel. My dog's a golden doodle:


My cat Gracie and Blanche:

[Edwardo Piet]

Statements that begin this way, "The only reason..." are usually false. The universe is not black and white but a whole spectrum of colors.

Wise words their Rhizo (and the spectrum part I find actually quite pathetic...nice way to look at it)...

However...

Speaking in absolutes is NEVER a good idea.

Are you sure you should necessarily be absolute about this?? Wouldn't that be a bad idea? Or have you 'somehow found an exception'? I mean...never?...Are you...absolutely sure?

EvF

[fr0d0]

If your talking about keeping wild pets, then I agree. No one should have wild animals as pets, but cats and dogs have been domesticated, and it's in their best interest. If these animals were set free they would be left on their own to die. Sure some would survive and become feral but they would only cause problems and be hunted down like other animals considered pests in society. Honestly, don't make such blanket statements about something that is far more complicated. These animals have a better quality of life when they are with caring owners. Bella was a starving stray when the Animal Rescue league found her, now she's content and lives a happy life never wondering where her next meal might come.

In fact it's been argued that the best way to protect endangered animals is to have a use for them. Seems horrible, but it's true. Any animal seen valuable whether for food or as a companion has no fear of ever becoming extinct.

You honestly sound like Peta, an organization I despise.

Well domesticated pets are a perversion of nature born out of people's cruelty. I agree many wouldn't survive in a natural setting because they have no place in it. This disgusts me more than wants me to justify prolonged abuse. Just like it's probably be harmful to try to introduce a ferral child back into mainstream humanity.

Don't support the prolonged abuse of animals in the first place if you're truly an animal lover.

[Dotard]

Frodo,

What's the better choice? Keep an animal fed, cared for and breeding controlled or allow them to roam the streets breeding, tearing things up and becoming a human health hazard and 'round them up every once in awhile for gassing/burning?