I blame you

[thecatneuterer]

I've just seen this on the CatChat forum (it's the first time I've ever looked at it - so apologies if the rest of you are on it all the time and so know this by heart ....). Anyway it was so good I thought I'd share it for anyone who hasn't seen it:

I blame you....

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This has made the round on German fora/FB since last year. I looked for a translation, couldn't find one, so translated it myself. The original is titled "Ich klage an...", which literally translated means "I accuse you" but I personally felt "I blame you" was a more fitting translation. Anyhow, just wanted to share.

I blame you

... because I was run over by a car when I was just one year old ? you see, I wasn?t neutered ? my territory got bigger and bigger as my hormones drove me to find a mate ? and when I eventually smelt the sweet scent of a girl in call I couldn?t care less about the things that I had learnt ? I was beyond reason as I followed her scent and paid no heed to the cars?

?because I gave birth when I was only 9 months old ? my kittens were big and there were so many ? I suffered horrible, endless pain giving birth to them ? and I died a painful death when one of them got stuck ? the kittens I had already given birth to died too ? because I couldn?t care for them any more?

?because I am kitten from an accidental litter ? my owners didn?t care about my mother ? so she was mounted by her brother ? and I came into this world ? but something was wrong with me ? I had terrible pains ? and my whole back was open ? the few hours that I lived were terrible ? death was a blessing?

?because I have been in a pen in a rescue since I was a few months old - no one wants me ? just because I am a black cat ? and I am shy ? I always hide when people come ? I am so scared of them ? I once had a home ? but one day they let me out ? and never opened that door again ? no matter how loudly I howled ? it made me so sad and angry ? that I decided to never trust humans again ? but I am so very unhappy here in this pen?

?because I am suddenly not loved any more ? because I am old ? and I am no longer as cute as a small and playful kitten ? I want peace ? and cuddles ? I am not as healthy as I used to be ? I need tablets that I don?t like taking ? and all of this was too much work ? and too expensive ? so I was just handed over to a rescue...

?because my siblings and I were abandoned in a locked box by the side of a motorway one cold night ? it was so bitterly cold ? and we were hungry ? we cuddled up closely together ? so that we weren?t as cold ? and then it wasn?t that bad anymore ? we simply fell asleep ? and didn?t wake up?

? we blame you ? because we have to suffer because humans can be thoughtless ? because, due to human carelessness, we burn our paws on unattended candles or oven hobs ? because we fall from unsecured balconies and windows ? because we die in tilted windows ? and because of ignorance and indifference we die spiritually...

? we blame you - because humans can be such monsters ? who can inflict such pain and suffering ? who can beat us and do unspeakable things ? for fun ? out of boredom ? out of immense stupidity...

? we say thank you ? to all of those who have made us win back our trust in people ? who for weeks, months and even years on end try to win our affection ? who cry tears of joy when they can stroke our head for the first time ? who invest their love, compassion, time and money into our care ? who take us off the street ? who look after us and who give us food and warmth ? who rescue the smallest of us and feed us up ? who sacrifice their sleep every three hours to feed kittens that are only a few days old - who have sleepless nights because we aren?t well - and who don?t tire to tell others just how important it is to get us neutered.

Please don?t ever tire ? we thank you with our love ? and we hope that one day even stupid and ignorant people will be wiser?

By H. Schepers
Ich klage an ... - Katzen Forum

That's harrowing, thecatneuterer.

Oh, that made me cry. I remember that feeling the first time simple cat let me stroke him - he used to be so terrified of humans, now he is the first to say hello and demand love and affection from anyone who comes over.

This has made me think seriously about fostering.

anyone who has worked with rescue cats or kittens will have seen in reality most of those stories, but the reward of seeing a cat or kitten go off to a furever home where they will have love for the rest of thier life cannot be beaten

Oh thats a tear jerker. I have always had neutered cats and aside from one occiasion, had rescues. I cant imagine doing it any other way, there are too many animals in need of homes to have to get them any other way IMHO. Shame that is the case though really..

that is such a beautiful post. I can't imagine why anyone would not neuter a cat, all of mine are done, didn't think twice about it. Also what's wrong with black cats? I love my big black furr baby :-)

They're not popular for some reason - and neither are black and white.

Beats me.

cozie, I never knew that! we wanted a black cat especially, but also have a tortie and white and a tabby and white!

Foe some its superstition, others its vanity - they want colourful cats or "dont like the look of" black cats. When we got our cats, DD had read about this and specifically asked for Balck cats - the rehoming lady was delighted that we had such a thoughtful daughter. We eventually had black and white cats as there is a busy road at the top, and although we never let our cats out the front, it was felt safest.

Yes it is rather harrowing and apologies for that. But it is what cats and rescue centres have to deal with and unfortunately a huge amount of animal suffering is caused by humans, either deliberately or, more commonly, because they don't neuter, or they believe that cats should have at least one litter.

And I realise that posting on this board is probably preaching to the converted but we all need to spread the message in whatever small way we can. If for example someone tells you their cats had just had kittens, or their friend's cat or neighbour's cat, then try to spread the word about the importance of neutering and how people on benefits can get it free/very cheap. And if someone tells you they are thinking of getting a cat then put the case for getting a rescue one rather than paying a breeder or getting one through small ads.

And i fthe cat of someone you know has kittens, remind them they need to neuter at 5 months, even if they don't have access to the outside.

A lot of people genuinely don't realise there is a cat/dog overpopulation problem, and think that if they can find people to take their cat's kittens then that's OK. But of course it isn't, it is taking homes that could have gone to animals in rescue centres.

All of us can make a small difference by getting the message across whenever the opportunity arises.

Sorry for being preachy

You're not preachy, thecatneuterer. You're concerned.

Nothing to apologize for.

This is the sort of emotional drivel that does the rounds on Facebook. I can't abide it and would be turned away from any charity using guilt-trip techniques to try and give people a heads-up about issues for sure. It's akin to the starving children ads on tv.

gobbin thecatneuterer works for the celia hammond cat rescue and has probably seen every example of her opening post and this post is in a mumsnet forum where the majority of the posters here love cats and sometimes you have to appeal to peoples emotional side to get your message across be it cats , dogs or people who you are trying to help

and how many people would respond to a blank advert saying im a rescue cat donate some money for me, not many i bet

And so what if it is emotional? The relationships between humans domestic animals are emotional. I don't donate to animal rescue charities for the greater economic good.

All charities use 'techniques' - I much prefer an emotional appeal to, for example, all the free junk that the Red Cross sends me, which is probably worth more than my initial donation was.

*humans AND domestic animals, apologies