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Humane Education
Responsible Pet Ownership
Property vs. Family
Kittens are adorable, aren't they? Even the hardest heart will soften at the sight of soft, cuddly balls of fur. But kittens grow up all too soon, and unless their human guardians educate themselves in the proper care and training of their feline companions, they may become cats with unpopular habits, such as soiling antique rugs and scratching your new leather recliner.
At times like these, without their protective cloaks of cuteness, cats may be looked on by some people as "disposable goods," and thus the line is drawn between cat owners and cat lovers.
The shelters are full of them, these throwaway cats and dogs, whose only crimes were having the misfortune of being the pets of people who considered them "property" rather than "family."
This tendency is a product born of a societal attitude ingrained over several generations, from times when pets were valued only for their contribution to the family unit. Dogs were valued as sheep and cattle herders, hunting companions, or to guard the homestead. Cats, on the other hand were regarded as "mousers," and every farm had its barn cats for that purpose, proliferated generation after generation, with the reward for their toils consisting of an occasional saucer of milk, along with as many mice as they could catch. No one thought too much about the death of a barn cat - there were always plenty more to take their place. And die, they did, from disease, predators, or infections from untreated wounds.
Times Have Changed!
As society changed and more and more people moved away from the farm, many brought a cat or two along for company. Sadly though, because of the continued failure of many irresponsible people to spay and neuter their pet cats, we are burdened with a cat overpopulation problem.
What Can You Do?
Educate! Spread the word about the importance of spaying and neutering your pets. Be a voice for the animals. Tell people it's not okay to dump their unwanted cats in the country. It's not okay to allow their pets to breed just so they can save a few bucks on the spay/neuter cost by dumping the unwanted offspring at a shelter or the side of the road! Their ignorance costs YOU money! and it costs animals their lives.
Thank you for being a voice for the animals!
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About Feral Cats
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If You Die, Will They?
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