I forgot to add that my two male twin tuxedo cats were adopted from a shelter. I've always had Persian cats, and when they were gone, someone told me to check out the shelter before buying another kitten. It turned out to be some of the best advice I ever received. Jack and Daniel are two of the smartest and most precious guys I've ever had the privilege to live with.
16
I've had dogs, cats, birds, etc. I love all animals, but the cat is by far, in my estimation, the most intelligent creature. As with all animals, a cat reflects all the love and effort you put into his or her upbringing. My two cats greet me at the door when I come home (just like a dog would do) and come to me when I call them. I have also noticed that most men have an irrational suspicion towards cats until they actually have one; then they fall in love just as hard as us ladies do.
17
I AM A PROUD CAT LADY - and I'm older than a 20-something and I'm extremely fortunate. My 2 girls have followed several others and I'd have a house full of 'em if space and life allowed. No, it doesn't have to be only cats - I'd be happy to have dogs, hens, pigs, birds, etc., but currently my 2 gorgeous kitties make life richer, warm my heart, make me laugh, remind me how loved I am. And, while I'm glad Taylor Swift has popularized the notion - one does NOT have to buy a cat to get a wonderful feline family member. There are thousands of 'em in every shelter across the city, country & globe and they ALL make wonderful, unique companions.
15
I've had dogs, cats, birds, etc. I love all animals, but the cat is by far, in my estimation, the most intelligent creature. As with all animals, a cat reflects all the love and effort you put into his or her upbringing. My two cats greet me at the door when I come home (just like a dog would do) and come to me when I call them. I have also noticed that most men have an irrational suspicion towards cats until they actually have one; then they fall in love just as hard as us ladies do.
6
I'll believe full equality has arrived when L.L. Bean finally advertises cat beds as well as dog beds.
12
my wife feared and loathed dogs, so even though I grew up with dogs, I was forced to accept cats or nothing. 20 plus years later neither my wife nor my kids would dispute that I am our 4 cats favorite, including an older male that comes when I call him and will follow me around outside like a dog. I guess they aren't so bad...
8
"11 percent of cats live with single women but only 2 percent live with single men"
So almost 6 times more cats live with single women compared to single men, and you're trying to tell us that the image of the lonely cat lady is a "stereotype". Interesting. I've got nothing against cats, in fact i would love to get one, but don't pretend there aren't psychological issues at play (misplaced maternal energies towards cats rather than human children, for example)
So almost 6 times more cats live with single women compared to single men, and you're trying to tell us that the image of the lonely cat lady is a "stereotype". Interesting. I've got nothing against cats, in fact i would love to get one, but don't pretend there aren't psychological issues at play (misplaced maternal energies towards cats rather than human children, for example)
3
I'm a man and I love my cats. I have much less affinity for dogs on every front. The descriptions presented by Baird are extremely dated, especially for the young: millennials would not be inclined to think that cats = spinsters. Or cats = a life spent alone. They probably have no idea what a spinster even is conceptually.
There's also a strange rhetorical circle in this article. It starts by saying, "stop depicting cats as a companions for lonely hopeless women" and then ends using quotes by celebrities indicating they don't need men and would be better off with cats who reflect one's independence. Something vaguely defensive and unnecessary here.
And I concur with those here who don't find their cats indifferent. My cats are loving and attached to their owners. Though I believe it is they who own us.
There's also a strange rhetorical circle in this article. It starts by saying, "stop depicting cats as a companions for lonely hopeless women" and then ends using quotes by celebrities indicating they don't need men and would be better off with cats who reflect one's independence. Something vaguely defensive and unnecessary here.
And I concur with those here who don't find their cats indifferent. My cats are loving and attached to their owners. Though I believe it is they who own us.
18
The crazy cat lady theme is firmly established in fact. Every year in many if not all larger communities municipalities are forced to intervene and send animal control officials into private homes in order to stop the cruelty, filth, illness, and death perpetuated by crazy cat ladies and crazy cat men though it is usually women.
This from the column reveals just how off center the authors premiss is.
"We seem unable to contemplate the thought of a woman enjoying the sweet company of a cat, without assuming it is a hallmark of a sad single existence."
Obviously not true, and when did the Urban Dictionary become an authority on anything. Unfortunately here in Oregon we have real animal hoarder tragedies all to often. These people are mentally ill and that is what needs to be addressed along with spay and neutering. In the local news yesterday we read/heard that the not very populous City of Springfield Oregon has ten thousand homeless cats. So we know there are a lot of if not crazy then very irresponsible people in our communities. Regarding this column and many others I feel compelled to complain about the caliber and editorial control of Times columnist as in my eyes it is degrading rapidly. Did anyone else read the ludicrous column focused on the slang use of the word flawless equating pop music figures Beyonce and Rhiannon with feminism?
This from the column reveals just how off center the authors premiss is.
"We seem unable to contemplate the thought of a woman enjoying the sweet company of a cat, without assuming it is a hallmark of a sad single existence."
Obviously not true, and when did the Urban Dictionary become an authority on anything. Unfortunately here in Oregon we have real animal hoarder tragedies all to often. These people are mentally ill and that is what needs to be addressed along with spay and neutering. In the local news yesterday we read/heard that the not very populous City of Springfield Oregon has ten thousand homeless cats. So we know there are a lot of if not crazy then very irresponsible people in our communities. Regarding this column and many others I feel compelled to complain about the caliber and editorial control of Times columnist as in my eyes it is degrading rapidly. Did anyone else read the ludicrous column focused on the slang use of the word flawless equating pop music figures Beyonce and Rhiannon with feminism?
3
Count me another "cat man," although I acquired my love of cats at an early age from my mom, the neighborhood cat lady. After my brother died as an infant, my family's many cats helped us function emotionally. Nowadays, in my late 50's, I spend much of each day taking care of a ten year old cat I found as a scrawny little kitten out in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes, when she's camped on my chest, and I have to pet her with one hand while typing on the computer with the other, I try to explain that I have work to do. Have you ever tried to reason with someone who's purring? Her little, furry, buzzing head is just not in the game. So, I'm a little less productive, but she heals my wounded heart, so it all works out.
35
At least cats don't disturb the neighbors. My next door's neighbor's dog idiotically barks at anything that walks by. I am trying to rationalize the fact that a maybe $25 dog is ruining my life experience in a half million dollar house.
12
"I am trying to rationalize the fact that a maybe $25 dog is ruining my life experience in a half million dollar house"
Well at least the said pooch acts as a warning when someone is around your $500,000 house. You should count your blessings, that idiotic hound may not just protect your property, but possibly your life as well.
Well at least the said pooch acts as a warning when someone is around your $500,000 house. You should count your blessings, that idiotic hound may not just protect your property, but possibly your life as well.
9
Dogs >>>>> Cats. Enough said.
1
Some of the best laughs I've shared are at the antics of cats. If you love them, they love you more. They are also a dependable barometer on who to trust. They have excellent memory too as amply demonstrated one summer when I was gone for 3 months and my Whitman probably thought he'd never see me again. I came into the loft, there he was on the far side resting in an arm chair. He looked up wearily, and it took a second, but when he recognized me, his head lifted up, his demeanor changed, he was really happy to see me.
After 18 years, as he passed, he gave me one last look. I've never forgotten it.
After 18 years, as he passed, he gave me one last look. I've never forgotten it.
22
I am both a cat and dog person and I have had several cats and several dogs in my life.
Now that I live in an apartment and work 60+ hour weeks, it's just unfair to have a dog. I know people who have dogs and never walk them and leave them cooped up in their tiny apartments - which is just wrong.
I currently have a cat and I think cats get an unfair rep. My cat is neither lazy nor indifferent to me - in fact, he is incredibly energetic, plays with me all the time, sleeps in my bed, and follows me around. Adopting my cat was one of the best decisions I've ever made. He is a great companion and nothing is better than coming home after a long day and patting him on the head, and listening to him purr.
Now that I live in an apartment and work 60+ hour weeks, it's just unfair to have a dog. I know people who have dogs and never walk them and leave them cooped up in their tiny apartments - which is just wrong.
I currently have a cat and I think cats get an unfair rep. My cat is neither lazy nor indifferent to me - in fact, he is incredibly energetic, plays with me all the time, sleeps in my bed, and follows me around. Adopting my cat was one of the best decisions I've ever made. He is a great companion and nothing is better than coming home after a long day and patting him on the head, and listening to him purr.
20
I'm one of those 2%ers. With FIVE cats, I guess I'm a Crazy Cat Guy.
In my defence, I inherited the first two from my daughter who was moving from Montreal to Calgary, 2000 miles away. "Oh daddy... I can't take them with me..! (sob)" Ok, ok!
At least she paid for their neutering! So they now live here- a log cabin surrounded by forest.
The next two young toms arrived here as completely feral cats, out of the nearby woods.. Took me all summer to tame them And they probably still are ferals- when visitors show up here, these two cats hide in the basement or disappear back into the forest for an hour or two.
Of course, the first time I was allowed to pick one up, off he went to the vet for the usual snip and shots. At $120+ a job.
Last year a fifth one showed up. A bold creature that will jump into any guest's lap without warning When he first entered my house, I immediately checked under the tail. Thank goodness! He was already neutered!
Anyhow, I promise you- the sixth one gets a .22 to the head! But then, that's what I said about the fifth...
In my defence, I inherited the first two from my daughter who was moving from Montreal to Calgary, 2000 miles away. "Oh daddy... I can't take them with me..! (sob)" Ok, ok!
At least she paid for their neutering! So they now live here- a log cabin surrounded by forest.
The next two young toms arrived here as completely feral cats, out of the nearby woods.. Took me all summer to tame them And they probably still are ferals- when visitors show up here, these two cats hide in the basement or disappear back into the forest for an hour or two.
Of course, the first time I was allowed to pick one up, off he went to the vet for the usual snip and shots. At $120+ a job.
