why i hate animals

[amw]

I was going to do a picture post of my weekend up the river, but i'm currently sitting in a house with my nerves shot to shit thanks to a job i took that will save me about a grand in accommodation costs

Comments

[sweetmeow]

As one who loves my cats, this post was kind of a gut punch. Yet - I admit you're correct in your evaluation of the situation. Our pets -- dogs, cats, parakeets, etc. etc. are (now) raised for human pleasure. Servitude is really what's going on. During the pandemic, I was so grateful for my two cats who brought me so much pleasure when the virus kept me more quarantined. I often wonder what cats and dogs were like before humans domesticated them. We have changed their innate and wild nature by bringing them "in

[amw]

Yeah, it's definitely a complicated situation. I think it can make more sense from an ethical point of view if we see animals more like plants. Like, we cultivate the varieties that are most useful or pleasing to us, and that's just the way it is. Animals will be domesticated, just as plants were selected for optimum yields, and we shouldn't think it unnatural because that's the harsh reality of nature. The smartest creature will always end up top of the food chain, and keep every other species below it

[sweetmeow]

I think you summarized it. Basically we can't put the worms back in the can after so many years of domesticating animals. So we do the best we can to minimize the mistakes that have already been made: keep the animal inside, and do not allow it to breed. All my cats have been neutered / spayed and are inside only

[dadi]

LOL..I have always seen myself as my cat's servant. He totally bosses me around and I love him all the more for it. He is very clear in what he wants and I probably assecondate him much more than I do my fellow humans ;)

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[coercedbynutmeg]

You are either amazing or nuts to take on a 19 year old cat. I didn't know they even lived that long. I'd be afraid that it would die on my watch

[amw]

I'm also terrified it'll die on my watch!

When i heard i'd be catsitting i was like, okay, no big deal. But now i'm so scared she'll die of (self-induced) starvation, or i'll roll over and squish her or something. To be fair, i have been pretty impressed with her energy level so far. She even still likes to chase around one of those fake mice on a stick - for a short while, at least - so there's a bit of life left in her. I'm definitely glad i'm only going to be doing the first week, though. I'm much more worried i'll do something wrong than i would be if it was a younger cat.

I suppose if i had to put frivolous pet ownership on a scale with frivolous childbirth, perhaps it's better that some people have a pet to keep them company than that they have a kid for the same reason. But i suspect the long lead time makes the latter situation less likely (well, assuming there was easily available abortion). I wonder if people had to wait 9 months to get a pet license if they'd still do it?

[kanzeon_2040]

You are definitely allowed to whine! Taking care of an elderly pet is a lot of work even when you have a personal relationship with the pet, it is extra difficult when you don't know each other and they don't trust you putting strange things into their food or into their mouth, etc. Cats will often simply hide from new people showing up and supposedly wanting to "care" for them. Good luck with the rest of your time there.

[amw]

So far so good! I am trying to be as fun and friendly as i can be, given i'm a stranger. It probably helps that (despite this entry) i am a cat person, so i will take a lot more shit from her than i would from a dog. I just hope she keeps eating enough to stay alive until i hand the job over to L next week.