Advocating for Equal Rights for Felines: A Compelling Argument
In theory, cats and dogs are almost on the same level in terms of popularity as companion pets. Dogs just edge out cats in this regard. We should therefore treat their rights and interests equally. Unfortunately, it seems that cats don’t have the same PR as dogs. They are often ignored and even discriminated against in some cases.
Cats can’t do anything right
We do not as a society take the welfare of cats and their interests as seriously. The law is biased in favor of dogs, with many laws regulating and protecting them while most cats are ignored and left without legal owners. The UK recently introduced a law to control puppy farming, but not kitten farms. However, it also brought in new rules that protect the sale of kittens. The UK does not require microchipping for cats, but it is mandatory for dogs. You must also report an injured dog in a traffic accident. There has been a cat problem in the UK since years, with thousands of feral and stray cats roaming around the country. However, there is no government initiative that can solve this issue.
The UK has only one cat-specific animal charity, compared to several others that focus on dogs. It also receives only half of the donations as one dog-specific charity. “I hate cats is more common than ” I hate dogs“. Internet is full of gadgets to scare them away, including motion water sprinklers, prickle strips, and electronic and ultrasonic devices.
Dogs are allowed to poop wherever they please and we ignore the plastic bags that litter the ground. Cats, on the other hand, are still ridiculed for pooping in a flowerbed even though they cover their messes unlike dogs. Dogs are allowed to run around, chase animals and cause trouble. Cats are vilified for being free and stalking small birds and other animals. For these reasons, we are more cruel to cats and some places even try to ban or confine them indoors.
The majority of television documentaries are devoted to dogs, with very few focusing on cats. For example, we have Dog Rescuers or For the Love of Dogs starring Paul O’Grady. There is also the coverage of Crufts Dog Show, but I’m not aware of any cat shows. Battersea Dogs Home also houses cats, but that part of the name is seldom mentioned. We denigrate dogs in favor of cats so often.
On social media, cats win out over dogs.
Unfortunately, the internet is a place where cats seem to have an advantage over dogs. Videos of cats doing silly, cute or unnatural things are made by people to be laughed at. The majority of these videos aren’t funny and the cats would be better off without them. There are hundreds of videos featuring ‘famous’ cats, such as Grumpy Cat or keyboard cat videos that show a ginger kitten in a dress playing the toy piano. Or a cat dressed in a shark suit on a Roomba chasing an duckling. Unfortunately, there is no end to these videos.
In reality, there’s no way to ignore the fact that dogs are ranked higher than cats in modern society. Cats also receive more abuse. Many people dislike the fact that cats are independent and hard to control. They are not interested in us. We don’t care about them much because we can’t share our interests like hiking, driving in a car or going to the shops with them. This is why we don’t care as much about the millions of dogs that are euthanized each year around the globe.