Happy Birthday U.S.A.!

While we are listening to patriotic music, stuffing ourselves with barbecue and all the fixings, I hope that we will all remember that with our independence won at great cost 233 years ago, came new responsibilities. Responsibilities toward those we care for, and those we don't care so much for.

Since I write about cats, I am concerned here with our responsibilities toward our cats. When we first domesticated cats those thousands of years ago, we formed a symbiotic relationship with cats, which, though it has evolved over the years, still defines our roles. In the very early years, cats killed rodents and snakes that infested grainaries, and were rewarded with the comforts of a hearth and home. For the most part, today, we give our cats a comfortable home, nutritious food, a place to sleep, and toys to occupy them, and they reward us with entertainment, and completely unconditional love.

This is as it should be. However, when we turn the tables and shirk our responsibilities, the system falls apart. I'm talking about things like throwing an unspayed female cat out to fend for herself because "she got herself pregnant," or leaving an elderly cat behind, locked in an empty home because of foreclosure or eviction. When we take actions like that, we are failing our cats, failing society, and failing ourselves.

Please take a few minutes today to reflect on Responsible Cat Ownership and ask yourself if you are a responsible cat parent. If you can assure yourself that you are, consider helping someone else become more responsible. Then kick back with your friends, family, and cats, and have a relaxing 4th of July.
_{Photo Credit: © Franny Syufy}