Quote:
Originally Posted by RUSTYcat
While I have deliberately chosen to ignore the latest "pro-toilet" proponent, I will adress your post.
I hope you will notice that I said address, not "attack".
Opinions and other ill-informed recommendations from individuals who, by the very nature of their posts, demonstrate their ignorance (that's the true "ignorance", not the new-brat-age definition) of feline health and physiology, were one of the main reasons I lobbied for a separate "Cat Health" forum.
The last straw, for me, was a post in a thread about a very serious health issue, in which the poster began "I know nothing about cats, but I would recommend..." That did it.
Yours just now is very much in the same vein. The latest proponent was met with, IMO, - not attack - but with a number of (to those who really know cats) salient, cogent reasons for not "toilet training" any cat. Perhaps, if you were to review (actually read and get an understanding of) those arguments, you might have a better sense of the real concerns.
The individual whom you appear to be supporting has yet to explain how s/he will determine the frequency of her/his cat's urination, the amounts of urine, the colour of the urine, whether/not there may be blood in the urine, the consistency of the cat's stool, the amount of stool, the content of the stool, whether/not there is blood in the stool. S/he has yet to explain how, years from now, when their aged, arthritic cat can no longer mount "the throne" and hold himself there, they will be able to retrain for the litterbox. (Given everything else I have heard from this individual, however, I have no qualms suggesting that, when that time comes, so will the declaration that the cat's quality of life will have deteriorated to the point where it will have to be euthanized (remember, because it can no longer "use the toilet")
By contrast, the OP (the individual who began this thread), even though having set out to so train her cat, had the common sense and the intelligence to offer that s/he would take all the pros and cons to her Vet and seek a medical opinion. The "latest arrival" here hasn't as much as acknowledged a medical connection to her/his obsession.
Self-deception is - by nature - time limited.......eventually nature will catch up and bite you in the...
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This is why I choose to mostly shut my mouth when I come to this website.
I am sorry, but it still feels like an attack to me, even with all the pretty words. All I meant to do is to say that each individual pet owner is responsible for his/her pets. Although I am not as "educated" as some of you may be, I am nonetheless a very responsible pet owner. There is a reason that I didn't toilet-train Max. All I said was that each individual has the right to choose for his/her pet to the best of their abilities and knowledge.
There are ways to deal with things and sometimes we all see horrific things that people do to their pets, but I find that some people on this thread are very strongly opinionated and just that sometimes it actually sounds condescending, intimidating and rude rather than knowledgeable. I am
NOT saying that you are rude and condescending, just that I sometimes get turned off from coming here or from sharing my opinion for that exact response I got from you. I am simply afraid to voice
my opinion at all, because it may get a reaction, just like it did.
For example, in case you are wondering why I feel that I am being attacked, you suggesting that " Perhaps, if you were to review (actually read and get an understanding of) those arguments, you might have a better sense of the real concerns."
to me sounds like an assumption that I did not read any information or that I am an idiot. Which is untrue in both cases. You claim the person that started this thread has the common sense to go to the vet..Hmm...are you going to actually be there, to see that they
actually go to the vet with this? Or, maybe, just maybe, they just didn't want a whole bunch of people ganging up on them, quickly folded up and chose to go and get that information that they wanted elsewhere...Internet is a great thing, don't you agree? I am not saying that this is what happens, but who knows for sure? Unless you are right there with that person, you have no clue what they are going to do!
As well as telling a story about the last straw and then saying "Yours just now is very much in the same vein", you actually compared my post to someone who said they knew nothing about cats and yet voiced their opinion. Again, to me it translates in: keep your mouth shut, as you don't know what you are saying.
Like I said before, each person is responsible for his or her actions and they have the choice what to feed their cat, what to do with their cats body (declaw, neuter or not, shave the hair off...whatever!) and I do not think they should be "crucified" for it. I think that cat that is toilet-trained, but is loved, is fed properly etc is much better off than living on the street or worse, in SPCA box...Its up to the pet owner to make the right choices.
If you are suggesting that only people who are
educated enough should own pets, well,
I agree, but that's not the case, is it? There are regular people out there, that just go get a
or a
, not knowing what commitment and how much work it is... Same thing with human babies, it doesn't take much to bring one to the world, but thats a whole different website. Until people become reasonably more educated and considerate - we can only hope for the best. :sad:
Anyways, I am sorry if I took things in your post too personally, but that's the way I am. I take things to heart when they are directed at me...
I don't want to high-jack a thread...or start a war...
