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I’m going to agree to disagree. Even breeders who limit their litters, get all the medical testing and natal care, and who are selective on where they place their animals aren’t doing something I’d consider “ethical”. It’s a simple question of math.

Adding more animals to the population while knowing kittens and puppies are dying for no other reason than no one choosing them isn’t ethical. Taking a potential home away from an animal that is doomed to stretch the budgets of shelters and the rescue community at large and still end up euthanized without ever knowing a real home isn’t ethical. It feels nice for the special looking, inbred animals that get to live that privileged life, but it conveniently ignores the death of animals in our communities that are just as deserving.

As per your point about special personalities, I can promise you that even within the same litter, personalities vary wildly. Yes, you’re able to pay for appearance when buying from a breeder, but personalities are shaped by too many factors and aren’t guaranteed. Animals purchased from “reputable” breeders are also given up at surprising rates when they didn’t exactly fall in line with the breed standard in looks or personality. This isn’t even getting into the many genetic health issues we’re seeing more of now that purebred cats are getting so popular…

If we spend time meeting adoptable cats and kittens that aren’t as flashy, we’ll be able to find just about any traits we’re looking for for our and our family’s needs. Not to mention breed specific rescues if the need for the breed feels that great.

Absolutely. There isn’t a good reason in my eyes to buy a dog or cat from a breeder when so many are being euthanized in shelters for lack of space.

This is a Bengal cat, so it’s quite likely they bought the kitten from a breeder.

I’ve been struggling with this for a while. I can understand and respect the moral dilemma that comes with participating in elections. I think, though, too many people look at it in a black and white lens that creates blinders.

I’ve never in my life voted for a candidate that I agreed with on everything. Yes, the moral importance of some issues weigh far heavier than others, but the ultimate goal is to do the least bad. I will continue to vote for the candidates I believe offer the most harm reduction if voting is available to me, because these are the options I have to work with. We have to make decisions in the moment that reflect the reality of where we’re at.

We’re living through the consequences of inaction that presents itself as protest. Had Kamala won, do we think we’d be seeing the absolute fucking insanity we’ve found ourselves in right now? I’m glad this moment is pushing more and more people to action and resistance, but at what cost? People are being disappeared, deported, and murdered in the streets by our government right now. And Gazans certainly haven’t benefitted from the current administration. This is a level of bad I never expected to see in my life, and I think there are a lot of terminally online people who are seeing this in a romanticized way that obscures the severity of the situation we find ourselves in.

We likely would have had more ability to push things to the left without the levels of harm, destruction, and violence that we’re seeing now under just about anyone but Trump and Project 2025. Instead of activism and outreach, now we have to play defense and protect our neighbors and communities. Not to mention the roll acks of rights to the health and safety of women and queer people are more passively costing lives and creating suffering.

Yes, the status quo was terrible. Democrats offer pretty words and little action. They aren’t going to save us or give us the futures we deserve. I’d give just about anything for us to be out of this, though. Humiliation and disgust on an international scale, the daily violence, and reading new horrors every damn day is absolutely the greater of two evils, though. I can’t see a scenario where anything is worth what’s in store.

Non voters aren’t the sole reason we’re here, but I’m sick of pretending that those people’s choices didn’t play a large role in our current situation. These times demand we all do some soul searching, take accountability, and work together to get out of this in one piece. Because, again, we have to live in the reality of where we’re at.

Drag makeup can also be effective!

Sorry to be a buzz kill, but that’s the reason seeing cats playing with hair ties stresses me out. If cats don’t vomit them up, they can become impacted in the intestines, or even tear them, and cause a life threatening emergency.

You’re very welcome, and I hope it’s helpful!

This! Yes, cats are obligate carnivores, but every one is an individual with unique physiological needs. Excess protein is passed out of the body in different ways. Diet modification could be helpful.

To best help your vet, try to get the Typical Analysis of your cat’s foods. This is different from the Guaranteed Analysis found on pet food packaging. Guaranteed Analyses offer nutrient values in minimums and maximums rather than the actual percentage of the nutrient found in the food. This is very important. A food may say 35% protein minimum in the GA, but that could be a way higher number in actuality. Since you feed wet food, I would recommend requesting these nutritional values on a dry matter basis rather than an as-is or as-fed (these mean the same thing) basis.

Not all pet food manufacturers provide the Typical Analysis for their products on their website, as it’s not legally required. If this is the case for your cat’s food, please reach out to their customer service team to ask for this information. They should have no problem providing it for you. If they do, I’d seriously recommend switching foods.

I’ve worked in veterinary medicine and as a nutritional product specialist for a pet food manufacturer. If I can help, please feel free to message me. I hope you’re able to figure this out for your kitty!

I’m sorry you’re being downvoted. I agree with you. This is our country, and it’s been established that our government isn’t acting to protect it. Ultimately, if we want to keep it, we need to be ready and willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the future. I don’t blame people for balking at the immense personal costs this could bring, but what’s the alternative?

No one is coming to save us. We are facing a lot of frightening choices right now, but this means it’s the time for courage.

That’s part of having a cat.

Commence to jigglin’!

A piece of flourite and a water pipe.

No, probably just someone with empathy who recognizes the shit situation humans created and how it’s going to play out in the lives of New Zealand’s cats.

I’m not saying the influence of AIPAC isn’t important, but I feel like being a patronizing twat instead of seizing a moment to help educate someone on the topic isn’t a great way to welcome people to the cause.

Um, yes? Can we just all enjoy a small crumb of something steering toward the right direction?

I’ve worked in animal rescues, shelters, and at a veterinary clinic. I’ve interacted with probably hundreds of pit bulls in my life over the years, and I’ve fostered more than ten of them. My fosters were all lovely with me, other people (especially children), my resident dogs, and all my cats. One went on to become a service dog for a little boy with autism, and my last foster is now a support dog for a young adult with severe autism.

While I have met some pits with behavioral issues and different types of aggression, they are few and far between. There are many, many other breeds that have a higher percentage of individuals with dangerous behavioral issues than pit bulls.

I would encourage anyone who has such patently false ideas about these dogs to volunteer at their local shelter and get some actual experience with bully breeds. If that’s too big an ask, have a conversation with the vet techs and doctor assistants at your veterinary clinic, and ask them which breeds they have the most difficulty with during appointments. It won’t be put bulls. There is a reason that very few people that work with dogs share your opinion.

My oldest cat will bring up socks, underwear, and even tank tops from the laundry area downstairs. She lets out such mournful cries while she’s doing it. Most mornings we have to collect her harvest and take everything back downstairs, restarting the process.

Everyone needs a space for venting, so maybe this concept would let people purge and be generally more pleasant to be around?

Thank you for this comment! I have a cat with FLUTD, and this condition can become fatal quickly if not addressed.

I’d also like to add that declawing can lead to litter box avoidance, and as a consequence, inappropriate elimination in cats. Declawing doesn’t just take the nail, but it also either removes or damages he first “knuckle” bone in cats’ paws. This can result in nerve damage, which makes cats’ natural digging in substrate painful. This is one of many reasons to not declaw your cat. There is no justification for this awful surgery.