All cats should be treated equally, including cats that suffer from congenital anomalies (disorders or deformities). If a pedigree cat has a congenital facial deformity that makes him or her ugly she is probably killed at birth, or chucked out, if she is a moggie. If a cat is deformed and, by chance, the deformity makes her look cute she becomes famous and her owners make some dough: Lil Bub or Grumpy Cat. There is a very fine difference between cute deformity and ugly deformity. Is it right and fair that people should treat cats with deformities in such an unequal way?
Deformed ugly: euthanise. Deformed cute: internet stardom
This picture describes what I am writing about. Lil Bub has short legs (dwarf), extra toes (polydactyl) and no teeth, which is why her tongue flops out all the time. There also seems to be a slight anomaly in the muzzle area.
Well, we don’t treat deformed humans in this way, today (except occasionally on YouTube). Although it was acceptable a long time ago. We have moved on, developed, but not in relation to cats.
You don’t see a cute deformed human paraded in front of the media so that a relative can make some money. Obviously we think companion cats are creatures that don’t qualify for the same rights and protection as people.
I suppose that is totally obvious to 99% of the world’s population but is it fair and proper? Should the cat in the picture (bottom right) with the misaligned jaw (an overbred Exotic Shorthair, by the look of it) be cared for to the same level as Lil Bub? Are they unequal because one is by chance cute and the other is by chance ugly, while both have congenital disorders?
This is where I have difficulty with celebrity cats such as Lil Bub and Grumpy Cat. Both cute deformed cats and ugly deformed cats are treated equally incorrectly. The former are celebrated and become famous and make money for their owner, which I don’t like, while the latter are discarded and/or laughed at as ugly.
I know a lot of people vehemently disagree with me, which I completely accept. However, I am convinced that in a better world, all cats would be treated equally and with respect. Both deformed ugly and deformed cute would be in loving homes with no media attention, which is the way it was before the internet age. Today, this is an unattainable ideal but it is something we should aspire too. On that basis the current state of affairs is wrong. It is biased, unfair and mildly exploitative.
I agree with you Micheal,no one has the right to profit from an animal’s deformity and yes all cats are beautiful to me too.
Some of my rescue cats are not “cute enough” to have been kept by their previous owners,well it’s their loss that they only see what’s on the surface.
My God someone has surely rattled Dale’s cage today and he’s full of belligerance looking for articles on which to spill his bitterness.
We know full well a rat’s life is as important as any other life Dale and that’s why we are totally anti vivisection and if you aren’t also then you are a hypocrite.