Cats Are Not In The Food Chain

Cats Are Not In The Food Chain

A person said on the radio that as cats are not in the food chain they are of no use to people and can be killed. A number of others agreed. What he meant was that if animals are not serving people (in the form of food) then they are no use. To people like me this mentality is unfathomable. But it is not that uncommon. Where does it come from?

Many humans are disconnected from nature to a large extent. A substantial percentage of people think that the planet is theirs and that nature is there to serve the human. Some believe that God created the earth as described in the Bible. Some disbelieve the theory of evolution. Fair enough, each person can believe what they like as long as it doesn’t cause pain to others including other animals. These people are disconnected from nature and in being so, they lack empathy with other animals and often the landscape too (witness rampant deforestation in Asia for example – causing the loss of many wild cats incidentally).

It is a disconnect that says that all creatures other than humans are here on earth to support and feed humans. It is a disconnect that disconnects actions of humans with the pain and suffering that some cause to cats. I am thinking of cat cruelty and recklessness towards to the keeping of cats. I am thinking of an attitude to cat keeping that is not sympathetic towards the cat.

It takes an emotional disconnect from the pain caused and moral wrong of these sorts of activities to be able to do them. Animal cruelty is another example. For some, hurting a cat is unthinkable because they can feel the pain that the cat will feel when it is hurt (or declawed for example). This empathy is a barrier to carrying out these acts.

But if the person thinks that the human is king on earth and the other animals are “just” animals and cats are “only cats” then it becomes really quite easy to kill cats and hurt cats. The perpetrators are disconnected from the consequences. When people hurt other people without feeling or relating to the consequences they are called sociopaths. I think people who have no feeling for the consequences of hurting cats are similar and that it comes from an arrogance supported by an ignorance that all animals are so much lesser that humans that they can do as they please with them. There are laws against animal cruelty even in some third world countries but enforcement is the big weakness.

This means that these people who are disconnected from their actions in relation to animals are never or rarely punished and the situation never corrected.

I prefer to think that we are all here on a more or less equal footing and that we should seek ways to share the planet harmoniously and in balance. High minded stuff but it is the only way in the long run.

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Cats Are Not In The Food Chain

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Sep 11, 2009
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Earth was meant to be shared
by: Ruth

It is most definitely people who over populate this Earth and take the land and the food which belonged to animals.If people hadn’t started interfering with the habitats of creatures in the first place there wouldn’t be a problem.
Let’s face it, most hunters enjoy the thrill of the chase and the feeling of power over terrified helpless creatures. How many people hunt to survive ? And what about the animals, birds and fish especially bred to satisfy the blood lust of these people ? They call it ‘The Glorious Twelfth’ here on the 12th August when the grouse shooting season begins, yes glorious, beating birds from their dwelling places on moors especially adapted for these doomed birds to breed,so they fly up into the sky to be shot by people who think it is wonderful to score a hit and send a dead or wounded bird to the ground for a dog to retrieve. How many birds die in agony ? And sometimes one of these ‘wonderful shooters’ will even put a bird out of its misery by beating it with a stick ! Are these birds to feed someone ? No,many of them are thrown away like a bit of old rubbish.
Why can’t some people understand we are all the same creatures in different forms? We are born, we live our one life, then we die.Every creature has the right to live its life,we have no right to take that life just for ‘fun’
The selfishness and cruelty of the human race will finish this planet off one day !
It could have been so different ……


Sep 11, 2009
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by: Anonymous

I agree Jeff, but some of the overpopulation problems of animals is due to a lack of habitat which in turn is due to overpopulation of the human species encroaching on the ranges of other animals. The human is the most populous species and the species with the most destructive activities by far.

And I personally can’t see a person who kills animals also being a conservationist.


