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Richard Cartwright,  Author's avatar

Noticed a copy error. The article has, "He’s the companion of Production Manager Jonna Hayden," "companion" needs to be struck and "supreme feline overlord" inserted.

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Frank Sterle Jr's avatar

Cats offer reciprocally healthy relationships — many owners describe them as somewhat symbiotic — particularly for those suffering physical and/or mental illness. It’s the pet's many qualities, especially its non-humanly innocence, that makes losing it someday such a heartbreaking experience.

Yet, human apathy, the throwaway mentality/culture and even a bit of public hostility toward them typically result in population explosions thus their inevitable neglect and suffering, including severe illness and starvation. With the mindset of feline disposability, it might be: ‘Oh, there’s a lot more whence they came’.

It’s likely that only when their over-populations are greatly reduced in number through consistent publicly-funded spay/neuter programs, might these beautiful animals’ potentially soothing, even therapeutic, presence be truly appreciated rather than taken for granted or even resented. Until then, cats likely will remain beautiful yet often misunderstood, prejudged and unjustly despised animals.

Also, many people cannot relate to cat owners finding preciousness and other qualities in their beloved pets, including a non-humanly innocence, that make losing them someday such a horrible heartbreak. Even when the innocent animal has been made to greatly suffer needlessly, perhaps before finally being murdered, many people will instead think and maybe mutter, ‘It was just a cat’.

And many non-cat-fans don't care for the innate resistance by cats to heeling at their masters’ command. And their reptile-like vertical-slit pupils and Hollywood-cliché fanged hiss when confronted, in a world mostly hostile toward snakes, cause cats to have a seemingly permanent PR problem, despite their Internet adorable-pet dominance.

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