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You are here: Home / Nature & Respite / Faunasphere / Faunasphere: Zaftig Felines Edition

Faunasphere: Zaftig Felines Edition

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Dear Juicers, Animal issues seem to be more in the news than ever before. Below is this week’s sampling. Let us know what you think of any of the below items, and please feel free to add any faunasphere-related news of your own in the comments. – Hillary

  • Gotcher vegan Girl Scout cookies right here.
  • Wonderful! Cat and dog deaths down and adoptions up due to increased socializing, mobile adoption vans, pet food pantries, and other New York City shelter reforms.
  • Good laws! Minneapolis City Council votes to ban cruel elephant bullhooks and Tempe, AZ, becomes the 120th U.S. locality to ban the sale of puppies in pet stores. Meanwhile, Honduras becomes one of the first countries in Latin America to penalize animal cruelty with jail time.
  • Tyson Foods: a mega-polluter.
  • Photo of fur farmed fox by Jo-Anne McArthur / The Ghosts in Our Machine. Used with permission.
    Photo of fur farmed fox by Jo-Anne McArthur / The Ghosts in Our Machine. Used with permission.

    “…whose lives and souls are destroyed by human excess.” Fascinating Psychology Today interview with Jo-Anne McArthur, considered by many the foremost photojournalist of animal exploitation.

  • Noted animal activist Brigitte Bardot (yes, that Brigitte Bardot) asks that you sign her petition protesting the plight of the “galgos,” the approximately 50,000 Spanish greyhounds who, at the end of each hunting season, are killed, often in sadistic ways, by their owners.
  • Incredibly moving, and a balm to those of us who have lost a canine loved one: a dog’s letter to his guardian on his last day.
  • Good news for the orangutans and everyone else: Borneo sets aside 168,000 acres of rain forest as a wildlife preserve.
  • Werebear may weigh in: research sez fat cats won’t hate you if you force them to diet.
  • There will come a day when no reasonable person would ask a child to lovingly raise and nurture an animal only to send him off to slaughter. “Known as the Trail of Tears, the dirt-floor tunnel of the Richardson-Bass Building is where the youngsters say goodbye to their livestock. While some of the youth are stern-faced and business-like, others cry openly….Such was the case with Kendyll, who hugged Oatmeal and kissed the top of his head.”
  • More Federal welfare for cattlemen: the annual Yellowstone bison “cull.” The stated reason is to prevent the bison from transmitting brucellosis to cattle, which scientists say has never actually happened. The more likely explanation: to clear grazing land for cattle. Cost to taxpayers of this program since 2000: $50 million.
  • Trader Joe’s and BJ’s announce moves to 100% cage free eggs. Cage-free /= cruelty-free, but it’s a great first step.

How about it Juicers? Can we at least agree that zaftig felines >>> human fat cats?

Reader Interactions

91Comments

  2. 2.

    Hillary Rettig

    Hello world?!?!?!?!

    Lossa browser issues on my end, it literally took a week to get this post published. Now using Chrome instead of Firefox. Seems to be working.

  4. 4.

    maurinsky

    I have never had an overweight pet. I don’t know how that happened, the furball I currently live with has 24/7 access to food, but she has moderated herself pretty well.

  5. 5.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Hillary Rettig: If there’s supposed to be a picture of an actual rotund feline, no. If its just the post, then yes.

    Also, is the socializing among the dogs and cats, the people, or the dogs, the cats, and the people in item 1.

  6. 6.

    trollhattan

    The doubly ironic feature of buffalo brucellosis: it’s not an endemic disease. It was transmitted to buffalo by…free range cattle.

    Don’t think for a moment there isn’t a connection between this and the Bundy lot. Ranchers have had out-of-proportion control over the American West for a century and a half, and are utterly dependent on federal support (cowboy welfare). Some of them just know how to behave in public.

  7. 7.

    Betty Cracker

    @Hillary Rettig: Now I can! Earlier, it was just a title and comment tags. Weird!

    ETA: Also, I saw it front paged briefly a few times before with just the title and comment tags. Yep, weird!

  8. 8.

    Hillary Rettig

    @maurinsky: I am struggling with Billy (dog) right now. He is supposed to be on a diet but he is also on a new drug that is making him ravenous.

    Either that, or I’m totally getting played…

  10. 10.

    Amir Khalid

    You should have warned us about The New York Times link. When I clicked on it., I got a warning that this was my last free story for the month.

  11. 11.

    MomSense

    When my cats started gaining weight, we switched their food to a lower carb version and they slimmed down quickly. Fat or skinny, I miss them.

  13. 13.

