What Cat Topic Makes YOU Angry?

So, what cat topic makes YOU angry? As I make my way in the internet world, I find different topics set people off. Cat people are often portrayed as one step away from being insane, or docile beyond belief. Neither stereotype covers the broad range of emotions a cat lover must face in the real world. We are a planet filled with both love and hate toward felines. Today I’d like to tell the readers what makes me most angry, and I hope you’ll comment at the end and do the same.

First of all, it may come as a surprise to many of you that I need anger to be a writer. The wheels inside my head won’t turn when I’m in a calm state of mind. I have mild PTSD, which can be controlled with medication. But the medication takes away my ability to write. Two doses, and I’m out of commission for a week. So I deal with my condition, and write. Sometimes for hours and hours, depending on what’s needed for the day. The angrier I become when reading about cat injustice, the better my writing.

I’d have to say animal shelters are what set me off most often. I used to follow the Manhattan and Brooklyn area shelters, but I can’t even ‘visit’ those Facebook pages anymore. Those shelters used to kill cats, knowing a rescue plan was in the works. Notice I use the word ‘kill’ instead of ‘euthanasia.’ I feel when shelters end the life of a healthy cat, it’s murder. Shelters make me extremely angry when they kill cats who are too small, too young, mildly ill, too old, too much trouble or because the cat has been at the shelter for too long. I go into a rage when I learn cats are killed when the shelter still had room to keep them.

Animal shelters also rouse my temper when they lie, usually about one or more of the reasons I’ve already listed. I tend to explode when I don’t know whether I’m told the truth. Did the cat get vaccinated on intake? Was that sick cat killed because he truly was sick, or because no on wanted to take the time to give him a dose of antibiotics twice a day. And my favorite – WHY didn’t the shelter warn those in rescue an animal had been housed in a room full of panleuk or parvo. I have a friend in rescue right now who’s dealing with a surprise parvo pup.

I believe anger is healthy, to a certain extent, in helping cats. If nothing upset us, change would never come. Kill shelters wouldn’t go no-kill because no one would care. The number of cats being declawed would rise because no one would be mad enough to stand up and tell cat owners the physical and emotion damage declawing may do to their cat. I could go on and on. I can tell you one thing that may make you angry, but I consider entertainment. His name is Woody Woodsman. Woody never makes me angry, because he enforces everything I’ve written about people who will harm cats.

Hi Woody! What makes YOU angry, Woody? This wee little man amuses me. I love toying with him like a mouse. He spouts such garbage, most of it with absolutely no proof. He’s a troll, but he’s not alone out there. I also deal with a dog topic troll. I like to slap him around as like wounded mouse. I love a good argument with those who spout nonsense. It probably makes Woody angry when he realizes his potty mouth doesn’t affect me.

What cat topic sets you off? Is it declawing, animal testing, shelter vaccination policies, cats being blamed for the destruction of wildlife? Now do you understand why I believe anger is good, when used productively? Emotions are capable of bringing about change, if used productively. Readers, please leave a comment on what cat topic sets you off.

Elisa