Reply #33: I don't hate all the breeders out there

[hyphenate]

Though I am opposed to overwhelming breeding in many cases.

The cat fancy has, more than the dog fancy, been instrumental in keeping some of the different breeds of cats alive. They love cats, period. Responsible breeders also do a lot of work in spay and release programs, and helping the cat population get manageable.

I don't think that scrupulous breeders contribute as much to the overall population of cats--in fact, many breeders I know stop after two or three pregnancies. And they are careful in treating their cats. Many breeders do it strictly for the love of a particular breed--most of them stick to one breed, and make the most of their abilities in raising them.

The real problem is having animals treated like property, instead of a stewardship. By this equation, pets become throwaways and do not have the ability to be defended legally. Look at the Michael Vick case--many of us were shocked, but in some regions of the country, the behavior of Vick and others implicated in the dog fighting issue was and remains the norm, and it will take a very long time before the situation changes for the better.

I simply question, in this article here, how some people are imagining a wonderful relationship with a 35 lb., four feet high feline, and are going to end up with a mess--figuratively and literally--on their hands.