Thought for the day - March 25, 2001

Subject: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 12:55 AM

Our pets may make us more independent, full of warmth, self-reliance, and curiosity according to a study by a psychologist at the University of Mississippi. In his study, pet-owners scored higher than non-pet owners in the above attributes.

So, I figure this is one good reason why Mudcatters are such a great lot; most of us have pets!

kat

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Amergin
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 01:07 AM

No, my pets just keep me around to feed them and to wait on their every needs......

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 04:23 AM

At music the other night one man postulated that pets are a substitute for caring about human beings, that if people wouldn't lavish their love and care on pets they would have the interest and energy to see to it that people in need all around them and across the globe were cared for.

What say you?

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: gnu
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 06:30 AM

Nope. People don't trust each other like they trust their pets.

gnu

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 06:32 AM

There may be something to what you say, Ebbie, since pets are easier to care for, don't argue, reward you with purrs or waggy tails or sweet bird songs, but I also tend to think that people who have pets are by nature nurturing types. Non-pet owners can also have these attributes. It's just so immediately satisfying to have someone furry to care for.
I might mention that our home has two cats, a dog, a guinea pig, and will soon have two lambs, and we also give locally and to global peace and justice orgs to organizations that strive to make this world a better place. Oh, and I sing at local soup kitchens and nursing homes, and teach young kids. I try to extend my caring beyond my home. So I may not be able to change the world, but I'm doing my small part.

And who's to say the world isn't better off than it would be if no one had pets?

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 06:36 AM

I have The White Cat to reduce loneliness and make me laugh. And because my SO left her here when she walked out.

My daughter got a mylar helium balloon for her birthday. we've attached a long string that hangs down within a few inches of the floor. Now it isn't uncommon to see her attack the string, play with it for a while, and then tow the string and balloon across the floor to another location to play.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: gnu
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 07:04 AM

Naemanson... I know you know this, but you never know if someone out there might not know this, you know ? So, here goes. Never leave a cat unattended with string or anything similar, even for a few minutes, or disaster may strike.

gnu

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Banjer
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 09:08 AM

Ebbie, I think the man's theory is flawed...At the end of a long day at work, for me 10 hours 8AM to 6PM, I come home not really full of interest or energy. Waiting at the door with tennis ball in his mouth is my furry buddy wanting to play. My first reaction is 'Not now....' but with his persistance and funny antics he gets me into a mood to play with him and that tends to give me a second wind. So I would have to say the opposite is true. If it wasn't for Mr. Bear cheering and revitalizing me at the end of a day, I would have no interest or energy at all.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Midchuck
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 10:53 AM

At music the other night one man postulated that pets are a substitute for caring about human beings, that if people wouldn't lavish their love and care on pets they would have the interest and energy to see to it that people in need all around them and across the globe were cared for.

What say you?

Well...since you asked, I say:

1) A great many of the people all around me and across the globe that are in need, would, given the choice, have me killed by slow torture for not believing in their particular religion or their political political philosophy. I give my pets food, shelter, and affection, and they give me affection back, and sometimes food. The food is small animals or birds that they've killed and bring in and leave on the kitchen floor, and I have to clean up...but they're offered as a bona fide contribution to the household.

2) My pets are neutered. If I attempted to suggest that people who are not able to provide food and shelter for themselves should have it provided to them, but should be prevented from breeding so that the problem will not go on indefinitely, the flood of flames from all you good liberals would probably clog the mudcat to the point where the site would break down, and I would be lucky if the worst that happened to me was that it was demanded thatI were be from the mudcat, and I didn't get any letter bombs.

Well, you asked what I said...Now let the flames begin!

Peter.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 12:37 PM

MAybe its because I'm to the far left of liberal and have seen enough, but I'll be more than happy to back you MidChuck...........We are living in a society here that has adopted the African expression, "It takes a village to raise a child," and brought "new" meaning to it. I'd personally say that it would NOT take a village if more of the villagers were qualified to be parents and fewer making their mark in the world as assholes. I'd be more than happy to "play god" in this case and do my best to determine who needs neutered. The obvious ones will take so much time to get done that by the time we get to the marginal cases things should already be looking significantly better.

Love our menagerie though............

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: Ebbie
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 01:24 PM

The other night, even though I reminded him of the health and socialization benefits pets give those who love them, including the companion pets that visit hospitals and nursing homes, I wasn't really able to give my friend a good argument but just now I realized that I could have said that people should not have children of their own because it takes away their interest in caring for others across the globe. Just wait'll I see him next time! (He has two kids)

I did remind him that people who give tend to give regardless... people who don't give are not going to give.

His point (and he does NOT have pets) was that there are far more animal shelters in this country than there are shelters for humans.

My friend is a good guy, just wrong-headed. *G*

Ebbie

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 01:59 PM

Midchuck,
I saw a TV program featuring a woman who gives $200 to any addicted woman who agrees to be sterilized. She has adopted five crack babies from infancy - all siblings produced annually and given to her within days of their birth. And all damaged physically and mentally from the addiction they were no party to.

My head is still reeling. One part of my brain says that this eugenics. Another part - the maternal part that watches my adult son suffer from his mother's pre-natal addictions - says "Send her a donation".

Maybe I am not a "good liberal" but I am not about to flame you. Of course, the only food offerings my cats provide are the ones they cough up when they don't like their dinner. I still love them.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 02:10 PM

One of our foster girls, K, came to us at age 5, She had three younger siblings. during the nest 4 years, she was with us 4 times and her siblings were in and out of care on two different occasions. Much was done repeatedly for her mother and a lot of time, effort, and money, invested in getting things together. We would have her for 8-10 months and then she'd be home for a month or two. The last time K came to us we had two other girls going through the tough part of Permanent Custody and we had to refuse........and it broke our heart. We wanted to try to adopt her, but the legalities prevented it at the time. Eventually she became so screwed up that she spent two years in a treatment center and then went to live with relatives, where she is still having trouble. During the course of this period, Mom had three more kids!!!! They are all in foster care or treatment centers.......and Mom is pregnant again.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - March 25, 2001
From: wdyat12
Date: 25 Mar 01 - 04:27 PM

My feline visitors are not my pets. They are better than pets because they consider me their friend and I don't even feed them. I think my sunny porch has a lot to do with it.

wdyat12