Franny's Top 10 Pet Peeves
10. Cats who play head games with me . An example: It's a bit blustery out today, so I've left the patio door closed, the first time in several months that this has happened. Bubba decided he wanted to go out, and told me so by clawing the glass, which gives off a satisfying screech much like fingernails on a blackboard. I opened the door and waited for him to exit, so I could close it after him. He just stood there and looked at me, then walked away from the door. I closed the door, and a minute later he was scratching again. Obviously, he just wanted me to leave the door open, as he had no intention of going out into the rain.
9. Hairballs.
Have you ever noticed a cat won't hurl a hairball on an easily cleaned surface? We have about three square miles of Spanish bomanite tile floors, and will the cat deposit his disgusting little gifts anywhere on that expanse? Fuh! The minute he feels the urge, he scoots right over to one of the scanty 4' X 5' rugs to deposit it, usually near the fringed edge where it's especially hard to clean. Better yet, needing a little digestive cleanup, he will go outside in search of grass, then trot back in and over to the rug.
8. Veterinary Trips.
Have you ever singlehandedly tried to stuff a 14 pound cat through the 8" X 8" opening of a cat carrier? Do you know the breadth of a cat's outstretched limbs at that time? About 15" X 15" of rigid, cast iron strength, tipped with razor-sharp talons. The other day I had to handle this chore. After ten minutes of trying to coax, cajole, and force the cat into the carrier, I decided to stand it on end with the door at the top, and drop him in, hind feet first. We managed to get both legs in, and then his tail thrust out like a furry broomstick. I kept dropping and he kept bouncing on his tail At the veterinary clinic, do you think he was grateful to finally be released from the hated carrier? Bet me . The vet tech and I had to dismantle the thing by removing ten bolts and lifting the top off. The cat felt great when we arrived back home. I had a headache.
7. The sale of live animals in pet stores and in Internet auctions.
I'm talking about kittens and puppies. Yes, I've bought them before when I was too young and ignorant to know any better. And yes, a dog or cat died in the pound the day I made each of those purchases.
Pet stores obtain the puppies and kittens they sell from licensed wholesalers who get them from puppy mills and kitten farms. The "Purebred" pet you buy will often be substandard, possibly undernourished, and of questionable health. Backyard Breeders are in it for the money, folks, and they do not exercise the caution, care, nor breeding standards of reputable breeders. Will you love the cat you got from the pet store? Of course. But by sourcing your next kitty through a rescue group or shelter, you'll have the added benefit of knowing you've saved a life. Exceptions to the rule are companies like PETsMART, which has set the standard for the sale of pets; it cooperates with local cat and dog rescue groups to sell rescued kitties and puppies in its stores, through its PETsMART Charities Adoption Centers .
Selling cats in Net auctions? The very concept is anathema to me.
6. The treatment of cats as chattel.
This is a real thorn in my side, from states that base their cruelty laws on the dollar amount of the loss, to individuals who get a cat with the idea that "if it doesn't work out, we can take it back." Bringing a cat into your home is akin to adopting a child. I'm not familiar with (human) adoption laws, but I understand that there's a fairly careful screening done to match child to parent(s). Thankfully, many shelters are starting to use screening for would-be adopters. When you bring a living, breathing, sentient being into your home, you're taking on a huge responsibility for another life , and it is not to be discarded like a piece of ragged underwear or yesterday's pot roast if it doesn't act the way you expect it to act. If you're not willing, able, and prepared to feed your cat properly, pay for any and all necessary veterinary care, and spend the time and energy training him to use the litter box and the scratching post, play with him and love him til death do us part, you shouldn't even consider having a cat for a pet.