Last year a fifth one showed up. A bold creature that will jump into any guest's lap without warning When he first entered my house, I immediately checked under the tail. Thank goodness! He was already neutered!
Anyhow, I promise you- the sixth one gets a .22 to the head! But then, that's what I said about the fifth...
11
Cat responsibly. Cats are great for people, but they are an invasive species that kills billions of birds and other small animals every year. Bell your cat. Give it a brightly colored collar. Best of all, keep it indoors.
9
Each year, approximately 1.4 million cats and 1.2 million dogs are euthanized in the US, according to the ASPCA.
Don't buy a pet: adopt one. If purebred is what you want, check breed-specific rescue groups. Stand up for all cats: doing so will save a lot from being put to a needless, sad, death.
Don't buy a pet: adopt one. If purebred is what you want, check breed-specific rescue groups. Stand up for all cats: doing so will save a lot from being put to a needless, sad, death.
27
Actually she didn't skewer the stereotype, she totally re affirmed it. What she is saying by her statement is that if she fails to find a man by 30 she will become a hopeless cat lady. She is stating this as a sign of defeat and descent into a weird and lonely lifestyle. Its odd hat you see her words as some sort of redemption, I think it shows how far gone you are.
4
Look up the word "irony," Downtown!
10
Taylor Swift's comments are meant to be tongue in cheek about how society portrays and defines women. There's too much pressure on women in the U.S. to find a man or get married and if a woman "fails" to do so (particularly by a certain age), then she is judged by others to be weird, lonely, or somehow unattractive or unworthy. Obviously, Taylor is a beautiful, talented, independent and successful woman all on her own. Her point is, she doesn't need a man to be happy or define her or be complete, etc. as society and the media often portray.
She's made similar comments publicly in the past and I for one applaud her for being a positive role model for women and young adults today.
She's made similar comments publicly in the past and I for one applaud her for being a positive role model for women and young adults today.
15
Just one addition to Winston and Hemingway, James Dean. Elizabeth Taylor gifted him a Siamese cat. He named named the cat Marcus after his uncle.
3
With the terrible cat population explosion, it's unpardonable to buy cats, as Ms. Swift apparently does. As I middle-aged lady who has always had dogs and only recently acquired five cats, I need to state that I am a cat lady because You (the public) abandons cats, throws them out when you go on vacation, doesn't spay/neuter them, and leaves them outside to starve (and kill songbirds) so that the few people like me see a starving creature and take them in. They are wonderful pets, but I would prefer to have fewer. So please stop your cruel treatment, start acting responsibly, and I will resume my household of dogs and a cat or two.
23
My Ginger Cat Samson sits in my lap as often as possible. He and I enjoy our company together. I am a very fortunate man to have him, Daisy and Delilah as companions for my wife and me. In 55 years of marriage, we have enjoyed these graceful and loving animals.
10
Dictators can't abide independence. If it's true that both Hitler and Napolean hated cats, (as I read somewhere) that figures!
7
Last I heard, this year, the Aussies were contemplating mass extirpation of cats. This would be nicely in line with their tradition of screwing around with wildlife problems largely created by prior human experiments. Maybe Americans could adopt excess cane toads to help things in Oz. Or dingoes, or bunnies.....
You may be thinking of New Zealand, actually.
3
Women and cats, men and beer what's the problem?
3
I'm a man who loves one woman, three cats, and beer. Truly this is the best of all possible worlds.
27
The advantage to cats is that they are simply smarter and more independent than dogs--- both traits which we admire in humans.
7
I have always admired cats for their aloof indifference alternating with need for attention, but I must share a cat story an elderly patient of mine just shared with me. And I think it illustrates that what is important is not the cat's personality so much as what it reveals in us.
My patient, an 80 year old woman, told me that her husband of 20 years had told her of his dislike of cats since they had been married. One day a ragdoll cat with thick matted hair appeared on their doorstep. He told her not to feed it or encourage it to stay, for he was also 'allergic' to cats. Nevertheless she did put milk out for it, and the cat kept it's hopes up for sanctuary.
One very cold winter evening the cat was meowing on the doorstep, and her husband relented to let the cat come in just to warm up. The hair was so thick, they didn't know if it was a boy or girl, so they just called it Buddy. And immediately the cat became the constant companion of the man, always staying near. Once, his children from a previous marriage came to visit and were shocked to see the cat. "But he hates cats!" they said. To which the wife replied, "Not anymore".
Sometime later, the man developed cancer, and while on his deathbed his wife asked if there was anything he wanted. Although, barely able to speak and perhaps semiconscious, all he said was "Buuuuuuddy".
All animals have a purpose, but the ones closest to us, cats and dogs are our friends for what they can do for our hearts.
My patient, an 80 year old woman, told me that her husband of 20 years had told her of his dislike of cats since they had been married. One day a ragdoll cat with thick matted hair appeared on their doorstep. He told her not to feed it or encourage it to stay, for he was also 'allergic' to cats. Nevertheless she did put milk out for it, and the cat kept it's hopes up for sanctuary.
One very cold winter evening the cat was meowing on the doorstep, and her husband relented to let the cat come in just to warm up. The hair was so thick, they didn't know if it was a boy or girl, so they just called it Buddy. And immediately the cat became the constant companion of the man, always staying near. Once, his children from a previous marriage came to visit and were shocked to see the cat. "But he hates cats!" they said. To which the wife replied, "Not anymore".
Sometime later, the man developed cancer, and while on his deathbed his wife asked if there was anything he wanted. Although, barely able to speak and perhaps semiconscious, all he said was "Buuuuuuddy".
All animals have a purpose, but the ones closest to us, cats and dogs are our friends for what they can do for our hearts.
25
Huffington Post has an article listing some of the problems with cats, including the problem with the toxoplasma gondii parasite. As a bonus, there are cute cat videos and photos, as well as an un-cute photo of a wet cat, face-on.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/cats-facts-jerks_n_4520552.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/cats-facts-jerks_n_4520552.html
1
I swear my family's cats understood English.
One time, while getting ready for our summer weekend trips to LI, my mother was going up and down the stairs to get things ready for the trip. She must have gone down at least 8 or 9 times. I was downstairs and Whiskers was on sitting on the couch. My mom was almost down at the last stair on the 10th trip when I mentioned (in a normal voice) to Wiskers that "guess who was coming to get there?" Well my mother got downstairs and said "where's the cat?'
I still can't explain why Whiskers knew THAT trip was the one where she was being collected to go in the car and then at that point, she disappeared, unless she knew English.
I grew up with cats but now have a dog. My cats were wonderful, smart, had unique personalities and loved us unconditionally. You can't ask for more. And they're great bed warmers on cold nights.
One time, while getting ready for our summer weekend trips to LI, my mother was going up and down the stairs to get things ready for the trip. She must have gone down at least 8 or 9 times. I was downstairs and Whiskers was on sitting on the couch. My mom was almost down at the last stair on the 10th trip when I mentioned (in a normal voice) to Wiskers that "guess who was coming to get there?" Well my mother got downstairs and said "where's the cat?'
I still can't explain why Whiskers knew THAT trip was the one where she was being collected to go in the car and then at that point, she disappeared, unless she knew English.
I grew up with cats but now have a dog. My cats were wonderful, smart, had unique personalities and loved us unconditionally. You can't ask for more. And they're great bed warmers on cold nights.
3
oh, kitties!!!!. they're so cute and snuggly and smart, you can let them out and they use the litter box. i like cats ok, probably dogs more. but these outdoor clawed cats are wreaking cataclysmic havoc on the small animals in the environment, birds, voles, moles, mice, lizards, amphibians etc etc. cats are one of the greatest hunting/killing machines ever designed. so only let your cats outside if they are declawed or have a bell. and don't get toxoplasmosis from them: everyoine knows about problems with pregnant women, but there is also a marked behavioral effect on male humans. cats are ok inside, but not out. anymore than 2/3 and you're a cat hoarder.
Put a bell on your cat if you want to let it out; most can't catch/kill much then!
2
Never, never declaw a cat for any reason. It is very cruel. This practice shoubd ve outlawed because it injures a cat. It would also seriously disadvantage him or her should a stray cat come around.
9
What else can I say but, "Meow to that!"
5
Terrific article - thank you for writing about our independent friends. I've been a cat person all my life and am now the proud friend of one who adopted me 10 years ago when my mom died. It was like he knew I needed him as much as he needed me (he had been abandoned). Cats Rule!
6
This piece is maddeningly typical of how media deals with anything concerning percentages, such as medical or political stories, but, hey, why not pets?
The whole premise here is that there's something notably odd about cat-owning single women, as opposed to single men. The numbers are 11% + 2%, which, where I come from, gives a total of 87% of cat households being the multi-person variety. Imagine ignoring the candidate with an 87% landslide victory in the same way! Typical and infuriating!
As a young Boomer guy I'd heard the various cat (and owner) stereotypes, particularly the 'aloof' & 'cat lady' myths. Upon maturity I came into a kitten & was hooked. By and by I had a number of cat-owning friends. What I found was, with pets & people, you usually get what you put in. Most all cats are affectionate. The old aloofness myth was self-fulfilling. People wanting a pet as decoration will end up with an aloof pet. So in those days such people would follow, and perpetuate, the old 'aloof cat' tale.
By the mid-70's the myth seemed vanquished. Cat food ads. Kliban's silly cats, up to the present internet cat vid craze.. So why is this article even here. Tellingly, one apparently younger commenter wrote The "cat lady" is just a recent stereotype".
The whole premise here is that there's something notably odd about cat-owning single women, as opposed to single men. The numbers are 11% + 2%, which, where I come from, gives a total of 87% of cat households being the multi-person variety. Imagine ignoring the candidate with an 87% landslide victory in the same way! Typical and infuriating!