    Hillary Rettig

    @trollhattan: >The doubly ironic feature of buffalo brucellosis: it’s not an endemic disease. It was transmitted to buffalo by…free range cattle.

    wow, I think the linked article missed that. that’s horrible.

  15. 15.

    Amir Khalid

    Brigitte Bardot has been pro-animal rights for many years, but she’s also become a xenophobic right-wing nutjob in her old age, railing against people of colour and in particular Muslims. So I’m not exactly all, yay BB.

  17. 17.

    Walker

    The problem with the Oatmeal story is that they allowed the girl to bond to the animal like a pet. Most farming families I know go out of their way to make sure their children understand the difference between a pet and food livestock.

  22. 22.

    WaterGirl

    @maurinsky: I keep all my guys (dogs and cats) slim, as well. If they get a little chunky while I”m away on a trip, when I get back it’s like “sorry, but you need to lose that weight”.

    Oh, if that would only work with myself. “Sorry, you need to lose some weight, that’s just the way it is.”

  23. 23.

    trollhattan

    @Paul in KY:
    I wasn’t quite ready for that link–the evident brutality is stark and unlike the bullring, where once in a while the bull gets a dude, these dogs have no future whatsoever after their very brief “careers.” I signed, once I googled to find out what “pays” means.

  27. 27.

    Paul in KY

    @trollhattan: Is it so fucking hard to whack them in the head with a hammer? Letting them starve to death, or some of the other sick methods of offing them are just repulsive, to me.

  30. 30.

    WaterGirl

    @Hillary Rettig: My guys never eat when it’s not mealtime. So they may beg but it never gets them anywhere. They are ever hopeful, but I just say “nope, not for you” and they sigh and walk away. Maybe it’s the tone of voice I use? Very matter of fact.

  31. 31.

    WereBear

    @Walker: The problem with the Oatmeal story is that they allowed the girl to bond to the animal like a pet.

    Like it is possible to stop them.

    I find that too many parents are willing to coerce the child into feeling the way they think they “should” and not recognize that real feelings are at stake here.

    I cannot take the vegan tack of eliminating animals for food, but certainly cruelty need not be part of the equation. For humans or others.

  33. 33.

    Paul in KY

    @Hillary Rettig: I can’t believe (or maybe I can) that the Spanish King is OK with this. Those creeps must be a powerful/noisy constituency. or maybe that’s how he offed his pedigreed galgos back in the day.

    He doesn’t have any ‘real’ power, but he could certainly speak out about this & ask them to be more humane.

  34. 34.

    Hillary Rettig

    @WaterGirl: you must be so alpha. /envious sigh

    actually I was doing pretty well until B had his med change. also this coincided with his brother Petey’s death. ever since then he hasn’t just acted hungry, he’s acted starving. so it’s really hard to see what’s going on – if I’m being played or if he’s really that hungry. the theophyllin does make him more active, and he’s not actually gaining weight, so perhaps we’re okay. but I have a feeling that the calorie count is getting gradually bigger…

  35. 35.

    WereBear

    Fat cats get that way because their food has grains in it, which they cannot digest.

    Instead, grain and even many forms of starch, overwork their pancreas and gives them diabetes. Many of my readers found that they could manage their cats’ diabetes with diet and eliminate the constant vet visits and shots.

    Don’t starve the fat cat

    The cat in the linked article above is probably acting sweet to her people because then maybe they won’t keep starving her.

  36. 36.

    WaterGirl

    @Hillary Rettig: That’s a start, so thank you. But it ends with “This is only a part of his letter for his humans!”, so it’s not the whole thing. :-(

    edit: never mind. I read the part that was at the link and it was just too heartbreaking. I think I’m good without the rest.

  37. 37.

    daverave

    My dear, not-too-fat tabby Buddy is going through some health issues at the age of 14. He’s having surgery tomorrow to remove a large cyst on his back that he’s been dealing with since November. He’s had to wear the cutest onesie outfit for six weeks now since he licked a hole in the cyst. He is obsessive about being clean! Either mrs. daverave or I sleep with him every night to try and make sure he doesn’t go off on his scabby wound.

    On top of that he’s got an on-again, off-again limp that an x-ray revealed may be a bone infection or cancer in his paw/wrist. Tomorrow’s surgery may indicate whether the previously benign cyst is the source of that… or maybe not. The vet has said that a cancer diagnosis would necessitate the amputation of his front leg at the elbow. :-( We’re pretty sure at his age and with his personality that that would reduce the quality of his life to a sub-optimal level.

    He’s been stuck inside for a month now and been reduced to walking his owners on their leash through the backyard a couple of times a day. He absolutely loves being out in the sun listening to the sounds of the neighborhood.

    Anyway, the kind thoughts of the BJ community would be appreciated as Buddy fights his way back to good health.

