Image by Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi via FlickrThanks to misinformation and scare tactics, many people are afraid of their cats, or even the prospect of owning one in the first place. Sometimes people surrender or abandon a cherished pet because they believe something terrible is happening or is about to happen. Pity the poor feline who has come to trust and love his humans, only to be suddenly cast out with no place to go, or finds him- or herself at a shelter in unfamiliar and frightening surroundings.The paranoia must end. Many thousands of cats die yearly for no good reason. They've done nothing wrong. They deserve protection, respect and understanding. We can do that by becoming educated.
People must stop attributing ultimate authority to others, even when it's someone they trust. There are many sources for information, but there is no one single source that has all the answers. Therefore, we owe it to our pets, ourselves and our families to look in many places and make comparisons to "see how much mud sticks to the wall." Good research doesn't rest on one source.
If you suspect your cat may have a health issue, visit your veterinarian...not the pound, not the shelter, and definitely not a remote dump site.