As a young Boomer guy I'd heard the various cat (and owner) stereotypes, particularly the 'aloof' & 'cat lady' myths. Upon maturity I came into a kitten & was hooked. By and by I had a number of cat-owning friends. What I found was, with pets & people, you usually get what you put in. Most all cats are affectionate. The old aloofness myth was self-fulfilling. People wanting a pet as decoration will end up with an aloof pet. So in those days such people would follow, and perpetuate, the old 'aloof cat' tale.
By the mid-70's the myth seemed vanquished. Cat food ads. Kliban's silly cats, up to the present internet cat vid craze.. So why is this article even here. Tellingly, one apparently younger commenter wrote The "cat lady" is just a recent stereotype".
5
I have to question the claim that "pet owners are more physically fit" as it applies to cat. This seems, on its face at least, to be a clear example of the author taking a benefit of pet ownership that applies specifically to dogs and generalizing it to increase the appeal of cats. I say this because dogs require constant exercise, and walking a dog, even a small one, is probably more regular physical activity than you're average American gets, whereas cats do not need the same service.
Also, as a dog person... who wants an animal that even its strong proponents freely admit "doesn't pretend to like you". Its the old comparison to friends. Take the same set of adjectives and apply them to another human being and everyone would be dog people and hate the cat-type people.
Also, as a dog person... who wants an animal that even its strong proponents freely admit "doesn't pretend to like you". Its the old comparison to friends. Take the same set of adjectives and apply them to another human being and everyone would be dog people and hate the cat-type people.
2
Just a reminder that Sheriff Rooster Cogburn and Captain Jack Aubrey, among many others, were both cat men, as am I. I have adopted three abandoned kittens over the years who were, and are, all great company with unique personalities.
In addition to their company, they have always kept my house free from such pests as tarantulas, scorpions, crickets and rodents. You heard that right, they'll bat a tarantula around until it literally falls apart.
And you can leave them alone, unlike dogs who can't last eight hours without some sort of need to be attended. They can't even drink water without getting it all over the floor. Pathetic!
Remember, too, that when the big one hits, cats will thrive. Dogs? Not so much.
In addition to their company, they have always kept my house free from such pests as tarantulas, scorpions, crickets and rodents. You heard that right, they'll bat a tarantula around until it literally falls apart.
And you can leave them alone, unlike dogs who can't last eight hours without some sort of need to be attended. They can't even drink water without getting it all over the floor. Pathetic!
Remember, too, that when the big one hits, cats will thrive. Dogs? Not so much.
7
Freddie Mercury of Queen was a Cat Man.
2
Interesting you should say---i just got thru reading an hour of one of Patrick Obrians tales of the fictional 19th century English Navy "The Truelove" the part I left off at was Jack Aubrey remarking that "cats and parsons" are unlucky on ships and makes the crew nervous... I know he loves horses? where do you get your information?
1
A boyfriend once gave me an ultimatum: a choice between him or my cat. I immediately chose the cat. He stayed.
27
Giorgio, Marcello, Griselda, Morgana and Titania are the cats that share their life with me. Happy to have them, all of them are rescued street cats and of course, are sterilized.
Yes, men love cats.
Thank you for the article, Eduardo
Yes, men love cats.
Thank you for the article, Eduardo
17
Listen, I've had cats since 1985. Each different; each the love of life. And to those who say they are not affectionate, I just say this--I had one cat who would not leave my side when I collapsed in my apartment and was waiting for the EMS to arrive. And my current cat licks my face when he realizes that my blood sugar gets too low.
I always had dogs growing up, and I fuss all over the "pups" who live in my building. But I wouldn't trade my guy, "Big Loveable Furry Ol' Grover" for any of them!
I always had dogs growing up, and I fuss all over the "pups" who live in my building. But I wouldn't trade my guy, "Big Loveable Furry Ol' Grover" for any of them!
23
I like Taylor Swift and her music. I only wish she was more concerned about what cats are doing to the earth's population of vanishing wildlife species, then she is about being a cat lady.
One may neuter them, but they are still killing machines and remain so until they're off to cat heaven.
One may neuter them, but they are still killing machines and remain so until they're off to cat heaven.
1
I worry what windmills are doing to our vanishing wildlife species too. Unfortunately environmentalists don't care about the hundreds of thousands of birds killed each year by inefficient wind energy
I have no issue with cats... if anything, I encourage people to please stop by their local shelter and adopt one.
BUT... cats have more rights than a homeless person! There is a small (16 space) parking lot at my office. One day a cat showed up. Cute, we all thought and enjoyed having it around. Then someone started feeding it. One became two. Two became four. Eventually we had 20 cats in a 16-space parking lot. A woman came by 3-6 times a day (including weekends and holidays) and left more food out, which attracted rats, raccoons, and more cats. Then there's the issue of 20 cats using a 6'x3' patch of grass/shrubs as a litter box. The smell was vile.
So we called animal control. Stray dog? They'd be right there. Cat infestation? They'd trap it, neuter it, and bring it back to your property. The problem was that we already had far more cats than the property could handle. The city refused to do anything. Contrast this to when we had homeless people using the back of our building as a shelter, which we didn't mind except the trash and excrement they left behind every morning. Called the city and they were there that night to pick up the homeless and take them to a shelter.
Long story short: Finally called a vet friend who agreed to take on the project. Trapped 22 cats. All but 2 had to be put down because of their poor health. She thought the woman feeding them should be charged w/cruelty.
BUT... cats have more rights than a homeless person! There is a small (16 space) parking lot at my office. One day a cat showed up. Cute, we all thought and enjoyed having it around. Then someone started feeding it. One became two. Two became four. Eventually we had 20 cats in a 16-space parking lot. A woman came by 3-6 times a day (including weekends and holidays) and left more food out, which attracted rats, raccoons, and more cats. Then there's the issue of 20 cats using a 6'x3' patch of grass/shrubs as a litter box. The smell was vile.
So we called animal control. Stray dog? They'd be right there. Cat infestation? They'd trap it, neuter it, and bring it back to your property. The problem was that we already had far more cats than the property could handle. The city refused to do anything. Contrast this to when we had homeless people using the back of our building as a shelter, which we didn't mind except the trash and excrement they left behind every morning. Called the city and they were there that night to pick up the homeless and take them to a shelter.
Long story short: Finally called a vet friend who agreed to take on the project. Trapped 22 cats. All but 2 had to be put down because of their poor health. She thought the woman feeding them should be charged w/cruelty.
4
Yes, good points all. However the relevant word here is "shelter". Just like the homeless people, the cats should be taken to shelters. Animal control too often has meant killing facilities in the past. They should rather be the no-kill, recovery, and adoption centers that the better ones are today. Putting them down should be for medical necessity only. My only criticism of Ms. Taylor Swift is that she should be adopting cats rather than buying them.
This is sad. I don't think she should be charged with cruelty. Call Ally Cat Allies.
1
I happy to own a fine indoor/outdoor cat. And please spare me the plight of the songbirds and whether my cat is in danger. He hates it inside mostly and seems to enjoy it outside. Gets in fights here and there but seems to give as good as he gets. Go Tiger!
4
ditto on that!
I am a cat-lover but I cannot see why we should 'spare you the plight of the songbirds.'
Across the world songbirds are decreasing because of loss of habitat and predation by introduced species. Outdoor cats have been tracked and the contents of their stomachs examined and the results are frightening concerning native species.
Responsible owners of outdoor cats provide screened cat runs where the pets can enjoy the great outdoors and climb trees while giving native birds and lizards protection.
Across the world songbirds are decreasing because of loss of habitat and predation by introduced species. Outdoor cats have been tracked and the contents of their stomachs examined and the results are frightening concerning native species.
Responsible owners of outdoor cats provide screened cat runs where the pets can enjoy the great outdoors and climb trees while giving native birds and lizards protection.
2
Yes, yes, adopt. Definitely. I have two adopted kitties and two adopted dogs ... one a mix, one a GSD.
However, there is no reason to vilify someone who chooses to go to a breeder. I intend to do that when I am ready for my next GSD puppy. A good breeder cares about the breed, and can test for genetic weaknesses that can lead to poor health and heartbreak. My GSD came from a backyard, irresponsible breeder, and has had multiple health problems. I want to avoid that in the future.
Certainly, most people (including me) see a lot more difference between the various dog breed than among cat breeds ... although my one Maine Coon cat was incredible, I love my others just as much. But some may have a real preference for a particular breed, and I think that's fine.
Going to a breeder doesn't mean that you don't care about shelter animals. I help my shelter in other ways, with donations of money and supplies, and by volunteering at fundraisers. I'm sure Ms. Swift does, too.
Much more important to emphasize spaying and neutering.
However, there is no reason to vilify someone who chooses to go to a breeder. I intend to do that when I am ready for my next GSD puppy. A good breeder cares about the breed, and can test for genetic weaknesses that can lead to poor health and heartbreak. My GSD came from a backyard, irresponsible breeder, and has had multiple health problems. I want to avoid that in the future.
Certainly, most people (including me) see a lot more difference between the various dog breed than among cat breeds ... although my one Maine Coon cat was incredible, I love my others just as much. But some may have a real preference for a particular breed, and I think that's fine.
Going to a breeder doesn't mean that you don't care about shelter animals. I help my shelter in other ways, with donations of money and supplies, and by volunteering at fundraisers. I'm sure Ms. Swift does, too.
Much more important to emphasize spaying and neutering.
4
Great article, and about time, too. Kudos to Taylor Swift for standing up for cats and their owners, male and female. And I liked Ricky Gervais before, like him even more now.
6
My cat, Miles, comes over to great me every day when I first wake up. He expects and receives hugs and kisses from me, and some brief lap time before he starts his day.
Oh -- he also plays endless rounds of "fetch" with my wife with those little felt ball cat toys. No kidding. He loves us madly! Not at all the "aloof cat" stereotype!