  38. 38.

    Hillary Rettig

    @Paul in KY: this has been going on “forever,” unfortunately.

    the Spanish king hunts. and honestly even many countries that seem quite okay / compassionate have their animal issues. Canada clubs baby seals right? :-( And Norway and Iceland still hunt whales.

  40. 40.

    Roger Moore

    @WaterGirl:

    Oh, if that would only work with myself. “Sorry, you need to lose some weight, that’s just the way it is.”

    It would be easier if somebody else were controlling your food supply.

  42. 42.

    WaterGirl

    @Hillary Rettig: Is Billy on pred? Or anything like it? One human I knew who had to take it for awhile described it as wanting to open the fridge and just start at the top shelf and eat until you got all the way to the bottom.

  45. 45.

    WereBear

    @daverave: Kind thoughts indeed!

    And I totally sympathize with difficult decisions that may loom at this time. Quality of life is a huge issue for cats especially, though it is a factor in all forms of life.

    Cats can adapt to a handicap of some kind better than they can a string of vet visits, in my experience.

  46. 46.

    WaterGirl

    @Roger Moore: That’s what I always say!

    But boy, would that make me mad!!! “I know you’re still hungry, but that’s all you get.” Said in a matter of fact tone of voice, no less. grrr.

    edit: does this make me a republican? I’ve got mine, fuck you.

  47. 47.

    Hillary Rettig

    @daverave: Best wishes to you and Buddy as he recovers! Please keep us posted and I’m sure there’s a general interest in seeing him in his onesie!

  48. 48.

    ruemara

    @Hillary Rettig: no. No “Alpha” talk, please. Dominance is not an animal trait. Yes, science backs it up. Let’s allow that tired, cruel philosophy die an ignoble death. You’re leading your pet. If Kitty is chunky, offer a positive option and stick to your leader guns. It’s like providing a loving, yet disciplined household atmosphere for kids.

  49. 49.

    Hillary Rettig

    @WaterGirl: no but he’s on theophyllin which is dilating his bronchia and giving him more oxygen, so he’s somewhat more active. so that could be upping his appetite.

    he’s also supposed to be on a special hydrocodone cough syrup which is taking us forever to get. lots of back and forth b/c it’s controlled and also only available from a compounding pharmacy

  53. 53.

    WaterGirl

    @Hillary Rettig: Is Billy gaining or losing weight? With my dogs, I don’t worry so much about exact measurements of food, I just adjust to keep their weight at the right place, if that makes any sense.

  54. 54.

    Hillary Rettig

    @WaterGirl: he’s gaining slowly – gone from 16 pounds a couple of months ago to 17 pounds this month. so we do need to watch him. doc actually advised he lose a bit to help his trachea.

    but at this very moment he’s begging for his dinner 1.5 hours early, and only 2 hours after his last meal. he used to beg .5 hours early and after 4 hours. so this is changed behavior and it makes me think he really is hungry.

  59. 59.

    WaterGirl

    @Hillary Rettig: Got it! Then you do need to cut back a little or maybe take him for an extra walk so he is more active. How many times a day do you feed Billy? Could you add one more feeding? (obviously a smaller amount at each one!) Another thing I might try with Billy would be to do something to interact with him when he asks to eat early. He lost his pal and his world is different, so maybe he’s feeling uncertain or nervous or lonely or something and it plays out as him asking for food early?

    I am not holding myself up as an expert; I just have had dogs my whole adult life and I always have ideas!

  61. 61.

    Grumpy Code Monkey

    @WereBear:

    Fat cats get that way because their food has grains in it, which they cannot digest.

    They can also get fat by just eating too much. We raw feed our kids, and one of our boys would steal food by bullying the other cats off of their plates, enough to where he wound up over 5 lbs overweight. We now have to stand over them until everybody is finished to make sure he doesn’t get anyone else’s food.

    He also remoras around when we hand feed one of the dogs (who’s a Lab and would inhale the entire bowl in one bite otherwise), picking up the bits that wind up on the floor. He’s just a disgusting glutton of a cat.

    He’s also a mean drunk when he gets catnip; I think those traits may be related.

    All the others self-regulate just fine, except for the one with the hyperactive thyroid, but she has an excuse. And she got the I-131 treatment yesterday, so that shouldn’t be a problem after next week.

  62. 62.

    Hillary Rettig

    @WaterGirl: he’s up to 5 meals a day, including one late at night with his antibiotic. (same tracheal condition).

    I think your idea to interact with him when he’s hungry is a really good one. Thank you!

  63. 63.

    Culture of Truth

    @daverave Great pics!

    Tiger has never had a problem with weight. When he’s hungry, he’s sure to let me know, but doesn’t over eat.

