Some cats that are trapped and neutered are not returned to whence they came. They are adopted because they are deemed “too nice to return to the great outdoors”. But what does that mean? And is the world of cat rescue democratic or republican, liberal or conservative? What are the politics of cat rescue? The politics should be total democratic with the motto that All Cats Are Equal. In fact I’d prefer if we focused on picking up and putting together the cats that need the most help and who are the least desirable. These are the cats that are “too horrible to adopt”.
Obviously, we have to be practical and realistic. Cat charities probably don’t have the time to domesticate and socialise cats that have been unsocialised because they have lived away from humans for too long.
However, I don’t want to believe that cat rescue organisations select stray and semi-feral cats for adoption solely on appearance and a placid personality. I think this is wrong, undemocratic and unfair.
If a stray cat is neutered and looks dirty, mangy, is about 10 years old and is defensive, I sense he has no chance of being selected for adoption.
But shouldn’t we give cats like this a chance – just once in a while? In a decent society people look after the weak and vulnerable, people. The better they are looked after the better the society is. It is a measure of the quality of the society.
However, in the world of cats, there appears to be a less well developed attitude towards the weak, the vulnerable and the less desirable.
For every beautiful stray cat luckily picked out for re-homing and a better life, there should be one who is ugly and unwanted who is also picked out. Then we can say we have a decent society amongst all cat rescue organizations and individuals.
I am sure this happens but I am not sure it happens enough. The typical cat rescue center tends to pander to the consumerist approach of people who come to adopt a rescue cat. Too many scared cats who are justifiably scared and defensively aggressive are shovelled off to the back room, never to be seen again.
I’d like to think that sometimes, somewhere, the scruffy little scared cat with the unattractive coat has had his chance to have fun in the sun. To be loved and to know what it feels like to be loved.
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An organization like CP would be a breath of fresh air here.
That orange tabby is adorable.
This is a hard subject for me, because I always have a choice as to whether a cat should stay in a colony or not, regardless of the powers to be.
As Ruth AKA says, it is almost always best for adult ferals to stay in the environment that they know. That doesn’t mean that they are “less than”. It just means that they have a different lifestyle than domesticated.
As I talked about before, I didn’t return Dreama’s 4 brothers to their colony. It wasn’t because they were too nice (they were darling) but because I knew they were workable and had potential for adoption. I couldn’t see the sense of returning them and chancing that they would turn full feral. I don’t like ever going backwards and trying to domesticate a cat that could have been that way from the get-go. Rescue groups are quick to help the pretty, docile, lap cats because that is what the public want.
I’ll take a feisty, spunky cat with attitude any day.
The only cats here returned to the great outdoors after TNR are adult feral cats who it would be cruel to keep confined.
If they are unwanted where they came from they are relocated to a safe place where they are fed and cared for but allowed the freedom they are used to.
All other strays who have been pets are neutered etc and then kept in CP foster care until they are adopted.
I think every stray pet cat deserves another chance and I hope the beauty in the photo got a loving forever home.
Thanks Ruth. Do you believe all stray cats that are reasonably socialised should have an equal chance of being adopted and loved? I think all decent people believe that but it does not happen. There is too much selection based on treating cats as objects.
Yes I do believe that Michael but sadly it doesn’t always happen. The good thing about Cats Protection is that all cats no matter what age or colour or temperament, are set up equally with neutering, vaccinations, microchip, any veterinary treatment they need, to give each and every one a good start for when they are adopted.
I think the USA could do with a Cats Protection organisation there.
Absolutely yes. If an organisation can treat all cats the same then in that one step they are doing great things. Adopters should also treat all cats the same. I know I am looking at a kind of utopia but we have to aim high.
I think the problem is we don’t have enough people to adopt all the socialized cats that need homes. It’s sad but some are going to be left out. When people are choosing they might choose based on looks or whatever, but either way some poor little cat is going to be left unadopted. You know what is really, really sad is when there are people that WANT to adopt a cat but they can’t because of restrictions where they live. That still would not be enough homes for everyone but it would be a step in the right direction
Agreed and it is sad. However, I’d like the ones to be left out to not always be black old cats. I’d like the bias to be taken out of the equation.
I am for cat communism 😉