Oh -- he also plays endless rounds of "fetch" with my wife with those little felt ball cat toys. No kidding. He loves us madly! Not at all the "aloof cat" stereotype!
7
Well, I could never make the 1 percent, but I'm glad to know that my cat is in the 2 percent.
7
I am a new cat owner. I grew up with dogs and when I moved to Chicago I was saddened by how many apartment buildings don't allow dogs. I happened to acquire a cat through a friend. In a short time I was in love. Now I prefer cats to dog. They are so low-maintenance compared to dogs. No having to walk her outside, take her outside to use the restroom, etc.
I love taking pictures of her and playing with her-the same thing people do with their dogs. I look forward to adding another cat to my life in the next 2-3 years.
I love taking pictures of her and playing with her-the same thing people do with their dogs. I look forward to adding another cat to my life in the next 2-3 years.
10
Love this!!! As the original CCL (crazy cat lady) it is my duty to remind ALL pet owners to ADOPT, don't shop and remember.... It's cuter when they're neutered!
5
I have just finished reading this article, together with some of the comments, to Sebastian.
It is blustery outside in the South West of England this evening, so keeping his attention away from 'imagined' distractions is difficult. An excellent article.
It is blustery outside in the South West of England this evening, so keeping his attention away from 'imagined' distractions is difficult. An excellent article.
7
Cats annoy me. Always have. Really don't like being around them. And that is my choice. When my friends ask me to care for their cats I say no. I don't say why or insult them, I just stick with Bartleby's, "I prefer not to". It does irk me that people who like cats seem a bit more defensive about them as if they will persuade me that I do in fact like cats. Or best of all that their cat is different than other cats. Rest assured it is not. It is just a cat. The only fault I hold cats responsible for as a species is their ability to insinuate themselves into people's lives who heretofore have shown no interest in cats. The cat abandoned by a roommate or the cat that just keeps showing up at the door.
Cats and cat people are not a protected group. Their is no history of genocide, oppression, or systematic exclusion. No special laws protect them. Liking cats or not is a personal choice no more worthy of a Times editorial than whether one enjoys Kung Pao chicken. Oh wait, I think that was controversial a few years ago too.
Cats and cat people are not a protected group. Their is no history of genocide, oppression, or systematic exclusion. No special laws protect them. Liking cats or not is a personal choice no more worthy of a Times editorial than whether one enjoys Kung Pao chicken. Oh wait, I think that was controversial a few years ago too.
2
"They come to you when they want; you can’t force them, or cajole them. They can be fiercely affectionate. They are gloriously indifferent. Cats don’t pretend to like you, and don’t care if you like them."
I come to them all the time they can't keep me away. I'm fiercely affectionate to them. I'm never indifferent to their needs. I don't pretend I don't love them I just love them.
It's a perrfect relationship.
I come to them all the time they can't keep me away. I'm fiercely affectionate to them. I'm never indifferent to their needs. I don't pretend I don't love them I just love them.
It's a perrfect relationship.
2
I had a traumatic psychological episode in high school. I couldn't sleep for days because I couldn't get the images out of my mind.
My Siamese cat and best friend stayed with me the whole time and I give her all the credit for keeping me sane. She was next to me as I lay in bed tossing and turning, followed me around the house, watched TV with me and never left my side. And this was a cat who loved the outdoors. Somehow, she knew I was in trouble and did everything in her cat powers to help.
I have never felt this kind of love from anyone before or since and I cried like a baby when it was finally time to let her go to the great cathouse in the sky. I'm hoping there is a heaven so we can be reunited, someday.
I still take care of cats. My current Siamese is at this moment helping me work (actually, she's sleeping, but she's here every day, all day). All she asks for in return is food and a lot of love. She gets all the love I'm able to give her.
I'm a dude and I love my cats.
My Siamese cat and best friend stayed with me the whole time and I give her all the credit for keeping me sane. She was next to me as I lay in bed tossing and turning, followed me around the house, watched TV with me and never left my side. And this was a cat who loved the outdoors. Somehow, she knew I was in trouble and did everything in her cat powers to help.
I have never felt this kind of love from anyone before or since and I cried like a baby when it was finally time to let her go to the great cathouse in the sky. I'm hoping there is a heaven so we can be reunited, someday.
I still take care of cats. My current Siamese is at this moment helping me work (actually, she's sleeping, but she's here every day, all day). All she asks for in return is food and a lot of love. She gets all the love I'm able to give her.
I'm a dude and I love my cats.
22
I'm not a big "cat person" grew up on farm in the Midwest had 15-20 on farm at most times, none every in the house. Always thought that having in the house was a bit cruel and un-natural. All that aside my comment is that I do have some friends, mostly women, that are cat people and they are the ones who tell more "cat lady" jokes than anyone. Most of the rest of us don't even get the jokes.
I am a seventh decade survivor of a feline-deprived childhood. My Dad's family had been short on pets, having only a occasional dog. My Mother's family were dogs-only (almost all neurotic collies;) Mother would never have taken on a dog which did not have pure bred papers, and reacted with faint revulsion to the word cat, at least until after she met one who roomed with me after I graduated school. My own epiphany came from becoming acquainted with my ex's cat, a double pawed female tabby who confided in me at first meeting. The preference for felines which bloomed then has lasted ever since.
I have had seven cats share life with me; my partner has had both a dog (Great Dane) and half a dozen cats her adult life. We now room with an 18 year old once male Tuxedo (bib, belly and spats) long fur and a six year old once female pure black plush fur, each very engaged with us in his or her own way. Until recently, we had been able to leave them on their own for an occasional weekend visiting the human children out of state, though our ancient Tux lad's geriatric issues now have us bringing them both along. Both get on well with the dogs both of our daughters have, #1 daughter's dogs weighing less than our plush lass and #2 daughter's dogs weighing more.
Being city dwellers, we have found this arrangement ideal. We have our favorite animal companions with us full time, yet still have access to other people's dogs on visits.
I have had seven cats share life with me; my partner has had both a dog (Great Dane) and half a dozen cats her adult life. We now room with an 18 year old once male Tuxedo (bib, belly and spats) long fur and a six year old once female pure black plush fur, each very engaged with us in his or her own way. Until recently, we had been able to leave them on their own for an occasional weekend visiting the human children out of state, though our ancient Tux lad's geriatric issues now have us bringing them both along. Both get on well with the dogs both of our daughters have, #1 daughter's dogs weighing less than our plush lass and #2 daughter's dogs weighing more.
Being city dwellers, we have found this arrangement ideal. We have our favorite animal companions with us full time, yet still have access to other people's dogs on visits.
4
“Everyone loves dogs.” This is actually not true, but since so many people in North America seem love them like children, no one would dare admit that they actually dislike dogs. No, no, I’m not admitting that here.
I do admit that I love cats; but I do not love everything about them. Mainly I am strongly apposed to the “recreational hunting” of song birds that cats are inclined to engage in. It is for this reason that I may never own (as if a cat can really be owned) another cat. Keeping a cat indoors is not a solution for me. I respect cats and do not approve of locking them up like prison inmates, thereby incurring in them all kinds of neurosis. I never had a cat (all outdoor cats) that damaged any of my belongings. On the other hand friends of mine who have indoor cats seem to have a lot of shredded wallpaper and furniture.
I do admit that I love cats; but I do not love everything about them. Mainly I am strongly apposed to the “recreational hunting” of song birds that cats are inclined to engage in. It is for this reason that I may never own (as if a cat can really be owned) another cat. Keeping a cat indoors is not a solution for me. I respect cats and do not approve of locking them up like prison inmates, thereby incurring in them all kinds of neurosis. I never had a cat (all outdoor cats) that damaged any of my belongings. On the other hand friends of mine who have indoor cats seem to have a lot of shredded wallpaper and furniture.
Churchill's cat Nelson also kept his feet warm at night...by cuddling up around his feet...sounds like my cat Woody. There is a stereotype tho about women and cats...let's remember men like them too.
4
I'm a single straight guy with five cats and don't really care what people think. All of my cats are special, loving, and enrich my life in ways I can't even fathom. My oldest, Phantom, has untreatable cancer. All I can do is make her life as comfortable as possible and giver her all of the attention she wants. My newest, Will, was attacked or was in an accident as a kitten, and he must have his bowels and bladder expressed twice a day. For those who know cats, doing anything to a cat that doesn't want to cooperate can be a very difficult task. This is compounded by the fact that Will is a black cat with extra-large teeth and claws. However, he seems to know that expressing him is a necessary, life-saving act that must be done twice a day, every day with no exceptions. He is so cooperative in letting me do it, and such a loving, sweet cat after it. I will never see the need to defend or apologize for my lifestyle. Everyone should be so lucky to be loved by a cat.
17
I have four cats: Baby Love, Blossom, Mamacita, and Gus the Grey Ghost.
They all came to me as feral babies. They were all altered when it was time to do so, so none of them can reproduce. They are all inside cats now, though Baby Love likes to complain that he wants to go outside by standing by the patio door and crying.
I was born a dog person, but love and sympathy have made me a guardian of these four, none of which I'd give up. They make me laugh, and I never tire of watching them interact with each other and the outside world. They love to watch the birds at our many bird-feeders and they love to chase the squirrels from window to window.
They are a joy.
They all came to me as feral babies. They were all altered when it was time to do so, so none of them can reproduce. They are all inside cats now, though Baby Love likes to complain that he wants to go outside by standing by the patio door and crying.
I was born a dog person, but love and sympathy have made me a guardian of these four, none of which I'd give up. They make me laugh, and I never tire of watching them interact with each other and the outside world. They love to watch the birds at our many bird-feeders and they love to chase the squirrels from window to window.
They are a joy.
8
BUY a cat? Who BUYS a cat?
