If you can't handle your pet, you should have them taken away?

Question

I posted this thing about disciplining my cat and this guy says that if I can't handle my cat I should have him taken away from me. My question then is where, to the shelter? Where since he's not as babyish cute as he's used to be has a 50% chance of being put down? That's dumb and I get angry when people say take his or her cat away if they can't afford it or take care of it to perfection.

My cat has a good life with me, he has a clean litter box all the time (automatic) food so he doesn't starve, a nice sofa or my leg he can sleep on for warmth and even his own nice bed.

The bottomline is, isn't it better to give a cat a good life not excellent, not a rich life but a good life than take it away and put it in a shetler just because it's life is not perfect. Please be careful when you say that a person shouldn't be able ot own a pet or have then taken away. Sometimes it applies but other times, you piss people off by criticizing how they care for "THEIR" pets.

Answer 1

Hi there again...a pet animal does not need to be removed from a home if the household isn't abusive, depriving the animal of food and water, provides their essential needs, etc. However, your previous post seem provocative in nature with the statement of knocking the cat on the head, swat the butt..., which I could understand why some responses answered to give the cat away or taken from you.

An animal should be taken care of to the best of a human's ability. Anything less than adequate would be unfair to the animal as it creates emotional strife so it would be better off either in a new home or the worse alternative euthanized if no home could be found.

Please see my answer below which is reply to your other post.

Hi there..."successful" professional animal trainers NEVER discipline with negative punishment as their animals will not learn what they need to do and this punishment creates devastating or fatal risks as the animal becomes fearful as well as aggressive. The big cats, elephants, etc actually are trained ONLY with positive reinforcement in order to achieve the results many people witness in show exhibitions. The old days of whipping the tigers are no longer accepted by professionals as they know these methods are considered dangerous and not to mention inhumane as well.

Please understand that canines have the alpha male. This doesn't apply to cats as they are independent and solitary naturally, therefore there is no reason to inherit this behaviour. Cats only resort to aggressive means in the wild to defend their food or territory--nothing more. Any animal who is punished will learn to become fearful, some aggressive, but yes they will still return because of the fact they need to satiate their hunger. Animals that can get fed from another source and isn't punished will avoid the punisher if they know there's food another source.

Domestic cats can act like they rule the home, however they can be trained with positive reinforcement to effectively behave if there are problems. This is the only way to retrain them and they can become more obedient sooner with this method of training rather than resorting to the old techniques of swatting, scolding, squirting water, etc. The only learn to associate fear with these latter techniques since they see the punisher attached to those negative punishers. Furthermore, cats cannot reason like humans as they are instinctual.

To effectively train a cat is to research the species. They are not humans and should not be trained since they lack the ability to reason with logic like humans. Understanding the species is required by all animal trainers in order to effectively train them successfully. Without understanding the nature of the species we fail them as their responsible caretakers or parents.

Answer 2

I missed the reason for punishing the cat.. I too will swat my cats for bad behaviour. Not HARD, but enough to let them know I am unhappy with them.

Another poster mentioned the cat urinating. I had a cat that had urinary tract problems and needed medication. Once the vet treated him he was fine.

If for some reason you need to get rid of the cat and think that the shelter will "put it down" consider putting it up for adotption for a farm or ranch so that it can live outdoors in a barn or something.

Good luck...

Answer 3

I don't really know what you were doing to discipline you cat so I can't really comment on that. I do believe as long as someone is taking care of their animal and keeping it healthy and not abusing it it is ok for them to keep it. What really entitles taking care of a pet to perfection? As long as they are healthy and all their needs met, isn't that taking care of them to perfection?

I do believe though if someone has a pet and doesn't take it to the vet when needed they should not have the pet. (Not saying you don't take your cat to the vet.)

Answer 4

I also believe a similar thing. No, a cat does not have to live a life of royalty. But if one of your pets are sick, it is YOUR responsibility to take it to the vet. Those are the kind of people who I can`t stand, the ones that come on here and say "my cat is puking blood but I can`t afford to take him to the vet". My saying is, if you can`t afford the vet, you can`t afford the pet.

Answer 5

Ignore the person that said that you should have your pet taken away.

DO take the cat to the vet to have them figure out why it is peeing inappropriately. The cat may have a urinary tract infection.

Spanking the cat will not solve the problem.

Good luck,

Annorax.

Answer 6

you shouldnt just get rid of you cat because it is bad, because then i will just be killed in the shelter. You just have it be patient and stuff. besides there is too many animals that are in the pound, and all get killed. and that is really sad. so just be patient , then get more cats and more and more, ha ha.

Answer 7

Absolutely, only, sounds like you're doing a great job. Now, if you had been asking questions about how to keep your pit bull from jumping the fence...

Answer 8

Hitting a cat is not taking care of it, it is abusive.

Answer 9

Dont give her awway. Hitting your cat is overdoing it a bit. They are small, and it could hurt them. Spray it with a mister/waterbottle if it's bad.

Answer 10

don't give your cat away. be patient.