Sep 10, 2009
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I am also a cat afficianado(at least where mine are concerned)
by: Jeff Isenhart

I agree wholeheartedly,but to a certain extent. If you have ever seen the dead emaciated body of a deer that starved due to hunger because of overpopulation of a habitat area,or fox from mange or other overpopulation problems,then you would see the necessity of hunting. Many of the Outdoorsmen I associate with are deeply spiritual towards the creator and don’t just hunt or fish to kill wild animals. They donate deep from their pocketbooks to buy land for wildlife habitation,conservancy,or make feed plots on their own property. As in any species, especially human their are the unscrupulous,tainted and just plain evil who see nothing but material gain from exploiting the Earth mother for monetary or material gain. They tend to be banks,developers,or other corporations with unlimited budgets or pockets. They are the ones we must continually be on guard about. Not the Sportsman or survivalist who draws spiritual,physical,recreational sustenance from the Earth Mother.


Sep 05, 2009
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It is absolutely wrong..
by: Barbara


for humankind to assume the power of life and death over animals. We have the hunters, the scientists, the fishermen, the bullfighters, the factory farms, battery hens, zoos, circuses, rodeos, dog fighting, badger baiting, all of them using animals who have no voice, no defence and no escape, in cruel ways and in selfish ways. It sickens me the glib way people discuss what cuts of meat they are going to buy and eat, how they are going to cook them, how much they have enjoyed them, I want to scream that is not a cut of meat that is part of an animal who had as much right to live as you or I. Animals can teach us all so much, but not everyone is willing to listen to them, it’s far easier to kill them.


Sep 05, 2009
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Totally Agree
by: Michael

Jeff, I totally agree with you. You couldn’t say better. There are many millions perhaps billions of people like us but at the moment there are more who don’t even consider this! They just behave on instinct. That is why the planet is a mess.


Sep 04, 2009
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food chain
by: Jeff Isenhart

This attitude of mans right to dominate the earth is a Euro-centric christian ideal, that was not prevalent before the middle ages and catholic domination of the masses. To protect our Mother earth,and all plants and animals that the great spirit put upon for sustenance,comradeship and just plain as fellow forms of life,we must return to a Nature based spirituality akin to the celts, Native Americans and yes the early Christians. Mother earth is not for exploitation or dominance,but for exploration and nurturing.


Sep 04, 2009
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THANK YOU
by: Ruth

Michael, thank you very much, that’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me for a long time and do you know what, it’s come just at the right time as some really depressing things are happening to cats. We’ve failed 2 cats which will now be declawed as the asker took the word of some other person who has his own 2 cats booked in for declawing, he called us ‘nuts who have no friends and that’s why we care about cats’ That doesn’t bother me, I’ve been called worse, but the thought of 4 more cats being mutilated does bother me very much !
You’ve given me the strength and will to go on !
I’m trying to think of the 56 cats we have saved and the many we WILL save in the future.


Sep 03, 2009
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We are on the wrong planet
by: Michael (PoC Admin)

Ruth, you are a beautiful person, who is too good for this planet. And it is not you who is barking mad but all the bl**dy DPs.


Sep 03, 2009
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More thoughts
by: Ruth

In my opinion, the trouble with is that they see cats in the plural, we see every single cat as an individual and feel for each one. They are not ‘one clump of cats’ they are just like us, individual, each one different to the next one,each one with his/her own emotions and pain.
I say cats but I reckon DPs feel the same about all species of animals.


See Declawing Disconnect for a definition of DP and CP!


There does seem to be too many DPs, they outnumber CPs by far, maybe if we each try to convert only one DP and they convert another, things would improve eventually. But instead, the world is going downhill fast as people want more for themselves!

I used to get looked at as if I was barking mad when I said I was vegetarian. I just converted 8 years ago, all my life I said I loved animals and I fought for animal rights (peacefully) then I realise what a hypocrite I was, I couldn’t love animals or I wouldn’t eat them. I’ve not used anything tested on animals or worn any clothes, shoes etc made from animals, for over 40 years, yet I ate their flesh.

