Tuesday, July 7, 2009

A Flood of Felines

I wish I were in need of a cat.

With Petcetera going bankrupt there are more than enough to go around, and it seems that the SPCA can't handle the onslaught of homeless cats in the Lower Mainland. Unfortunately my landlord doesn't allow pets, and to be honest, I don't really want another cat in my life at this point. They can live for two decades and don't like to travel.

Adopting a pet from a shelter is a goal I have because I miss my animals and think that my next one should be in need of a home and not just be a commodity bred for the sole purpose of making some overweight, dirty-fingernailed guy named Angus enough to take an extended vacation this year. The thing is, I'm thinking it'll be a small animal, like a rodent or maybe a gecko if I happen to be living in sub-Saharan Africa and they have a more exotic selection at the SPCA.

No, but seriously, why do people not get their pets spayed or neutered? It is a fairly simple solution to a fairly serious problem. With so many unwanted animals (especially cats) it just doesn't make sense to let your cat or dog procreate, now matter how lovely it is to witness the miracle of birth and enjoy eight weeks of awesome cuteness. And we don't even need to talk about rabbits. If you can't afford to have your kitten or puppy fixed, then you shouldn't get one in the first place. Resist the temptation! Don't look in the sad little eyes! Stop petting the soft wrinkly belly! Walk away! It's not cheap to feed and take care of, and you can't just put it on a shelf when it gets big and you get tired of it.

Anyway, stepping down from my soapbox and getting back to the main point, I realize this would be an ideal time to cross an item off my list if it were a cat I was looking for. If the SPCA had a new shipment of rats I would get one yesterday, but I think I'll keep holding out for a two-month old female Border Terrier, Flat-Coated Retriever mix.

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