I'm happy to support anyone who loves their cat, but, puh-leeze.....there are so many of these lovely creatures in shelters who are dying for a good home.
I'm happy to support anyone who loves their cat, but, puh-leeze.....there are so many of these lovely creatures in shelters who are dying for a good home.
6
Happy to read this wonderful article as "staff" of five cats, three of whom are rescued street cats, and the caregiver of a sterilized outdoor colony.
I posted last summer on another article written by a male cat owner that here in Albuquerque the City was euthanizing approximately ***700***cats PER MONTH, the majority of which were feral, until a few brave and hard-working souls (all women) bought some extra houses for kennels and a nursery for bottle-fed orphaned kittens and through trap-neuter-release have reduced the City death machine to approximately 700 very injured cats euthanized per year.
This organization attempts to adopt tame adult cats and tame up feral kittens and adopt them out. The heartbreaking challenge is that there are not enough good homes in New Mexico for all the adoptable adult and tamed kittens; an organization in Colorado is now helping to adopt out the surplus in Colorado.
Yes, I am a "cat lady," which severely limits the ability to travel (cat care is $20 per day), but to me this is a moral obligation not a choice. Also spent two months in the hospital with a spinal staph infection late summer/fall contracted volunteering as a kennel worker and kitten foster. We owe the cats some sacrifice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK5_7JyGJZA
Women -- and cats -- are lovely creatures who have been mistreated and stigmatized for way too long.
Thank you, Taylor, and thank you Rihanna!
I posted last summer on another article written by a male cat owner that here in Albuquerque the City was euthanizing approximately ***700***cats PER MONTH, the majority of which were feral, until a few brave and hard-working souls (all women) bought some extra houses for kennels and a nursery for bottle-fed orphaned kittens and through trap-neuter-release have reduced the City death machine to approximately 700 very injured cats euthanized per year.
This organization attempts to adopt tame adult cats and tame up feral kittens and adopt them out. The heartbreaking challenge is that there are not enough good homes in New Mexico for all the adoptable adult and tamed kittens; an organization in Colorado is now helping to adopt out the surplus in Colorado.
Yes, I am a "cat lady," which severely limits the ability to travel (cat care is $20 per day), but to me this is a moral obligation not a choice. Also spent two months in the hospital with a spinal staph infection late summer/fall contracted volunteering as a kennel worker and kitten foster. We owe the cats some sacrifice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK5_7JyGJZA
Women -- and cats -- are lovely creatures who have been mistreated and stigmatized for way too long.
Thank you, Taylor, and thank you Rihanna!
113
Taylor Swift and Rihanna as role models for cat owners - NOT! No wonder some men run the other way. . . from a
Lifelong Cat Lover at 74
Lifelong Cat Lover at 74
Trap, neuter and release is a terrible thing. Don't you care about wild birds at all? Outdoor cats kill billions of birds a year. Keep your cats indoors; trap and euthanize the feral ones. Birds are more important to our natural environment than felines bred down to artificially small size by man over the centuries. They have absolutely no place in the natural environment or outdoors. Shame!!
Cats provide unconditional love and sometimes inspire romance! I actually became friends with my partner because the cat that I had just adopted was pregnant and her cat had just died. We eventually all moved in together -- the adopted cat, her kittens and my partner's other cat. The adopted cat lived for another 14 years and we have been together now for 17 (and are now married).
Sadly, our first set of cats are all gone now...we now have two cats that we picked out together.
Sadly, our first set of cats are all gone now...we now have two cats that we picked out together.
62
My own explanation of why more single women live with cats than do men is that sensible men like myself avoid women who have cats. Of course, when I met my wife she had a dog, vs. the series of cats who've adopted our house in the years since. So bachelors beware! That sweet dog-loving woman may be a secret cat-fancier.
20
I'm a guy (straight, if it matters) who has shared rooms with cats for the past 40+ years. They were adopted from shelters or had been living rough. All are wonderful, each with distinctive personalities and that do understand 'yes' or 'no' communication and unhesitatingly speak up for them selves.
Buster, my current cat, will tap my shoulder, when I am at my desk, to remind me it's time to eat or to play or to be brushed. Desmond Morris has said all domesticated animals equate us as being their parents.
Dogs tend to instinctively like me (by first making eye contact with them) and I would like to have a dog - but not in the city.
A few years ago, while waiting to cross a street, I heard, at my shoulder, a woman saying to her friend:
"He's always glad to see me when I get home and he's so affectionate. He really loves me. I don't care he's a cat, because it's the best relationship I've ever had with a man."
Buster, my current cat, will tap my shoulder, when I am at my desk, to remind me it's time to eat or to play or to be brushed. Desmond Morris has said all domesticated animals equate us as being their parents.
Dogs tend to instinctively like me (by first making eye contact with them) and I would like to have a dog - but not in the city.
A few years ago, while waiting to cross a street, I heard, at my shoulder, a woman saying to her friend:
"He's always glad to see me when I get home and he's so affectionate. He really loves me. I don't care he's a cat, because it's the best relationship I've ever had with a man."
233
The best thing about cats is that they never need to be walked, ever.
Dogs do. No matter the hour, no matter the weather.
Watching folks stumbling around Brooklyn at 2AM in the rain/sleet/snow makes me grateful that Cat is home, curled up by the radiator, happy and content, in no need of my misery.
Dogs do. No matter the hour, no matter the weather.
Watching folks stumbling around Brooklyn at 2AM in the rain/sleet/snow makes me grateful that Cat is home, curled up by the radiator, happy and content, in no need of my misery.
236
That's why I have a house rabbit. Litter-box trained, quiet, doesn't smell... About the worst thing she does is wake me up on weekends if I haven't fed her by 10am.
She's quite a watch-rabbit though. She woke me up when the smoke alarm was beeping and woke me up when there was a tornado heading my way. Good bunny.
She's quite a watch-rabbit though. She woke me up when the smoke alarm was beeping and woke me up when there was a tornado heading my way. Good bunny.
3
Uh, yeah but instead you are living (and breathing the fumes from) a litter box 24/7.
Good time to say: Spay and neuter your dogs and cats, if you love 'em. And, don't "buy" pets, adopt them. That's good for all of us.
341
As a proud spinster (I reclaimed the true meaning of that word years ago) with 2 cats, this delightful essay brought back memories of how redeemed I felt while reading noted science fiction writer Marge Piercy's wonderful memoir Sleeping With Cats--she organizes her reflections on different life phases around her feline companions over the years.
90
Sleeping With Cats is a wonderful memoir by Marge Piercy who has written many great works of fiction, poetry & books on how to write. But she has never never never written a science fiction book.
1
Marge Piercy did write the wonderful memoir Sleeping With Cats but she is absolutely not a science fiction writer. She has written many novels, poetry, & books on how to write, but she has never written science fiction. Are you confusing her with Ursala LeGuin?
1
I'm allergic to cats...
But we're not going to give up the four that we have.
But we're not going to give up the four that we have.
176
...same...sneeze...for...hack...me...snuffle...! :-)
59
Ah, T.S. Elliot and Growl Tiger would be proud
Cats for the homebody? I think not. The advantage of a cat or two is that you can have a life while they can handle being on their own for much of the day if it comes to it better than dogs. Then you are greeted with affection and alacrity when you come home. Great way to have a wonderful pet and be free to explore the world too!
183
Good to read this article and kind comments, but I must add that domestic cats are not native to any American environment and thus they are both particularly vulnerable and particularly devastating to prey.
Thus it's really important to adopt shelter (rather than bred) cats, spay and neuter strays, and keep cats indoors, especially at night, when they can most easily destroy birds and their nests. The price for the irresistible charm of cats as pets is the responsibility to protect them and the wild species they come into contact with.
Thus it's really important to adopt shelter (rather than bred) cats, spay and neuter strays, and keep cats indoors, especially at night, when they can most easily destroy birds and their nests. The price for the irresistible charm of cats as pets is the responsibility to protect them and the wild species they come into contact with.
325
A hundred thumbs up to that!
46
I will add that cats DON'T need to go outside. Even if they stand at the door and whine (yes, cats can whine). Letting a cat go outside just puts it in the prey category.
108
I agree 100%. I've always had cats living with me in all my adult homes. One came to me as an adult as a confirmed outdoor cat and I made the mistake of not trying to change him. Years later I was at a pagoda in Yangon where girls were asking for donations to make a wish and set free small birds. My wish was an apology to the spirits of all the birds my cat ate. The real apology was to never let a cat out of the house again except in a carrier on the way to the vet.
43
I became a cat lady at 74 in Baltimore a city that needs all the cat ladies it can get. it has been an odyssey, taken me to places I wouldn't be caught in during the day much less at eleven o'clock at night. I have met the Cat Whisperer a beautiful young woman , who works all day for Whole Foods and then goes out at night to trap for the TNR program now in force thanks to a million dollar grant by Best Friends/Petsmart to help homeless cats by spaying and neutering. There are doctors, lawyers, all kinds of women from the work place who love cats and are out there helping the ones that need care. Next Saturday there is a shoot by a young actress who has trapped hundreds of cats, to dispel the myth of what cat ladies look like.
it'll be a fun day with pictures, make up artists, hair stylists and networking. Yes the majority are single by choice, some are married with children.
it'll be a fun day with pictures, make up artists, hair stylists and networking. Yes the majority are single by choice, some are married with children.
97
So the point of your article at the end: cats are stuck up jerks?
8
They are good judges of character.
180
True, my old cat hated my ex-fiance, with good reason I later found out.
7
From my point of view, this article complicates cat ownership. It shouldn't. Cats become, albeit on their own terms, exactly what their owners desire. So do dogs: they just do it faster than cats. Either animal has great value to its owner and needs a little time to fill its place.
25
Please don't buy cats (or dogs). There are plenty of shelter animals that need homes.
165
I stopped reading after the comment "It's a daily struggle not to buy more cats."