  66. 66.

    daverave

    @trollhattan:

    One of the positives of the whole Malheur/Bundy drama (other than Cliven finally getting to see some bars for his seditious behavior) is that I haven’t had any red meat since the refuge takeover. As a lover of public land access throughout the West, I decided that I no longer want even my minimal beef consumption to any way support any of the leeches in the cattle ranching “industry.” Baby steps, I know….

  68. 68.

    WaterGirl

    @Adam L Silverman: That link shows a photo but it doesn’t actually have the letter. To see the letter, I have to click on “Benny’s Facebook fans” and that’s where I am prompted for the login. What am I doing wrong?

  69. 69.

    dexwood

    @daverave:

    Best wishes for Buddy and you. Having lost Dexter Dog two weeks ago to the scourge of bone cancer which spread to his lungs, you have my sympathy. We do what we can for our pets all their lives. In the end, we do what we must for them.

  70. 70.

    WereBear

    @Grumpy Code Monkey: I know that a period of food insecurity can create such behavior; two of our four rescue cats had/have food issues because of almost-dying. Which will leave a mark.

    I let my rescues eat all they wish; in my experience, they would get overweight, realize food will always be there, and then calm down and lose the weight.

    Of course, it might be that I just did not encounter cats who don’t know how to stop no matter what happens :)

    Also, any dog or cat might have thyroid or adrenal gland issues which creates unnatural hunger which can never be sated. Or, as pointed out above, steroids, which makes a mammal ravenous. At least, this one.

  74. 74.

    trollhattan

    @Roger Moore:
    Yup, and coyotes by the hundreds of thousands, which the wolves would do themselves if they were present in anything remotely like their historical numbers.

    The freakout in NE California over the tiny wolfpack that may have moved in during the last year would be completely comical if it weren’t for the potential quick end of the wolves. I’d like to live long enough to see one.

  76. 76.

    Icedfire

    @WereBear: I know the post is roughly 5 years old, but there wasn’t anything mentioned in the comments — your caloric density calculations were reversed. They actually did increase from 1965 to 2001.

  79. 79.

    PurpleGirl

    Hillary, re diets for fat cats: A rescuer I know in CT took in a nursing home’s cat who was going to be put down because the cat was fat. The cat was 32 lbs. because everyone in the nursing home fed the cat. Cassie found a fosterer who promised to exercise the cat and change its food intake so it could lose weight. After a few months, the cat was down to 25 lbs, as active as could be and the fosterer decided to give the cat a forever home. A very happy outcome for everyone.

  81. 81.

    PurpleGirl

    Hillary — the NYTimes article mentioned shelter cough. There is a cat rescuer in northern Alabama who heard that a county shelter was about the kill all its animals — dogs and cats — because many of the dogs had shelter cough. Kendra arranged to take about 3 dozen of the cats and their kittens. She then arranged with my friend in CT to send a bunch of them to CT because Cassie is always asked for kittens. Cassie found all the Alabama kittens and cats forever homes. Last year Cassie took in 3 shipments of kittens/cats from Alabama. (I happily sponsored the transport and living costs for one of the kittens.)

  82. 82.

    daverave

    Just back from a long walk/extended sits around the yard with Buddy. He told me to thank everyone for their kind thoughts!

  83. 83.

    PurpleGirl

    @daverave: Will keep your tabby in my thoughts. Have you thought of having a catio (cat patio) built outside your house and connected to a window that you can open to let the tabby walk around the catio. He could see and hear the outside without actually needing to be walked by you.

  87. 87.

    Hillary Rettig

    @PurpleGirl: what an inspiring story. thanks for sharing it; people like that Alabama woman and your friend Cassie humble me. They save so many lives. // Up here in Kzoo is a kind retired woman named Dusty who fosters a dozen or more dogs and cats at a time. She is pure love, and we got both of our rescues from her.

  89. 89.

    J R in WV

    We had a cat much like Buddy, orange, proud. Alley cat from downtown.

    He would lie against my bald head late at night, supposing that I didn’t know, to stay warm. I knew, and would lie very still so as to not spook him.

    We have a rescue cat named Pun’kin, who was tiny when MRs J found her trapped in a culvert. She quickly gained a ton of weight. We started mixing pumpkin in her food, which we had used with great success on an elderly cat who was having constipation problems.

    Anyway, we got Punkin down to a desirable weight, much to the amaze of our vets. Now we just keep her from eating the other cat’s food, or the dog food, and pumpkin isn’t necessary. But it worked!

    We didn’t name her punkin because of the pumpkin, but because she was shaped like a pumpkin. She’s very affectionate, which is sweet, she is mostly black and dark brown, with a very few tiny spots of pale tan.

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