I think enlightenment comes to a person suddenly. But now there are more vegetarian meals in supermarkets, pubs and cafes etc, so there must be more vegetarians making their needs heard. I look back now and think how could I have eaten animals, birds, AND fish !!!It now feels like I was eating my fellow beings.

I’ve found that CPs who love animals and do what they can to help them, want to help other people and the environment too. Do you find that? The DPs say why waste time and effort on animals when there are so many people in need ? They can’t understand we CPS can and do care about more than one thing !

To tell you the truth, I sometimes feel I’m on the wrong planet !!!


Sep 02, 2009
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Love what you say
by: Michael

I love what you ladies say. I totally agree but how many of us are there? I feel that there are two many of “them”. The DPs (disconnected people). These are the people destroying nature and the planet including our beloved cats both domestic and wild. The plight of the small wild cats is forgotten. Some of these cats are like our domestic cats. One the Andean cat (incredibly sweet looking cat) almost walks up to people and the locals kill it to wear its fur for superstitious reasons. I swear the world is barmy.


Sep 02, 2009
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Kathy I agree
by: Ruth

I believe that too Kathy, that all animals are our brothers and sisters, just in different forms, although I don’t have Native American ancestors like you, mine were all English back to the 1600s.
This world was supposed to be shared peacefully by all of us,but it all went wrong and it’s very sad. There is space enough for every species but it’s our species who are ruining it and who will be the death of it.


Sep 02, 2009
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my sentiments
by: kathy

I too feel exactly this way, especially when it comes even too hunting. There are animals suffering in those factory farms to give their lives so we can eat, I find it hard to believe that humans today still try to find justification for hunting. This is a constant disagreement with me and my boyfriend. I have read Animal Speak by Ted Williams and as he puts it “What would you rather see, a deer in the wild or a picture of a deer in the wild.” Cats have always been the victim of cruel acts from witchcraft to being set on fire. All animals have feelings and emotions, even those factory farm animal. Humans have so disconnected from nature it is pathetic. I follow my ancestors Native American teachings, that all animals are our brothers and sisters.


Aug 27, 2009
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The arrogance of mankind
by: Michele S.

How arrogant for some humans to think that every other living creature or plant on this planet, is here to serve them. Animals were not just put on this planet to serve as food for us, they all have their valuable role in our eco system. We all share this planet, but it is only mankind who is responsible for the extinction of other species.

Those who have no compassion for animals, have no soul.


Aug 27, 2009
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People are useless, not cats
by: Ruth

I often think that there are 2 different species of the human race, those born with a conscience and those born without one ! When someone hurts an animal it hurts me too on their behalf.I suffered very much working as a vet nurse yet I felt I had to be there to do what I could to help suffering animals.

How can anyone say cats are useles as they are not part of the food chain ? We humans are the ones who are useless, we don’t sustain anything,we ruin everything in fact,eventually we will ruin the environment completely with our greed and selfishness for more more more. Animals were here first and in the natural order of things, the world carried on, cats ate rodents and birds, birds ate insects and so forth, each had a purpose to even out the population. Then we come along and we think we own and can master every creature, animal, bird, fish etc.

Cats are far more use than we are, they still control the rodent and bird population !That’s the ones who aren’t imprisoned for life of course as it’s ‘safer’ or who aren’t mutilated by declawing and forced to live an unatural life as a pretty ornament !

We use and abuse creatures in every way we want to,we slaughter them for food we don’t need, what is wrong with being vegetarian ? We use their skins and fur, even in the days of plenty of synthetic materials ! We use them in experiments with the excuse it advances the world for our benefit.Scientists say animals are like us and we are more important so we need to test drugs etc on them,then they turn around and contradict themselves by saying they don’t feel pain as we do !! Are they like us or are they not ? What is wrong with using technology now to replace animal experiments ? Dr Hadwen Trust and Quest can do so …oh but animals are cheap and easy to get hold of. The government pours money into animal research,non animal research places have to rely on donations and fund raising support.
I am ashamed to be part of the human race !!


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