Buy.....? Buy....???? How about R-E-S-C-U-E?
Buy.....? Buy....???? How about R-E-S-C-U-E?
175
Cats are awesome for single or paired humans. I was "raised"by an old female cat and I could fool my human mom but never that old brindle. She'd dole out a well deserved whack on me when mom was oblivious to my mischief.
Today thanks to ubiquitous cameras the whole world can share feline escapades domestic; from printers to ceiling fans, boxes, bags, bathtubs, and yes computer keyboards. They are athletic and hilarious, mine is now on top of the cabinet knocking off precious artwork because I am ignoring him.
Today thanks to ubiquitous cameras the whole world can share feline escapades domestic; from printers to ceiling fans, boxes, bags, bathtubs, and yes computer keyboards. They are athletic and hilarious, mine is now on top of the cabinet knocking off precious artwork because I am ignoring him.
81
Well, this is troubling. A celebrity talks of "buying more cats" as if they were handbags or shoes, and a NYT columnist repeatedly refers to herself as "owning" cats whilst cheering the sentiment.
Literally millions of kittens and cats are killed each year because people buy from breeders (traffickers who profiteer by forcibly impregnating females and then selling off their children) rather than adopting from shelters.
This is feminist how?
And... owner? Do you truly consider yourself the owner of the cats who share your life? Or are they your companions and you, in this woeful legal system that treats them like objects, their guardian?
If, like most of us whom live with nonhuman animals, you consider cats or dogs part of your extended family (which, of course, biologically they are), then please do not use ownership language. If you really want to "stand up for your cats," go even further and join the movement to remove cats from the category of objects who can be bought and sold.
Literally millions of kittens and cats are killed each year because people buy from breeders (traffickers who profiteer by forcibly impregnating females and then selling off their children) rather than adopting from shelters.
This is feminist how?
And... owner? Do you truly consider yourself the owner of the cats who share your life? Or are they your companions and you, in this woeful legal system that treats them like objects, their guardian?
If, like most of us whom live with nonhuman animals, you consider cats or dogs part of your extended family (which, of course, biologically they are), then please do not use ownership language. If you really want to "stand up for your cats," go even further and join the movement to remove cats from the category of objects who can be bought and sold.
182
I didn't buy my cat. I paid the shelter for his care, but that was after he picked me out. I'm not sure who has the better deal, me or the cat, but I'm glad he picked me. :-)
1
The crazy old cat lady has her roots in the witch stereotype, who in her turn was likely promulgated by the medieval (and later) western Christian church in order to disempower the healing women and midwives who were considered a threat to their hegemony. So-called witches lived with cats who were vital to keeping a healthy household by eliminating vermin.
It can only be good for humankind when women and men are openly proud to be owned by cats.
That said, Taylor Swift needs to adopt, not buy, as vacciniumovatum points out. And spay/neuter. I wish she and other noisy celebrities would shout that message above all the rest.
It can only be good for humankind when women and men are openly proud to be owned by cats.
That said, Taylor Swift needs to adopt, not buy, as vacciniumovatum points out. And spay/neuter. I wish she and other noisy celebrities would shout that message above all the rest.
256
The crazy old cat lady is crazy because her brain has been taken over by toxoplasma. http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/toxo-terror-are-our-brains-controlled-b...
"buy more cats"? Perhaps cat people can lean into a shelter-rescue-spay-neuter mentality to deal with the abundance of cats, and the cruelty many suffer.
55
Taylor Swift is not my idea of a cat lady, old fashioned or redefined, not when she "buys" cats while millions are killed every year in animal shelters across the country. She ought to be shamed, not saluted. This is especailly ludicrous and cruel in an article titled "Stand Up for Your Cats." I'll happily stand up for the many cats I've loved and lived with over my lifetime, but I much prefer to do so in the company of women like the admirable Beth Ostrosky Stern, whose work for cats with North Shore Animal League America is saving countless lives. And I would add Miranda Lambert and the wonderful Betty White to the celebs who know that to shop rather than adopt is a cruel indulgence for the ignorant, uncaring, and an unconscious.
63
I've had both cats and dogs most of my life, presently dogless and feed two cats.
One advantage of cats over dogs (especially in winter) is that you don't have to put on your boots and coat to take care of a cat's need to eliminate. Cat boxes are much easier to deal with than walks in bad weather. And cats don't bark and disturb the neighbors.
One advantage of dogs over cats is that they come when they are called (usually). And they usually bark when someone is near your house/door, giving warning.
All shed and need brushing and usually have some annoying habits.
I love both the cats and dogs I live with and have lived with because they are members of my family, no matter their positive or negative attributes.
One advantage of cats over dogs (especially in winter) is that you don't have to put on your boots and coat to take care of a cat's need to eliminate. Cat boxes are much easier to deal with than walks in bad weather. And cats don't bark and disturb the neighbors.
One advantage of dogs over cats is that they come when they are called (usually). And they usually bark when someone is near your house/door, giving warning.
All shed and need brushing and usually have some annoying habits.
I love both the cats and dogs I live with and have lived with because they are members of my family, no matter their positive or negative attributes.
51
My cats come when they are called (they all know their names). My dog usually comes when called as well, unless she's found something interesting outside.
38
"I love cats. They are the epitome of indifference."
Amy Farrah Fowler
The Big Bang Theory
Amy Farrah Fowler
The Big Bang Theory
28
Still, no mention of the millions of song birds killed by cats.
30
Good reason to be responsible with all animals. Keep them indoors. Don't BUY any, and get the ones you have spayed and neutered, even the feral ones. There's usually a local program that will help you pay for it.
49
Nor any mention of the songbirds killed by destruction of habitat, or slamming into glass-fronted skyscrapers, not to mention the French eating ortolans or some Asian cultures which breed fighting finches (like cockfighting). Assuming we don't limit our love of feathered friends purely to the ones we deem sufficiently melodious or cute, how about duck hunting? Or the gassing of Canada geese because they poop on golf courses? Or .... oh, never mind. I suspect you don't love birds (I have a yard full of feeders and two birdbaths as well as bird-friendly plantings) as you hate cats, and, well, haters gonna hate.
112
I've seen the articles lamenting the "millions of song birds killed by cats."
I've yet to see any FAT feral cats, just lean, if not starving.
Nope. The songbird connection doesn't pass the smell test.
I've yet to see any FAT feral cats, just lean, if not starving.
Nope. The songbird connection doesn't pass the smell test.
it not the "purring fur balls" it's the fur...coughed up in balls and clinging (invisible to doting keepers) to furniture and clothing...and for every cat who provides "sweet company" there is one who is a tyrant...and yes, there is odor, and even worse, the masking agents...no free pass for dogs either, most are undisciplined and soilers of public spaces (scooping doesn't get the residue that still makes the grass unfit for blankets and babies) not to mention the "he won't bite" blindness to the delinquency of jumping, pawing, slobbering canines (offered with wan smiles to the parents of toddlers scared out of their wits)...the lack of sympathey here is not for pets but just the indulgence of four- legged excuses for just about everything from social deficits to immunity from disease...now, a sleek raptor, trained to heel (or rather shoulder), given to mimicry (whistling, by way of homecoming greeting, the opening bars from west side story, "you're never alone, never disconnected...") and, stern oversight (perched each morning on the typewriter, ready to sound alarms at the first sign of slackery), is another thing entirely.
8
This column missed something essential about the "crazy cat lady" stereotype. The "crazy cat lady" isn't simply a single woman with one or two cats. She has many cats -- at least four. The "crazy cat lady" doesn't simply like cats; she hoards them, and cares more for her cats than for people.
The male parallel isn't a guy playing fetch with this Laborador; it's the scary guy with a half dozen snarling dogs that rush up to scare off anyone who dares to approach his house.
Those who peddle the "crazy cat lady" stereotype are not mocking women or cats in general; they are expressing their own fears of social isolation and mental health.
The male parallel isn't a guy playing fetch with this Laborador; it's the scary guy with a half dozen snarling dogs that rush up to scare off anyone who dares to approach his house.
Those who peddle the "crazy cat lady" stereotype are not mocking women or cats in general; they are expressing their own fears of social isolation and mental health.
52
LOL, of course.
3
Excuse me: speak not of what you know nothing of. I am not a "crazy cat lady" and I resent the stereotype. I have 9 cats - yes, 9 - all of whom are rescues, 7 directly off the streets of my neighborhood, and 4 of which my husband has brought home - does that make him a "crazy cat man"? I also have a dog, a husband and a 3.5 year old son. I don't "hoard them" or "care more for [my] cats the for people". (Although I DO believe that animals in general are better than many people.) I participate in TNR - Trap-Neuter-Return - of feral and stray outdoor cats; when friendlies are found, I take them in, hoping to find them a loving home. When that doesn't happen, they stay with us. How do YOU help street cats? I'm sure you don't. Certainly not by maligning those who DO, like me and many people I know. And I'll have you know that there ARE men who do TNR, as well, and the DO have more than four cats themselves. Helping another creature isn't just a woman thing.
54
If your friends and partners can keep it to two cats then they've got enough self control and self reflection to be in a relationship. In any case, beats a purse dog any day.
16
A cat becomes dependent on the person who feeds it, or as my mother used to say, it exhibits "cupboard love." This doesn't mean they're not lovable in turn. Just remember that if you die alone with your cat, it will eat your eyeballs first.
7
Pleasant thought. Thanks for sharing that!
8
Um, so will your dog, and there are many documented cases of people who died alone and got munched by their pooches.
In fact, if you die with other human beings and there is no other food around, you may well become an entrée. Consider the Donner party, the soccer team whose plane crashed in the Andes in 1972, the raft of the Medusa, the 1884 UK trial Regina v. Dudley and Stephens (similar to the Medusa shipwreck case), and of Alferd [sic] Packer in the 1800s and Armin Meiwes in 2003, and the merry melodies of Sweeney Todd. Yum yum.
A cat, or a dog, can catch its own food if it must; observe the phenomenon of feral cats and dog packs, former domestic animals that survive by foraging.
In fact, if you die with other human beings and there is no other food around, you may well become an entrée. Consider the Donner party, the soccer team whose plane crashed in the Andes in 1972, the raft of the Medusa, the 1884 UK trial Regina v. Dudley and Stephens (similar to the Medusa shipwreck case), and of Alferd [sic] Packer in the 1800s and Armin Meiwes in 2003, and the merry melodies of Sweeney Todd. Yum yum.
A cat, or a dog, can catch its own food if it must; observe the phenomenon of feral cats and dog packs, former domestic animals that survive by foraging.
43
Yup, that's why I check in with friends, every day! =^..^=
17
Personally, I like dogs and cats equally and, one day, I plan to have both. But that's probably for retirement. For right now, I travel a bit too much (or so I tell myself) to have a pet. (Yes, that's probably an excuse). However, I do question the "cat is independent" stereotype. Several years ago, I adopted a little grey street cat I named "Edgar." He died just a few months later from a cancerous turmor in his throat but, in the brief time I had him, he was a delight. But he was far from being independent. I had gotten the cat because I had assumed I could leave him alone for extended periods during the day and he would be fine. Instead, he constantly demanded attention. He always wanted to play, be petted and stroked and sleep on me. I was happy to do all of this, but it became apparent that having a cat was a major investment of time and energy. Playing with him for at least 20 minutes became a part of the morning routine and an essential part of every evening. Admittedly, Edgar was not quite as demanding as the beautiful labradoodle I would dogsit from time to time for a week or so. She really did follow me everywhere and beg for constant attention (but she was away from her people, so she felt insecure). But the cat was still much more than just a furry bystander. Edgar was a male cat and I have noticed that neutered male cats tend to be much more affectionate and playful than female cats, so this may partly account for the difference.
22
I caught, and "fixed" 4 feral cats, last summer--mother and 3 kittens. I've been feeding the kittens, every day for almost a year, and now it looks like I'm going to have another indoor cat, very soon. They're not all lovable, but most of them are, particularly if they've been spayed, neutered and cared for. I like dogs, but I'm a cat person--I can fit more of them on my bed!
16
When we get into the 'are you a cat or a dog person' conversation at work, woman always says, "a cat. or a dog. It's hard to know,' or something like that. That is of course the ultimate cat person answer. Cats are duplicitous, or shall I say, multiplicitious, as they pretend to be everything all the time. But mostly they are killers, constantly, always ready to kill no matter how much real chicken they just had for dinner. Torture and kill, really, and just for sport. The birds of the world are loosing to the pet cat's constant need to kill, bind, torture, kill, as the phrase went.
But I prefer cats to most people.
But I prefer cats to most people.
5
Animals (other than humans) don't kill for sport. It may appear that way to us, but that is an anthropomorphic view.
36
If you want to see the species that's really destroying the birds of the world, look in the mirror.
138
Again, do you care enough about the birds of the world to keep your own cat indoors?
I have been a member of the sisterhood since youth. I would seem them roaming on the street and they were so cute, but, I could not even pick them up because and take them home which my folks did not permit. But, after college: "free at last!"
Firstly the nasty stereotypes about cats are untrue. One you spend time with them each one is different in many behavioral dimensions. As mammals, they share a great deal with us.
Sure, their brains and ergo their perceptual systems are different. But, think of a Venn diagram: there is an overlap which makes us so similar in terms of needs. To procreate they feel an intense degree of what Peggy Lee called fever. They don't go to single bars but the females can raise the dead until a mate is found. When they live together they care and watch out for the safety of each other.
At age 72, I have owned four of these mysterious beasts who live in a somewhat different world than we do. (Or, perhaps I should have said that she owned me -- certainly my heart.) Of course, they are all gone now and some were more loved by me than others.
In fact, my favorite cat was a blue point Persian Ms.Oollan that we called Ollie. She was as loyal as a dog dressed in feline fur. She lived for 20 years and constituted the best and most fulfilling relationship I ever had. (including with humans.)
Firstly the nasty stereotypes about cats are untrue. One you spend time with them each one is different in many behavioral dimensions. As mammals, they share a great deal with us.
Sure, their brains and ergo their perceptual systems are different. But, think of a Venn diagram: there is an overlap which makes us so similar in terms of needs. To procreate they feel an intense degree of what Peggy Lee called fever. They don't go to single bars but the females can raise the dead until a mate is found. When they live together they care and watch out for the safety of each other.
At age 72, I have owned four of these mysterious beasts who live in a somewhat different world than we do. (Or, perhaps I should have said that she owned me -- certainly my heart.) Of course, they are all gone now and some were more loved by me than others.
In fact, my favorite cat was a blue point Persian Ms.Oollan that we called Ollie. She was as loyal as a dog dressed in feline fur. She lived for 20 years and constituted the best and most fulfilling relationship I ever had. (including with humans.)
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Buy more cats?
Don't buy while shelter pets die.
Don't buy while shelter pets die.
230
Shelter cats aren't free. You pay quite a lot to adopt them (and I've adopted several over the years).
8
Amen to that!
17
Ruby is correct: Shelter cats aren't free, in part because shelters cost money to run, in part because, well, people tend not to value what they get for free. A price tag also tends to deter 'dealers' who answer 'free to good home' Craigslist ads and sell the animals to dealers, sadists looking for something to torture, etc. However, an adoption fee isn't the same as a purchase, because there is no profit motive - the shelter doesn't look to 'restock' and the fee is not an incentive to breed more animals.
My guy, though, was on sale, in that because it was a holiday weekend AND he was a 'senior' cat (7 years or older) the fee was reduced. I got a bargain.
My guy, though, was on sale, in that because it was a holiday weekend AND he was a 'senior' cat (7 years or older) the fee was reduced. I got a bargain.
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Not only that, but Ms. swift clearly grasps that cats are smarter than any any of the rest of us.
16
Cats are smart at what their evolution has trained them to be smart at, but gobsmackingly stupid in other ways. Dogs ditto, just differently. Cats are not special fonts of wisdom.
Owners who let their cats roam are cruel to their cats; when the cat goes missing, be assured that the cat was probatbly not lost but found, and found to be delicious (by the local fox or coyote) or slept in near someone's car fan et cet. When I see a cat roaming, I see a stupid and cruel owner who thinks he or her is doing the cat a blessed favor when that's not so.
Oh, and true birdlovers never let cats roam, because cats are the #1 predator of birds.
Owners who let their cats roam are cruel to their cats; when the cat goes missing, be assured that the cat was probatbly not lost but found, and found to be delicious (by the local fox or coyote) or slept in near someone's car fan et cet. When I see a cat roaming, I see a stupid and cruel owner who thinks he or her is doing the cat a blessed favor when that's not so.
Oh, and true birdlovers never let cats roam, because cats are the #1 predator of birds.
18
Thank you. Women have cats because, gasp, they like them. No other reason, no mystery, no need for stereotypes. (It's not strictly true, though, that "everyone" loves dogs. They do not, and there is no requirement. Like being owned by a cat, it is a preference. )
38
Taylor Swift and her cat know how to work PR. First, she insures her legs for 40 mil and gets press, then defames her cat sending photos of a stunt thigh scratched by alleged cat and jokes the feline owes her 40 million and more free press. I think she should donate 40 million to cat shelters and a group to cure pet hoarders. Well, she is an entertainer.
5
David Ferrari
Ms. Swift would be swift to tell you that not only does she entertain us with her cats but she has just been re-appointed as Secretary General to the Nation of Cats, and has established a solid foundation for cats of different backgrounds. Her greatest feline passion is to invest funds for free milk, kibble and health care world-wide for our meows.
Ms. Swift would be swift to tell you that not only does she entertain us with her cats but she has just been re-appointed as Secretary General to the Nation of Cats, and has established a solid foundation for cats of different backgrounds. Her greatest feline passion is to invest funds for free milk, kibble and health care world-wide for our meows.
9
You know that you are truly loved when you are loved by a cat. And I'm not talking about a cat who will only come around you when they know you're allergic to cat dander or they want to be fed. I'm talking about the kind of love that comes from cats who will move with you when you move to a different apartment, different town or a different state, and decides to stay. Oh, sure, they can find someone else to pet them when they want to be petted and to feed them a better brand of cat food on their own unique schedule. Or, since cats are very territorial, they might like their old hunting grounds better. But you know that you are loved by a cat, when, in spite of it all, they love you enough to stay.
43
What a pointless and retrograde article. Does that stereotype even exist anymore, except as an intentionally passe joke?
10
Some of us men (70 y.o., married x3, single now) are cat people too!! If a cat likes you, you must be a good person. And love Taylor Swift too!!!!
33
I was only a dog person until a cat was forced on me by family circumstances. He has since proven to be better for my mental health than the meds and cognitive therapy I've taken. There is nothing more anxiolytic than having him lying on my chest purring away while I scratch his cheeks and under his chin. He even shows up when he's called, more often than not, and he follows me everywhere. I cannot imagine my life without him. If that makes me crazy, so be it. I'm hurting no one at all. What is distressing is society's trend of calling into question the sanity of single women with cats. Now that's crazy.
348
I'd have cats, dogs, parrots, marmosets, and more if I could. Cats alone are too quiet and undemanding and undemonstrative. The "cat lady" is just a recent stereotype.
1
You need to meet my cat. Or in fact any of my cats over the past half-century. I often call the one I have right now (whose picture adorns my posts) a dog that meows.
19
Several years ago, before changing to its current online format, the Times ran an article asking, "Is My Cat Normal?". It's no longer available, and I so wish you (and I too) could access it...it's ROTFL hilarious. "Quiet, undemanding, undemonstrative?" Cats can be as bizarre in taste and behavior; as quirky, disaffected and maddening; as devoted, loyal and loving, as unique as any individual human or other species that populates the earth. Yes, dull ones may exist-but they've NEVER happened to anyone I know, including me!
Being single, having lived in an apartment for 13-years before buying a condo almost 10-years ago, the only pets I've had are cats and a parrot since '92.
Over the years all of my cats have been from my 'cat lady' friend and former neighbor or from a rescue she told me about. The cats provide wonderful companionship as long as the parrot is in her cage; if she's out, they are at bay - she rules this home with a firm beak.
Over the years all of my cats have been from my 'cat lady' friend and former neighbor or from a rescue she told me about. The cats provide wonderful companionship as long as the parrot is in her cage; if she's out, they are at bay - she rules this home with a firm beak.
29
My wife and I just adopted three shelter kittens after our 17.5 year old tuxedo cat, Louis, passed in February. The kittens are delightful and unmanageable, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
143
Cats can also be bullies. Small dogs and birds share my house and garden with two old cats. They are nervous!
4
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Will Ms. Baird get a regular columnist position here? If not, why not? If she's too busy, I imagine Ms. Swift could fill in for her from time to time!
Anyway, as to famous male cat-admirers, let us never forget Edgar Allan Poe's pet "Caterina", who tried to help keep Mrs. Poe warm as the latter was succumbing to consumption. Prophet Muhammad is said to have surrounded himself with cats, who were prone to nap in the folds of his robe while he sat writing or reading. Legend has it that if he needed to get up, he preferred cutting off a piece of his robe rather than awaken the cat lodged there.
As for Ms. Swift's cats, Meredith Grey is an excellent and practiced airplane traveler. Besides, she is named for a television character I would certainly love to curl up with on any item of furniture. And it is a sign of Ms. Swift's financial acumen that she has arranged for both of her cats to earn money for product endorsements.
I wish all success to these women and their cats! And if Ms. Baird would contribute her commentary more frequently, I might be induced to purr.
.
Will Ms. Baird get a regular columnist position here? If not, why not? If she's too busy, I imagine Ms. Swift could fill in for her from time to time!
Anyway, as to famous male cat-admirers, let us never forget Edgar Allan Poe's pet "Caterina", who tried to help keep Mrs. Poe warm as the latter was succumbing to consumption. Prophet Muhammad is said to have surrounded himself with cats, who were prone to nap in the folds of his robe while he sat writing or reading. Legend has it that if he needed to get up, he preferred cutting off a piece of his robe rather than awaken the cat lodged there.
As for Ms. Swift's cats, Meredith Grey is an excellent and practiced airplane traveler. Besides, she is named for a television character I would certainly love to curl up with on any item of furniture. And it is a sign of Ms. Swift's financial acumen that she has arranged for both of her cats to earn money for product endorsements.
I wish all success to these women and their cats! And if Ms. Baird would contribute her commentary more frequently, I might be induced to purr.
24
Cats have been "in" as a millenial social commodity since the laptop era. If Taylor Swift's writers and producers cash in a literal decade later, I guess that really is a feat of empowerment and redefinition. I salute you, Taylor Swift, for your heroic work in providing a quirky heroine for people who order grubhub, watch netflix, and can't get aroused without a little red notification icon. Great article.
7
I love my cat because she doesn't feign indifference. Her indifference is genuine. Unless the cat bowl is empty or it is time for some good pitty-pat, which only I can provide. A nice warm body (me) on a cols night is an attraction as well. Otherwise, I'm on my own. How great is that?
15
At this stage in life, I am stuck with cats, and how this came about, I really don't know. As a child, apparently I told my mother that one day I would have a small apartment, a dog and a little man that I could lead around the nose. Well, it just goes to show that life doesn't always work out that way, and can be unpredictable.
Known as 'The Lady of The Cats', I am auntie to about 39 at this stage - cards are sent to them on their birthdays and if I forget one, an emergency call is placed to make sure that I am not lying flat as a kipper on the kitchen floor because I live alone.
When talking to a banker, I always say if we're having trouble connecting: 'You may think I'm a sweet elderly woman who lives with her cat, but actually we can be your most difficult customers'. "Anyway", the name of one of my many 'cats', to cut to the kibble I am fleeing the City and trying for country life, determined to get a rescue fido but I have the most curious feeling that there is going to be a cat tail or two in this picture.
There is no escaping them. Having loved and been loved; fortunate to have the most wonderful friends, in the end if you were to ask, I would tell you that it was a cat that was the great love of my life.
To Mimi Midnight, Lydia, Mr. Wuss, Nemo and Nigel, Harley, Jamar and Emily, to Daisy and Melissa, to Paul Gallico who had 30, and one great Dane, to Lulu, Vamps, Nefertiti and so many more: 'MINOUS', stand up for ME now.
Known as 'The Lady of The Cats', I am auntie to about 39 at this stage - cards are sent to them on their birthdays and if I forget one, an emergency call is placed to make sure that I am not lying flat as a kipper on the kitchen floor because I live alone.
When talking to a banker, I always say if we're having trouble connecting: 'You may think I'm a sweet elderly woman who lives with her cat, but actually we can be your most difficult customers'. "Anyway", the name of one of my many 'cats', to cut to the kibble I am fleeing the City and trying for country life, determined to get a rescue fido but I have the most curious feeling that there is going to be a cat tail or two in this picture.
There is no escaping them. Having loved and been loved; fortunate to have the most wonderful friends, in the end if you were to ask, I would tell you that it was a cat that was the great love of my life.
To Mimi Midnight, Lydia, Mr. Wuss, Nemo and Nigel, Harley, Jamar and Emily, to Daisy and Melissa, to Paul Gallico who had 30, and one great Dane, to Lulu, Vamps, Nefertiti and so many more: 'MINOUS', stand up for ME now.
21
Paul Gallico was the great 'cat' writer. He gave us three classics: The Three Lives of Thomasina, The Abandoned, and The Silent Miaow.
From the last of these, a first-person account purported to be 'translated from the feline': 'Be careful of this human love, for it can be as painful as being beaten with a stick. Humans often stop loving and leave one. We never do.'
From the last of these, a first-person account purported to be 'translated from the feline': 'Be careful of this human love, for it can be as painful as being beaten with a stick. Humans often stop loving and leave one. We never do.'
17
Mark Twain said he was surrounded by cats when writing Huckleberry Finn. The Swiss-French artist Steinlen was the magnet for the neighborhood feral cats; he created the famous Black Cat Cafe poster image that many imitate. I'm a male artist with 5 cats, formerly feral, and have owned around 25 cats in my life. I love them.
66
Thank you.
9
My grandfather worked at the Washington Post for 50 years from the 1920s & constantly battled the cat vs. dog issue. He published this in the paper:
“It's ridiculous to condemn dogs for the effect they have on people. Let's condemn them on their own lack of merit, for what they are – boot lickers, umbrellaless Chamberlains who appease for “a bone in our time.” Dog owners are as they are before they acquire the innocent pet. That's why they get the fawning animal.
“A normal, well adjusted human prefers a cat – a decent, self-respecting quadruped with a mind of its own. A cat accepts direction from its owner only if the instruction is reasonable and intelligent. The dog-lover type cannot face this feline evaluation.
“Napoleon and Hitler hated cats. Lincoln, Washington, Goethe, Aristotle, Franklin and such secure personalities respected cats. The contemplative appraisal in a cat's eye intimidates the precarious personality, while the cringing, ingratiating supplication of a dog's favor-currying inflates the ego.” Signed: Tung Enchique
“It's ridiculous to condemn dogs for the effect they have on people. Let's condemn them on their own lack of merit, for what they are – boot lickers, umbrellaless Chamberlains who appease for “a bone in our time.” Dog owners are as they are before they acquire the innocent pet. That's why they get the fawning animal.
“A normal, well adjusted human prefers a cat – a decent, self-respecting quadruped with a mind of its own. A cat accepts direction from its owner only if the instruction is reasonable and intelligent. The dog-lover type cannot face this feline evaluation.
“Napoleon and Hitler hated cats. Lincoln, Washington, Goethe, Aristotle, Franklin and such secure personalities respected cats. The contemplative appraisal in a cat's eye intimidates the precarious personality, while the cringing, ingratiating supplication of a dog's favor-currying inflates the ego.” Signed: Tung Enchique
149
Succinctly put, and accurate in every way! Thank you!
2
It is very pleasing to see such a nasty myth die a deserved death, strikingly enough at the same time when women are better off being single than ever before. Women have long felt an affinity for cats, but thanks to Ms. Swift and others (and the dissemination of that message thru social media), now they are embracing this love more unapologetically than ever before. A woman with a cat (or its plural) is very often a confident, secure and thus sexy one, blessed to live in this era--if perhaps unlucky not to have been born in the next one--and beginning to take full advantage of it. Cats may sometimes be every bit as indifferent to them as their men, but the fuzzy felines likely are much more discerning and have far fewer needs.
"Stand Up for Your Cats" might seem a silly rallying cry to some people, but it's really not. It's about women standing strong for themselves and defining themselves by who they are, not by their connection to a partner, especially if that person is a man. Decades ago, this was obviously much harder to do; thankfully, we have come some distance in recent times. We can truly say that the single woman is becoming America's queen. And so I'd expect to see a few cats in the court.
"Stand Up for Your Cats" might seem a silly rallying cry to some people, but it's really not. It's about women standing strong for themselves and defining themselves by who they are, not by their connection to a partner, especially if that person is a man. Decades ago, this was obviously much harder to do; thankfully, we have come some distance in recent times. We can truly say that the single woman is becoming America's queen. And so I'd expect to see a few cats in the court.
129
Is there anything cuter than a little lion roaming about in the house? Yes, two or...
36