Why are you not supposed to adopt runty animals??

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by visceral_instinct, Dec 16, 2009.

  1. visceral_instinct Monkey see, monkey denigrate Valued Senior Member

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    So in the supplement on animals I got with the Independent, it says when you get a kitten or puppy you should pick a healthy one, not a sick or weak one, even if you feel sorry for it.

    Why?

    My yellow-eyed missy was a tiny, frail, malcoordinated little creature when I got her. I used to comment that she had feline dyspraxia, because she'd fall all the time when trying to walk.

    She's now larger than usual for her age, silky, and athletic...yup, healthy.
     
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  3. domesticated om Stickler for details Valued Senior Member

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    This has a striking similarity to the concept of sexual or natural selection (keep ideal traits, avoid or dispose of bad)
     
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  5. visceral_instinct Monkey see, monkey denigrate Valued Senior Member

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    I know, but she wasn't naturally a runt. I suspect she was conceived later than the rest. Cats can do this thing called superfetation - conceive when already pregnant.

    Not picking her because she was a runt would have been a waste of a really nice kitten (and in evolutionary terms, a fit one - she's big and aggressive as all hell if she doesn't use up energy).
     
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  7. GeoffP Caput gerat lupinum Valued Senior Member

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    Health problems common. Had a runt cat for a while. She lived nine years but got kidney disease, after which we found out she only had one kidney. Large morphological defects etc aren't uncommon, I believe.
     
  8. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I never heard that. I tamed a feral kitten who was small for his age. He grew to be a smallish cat, even the vet commented on it, but he ate alot and was mostly very healthy, except for a lingering eye infection that would come and go. He was an awesome cat, loved to play soccer.
     
  9. pjdude1219 The biscuit has risen Valued Senior Member

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    a runt is more likely to die. its kinda like when picking a nile monitor if you stick your hand in the tank if it try's to bite you its a keeper.
     
  10. mordea Registered Senior Member

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    Because you don't want to blow your money on something that will die 1 month later or be crippled by disease for the remainder of its life.
     
  11. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Does that philosophy go for humans as well?
     
  12. Search & Destroy Take one bite at a time Moderator

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    I got a runt cat. Then it went in heat for 2 weeks a month. Now it's in heat all year round. Glad I don't have to live with it anymore, and no the vet can't fix it.
     
  13. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    "An Animal isn't just for Christmas, it's for life" at least thats the usual slogan or something similar.

    When a person gets a new pet home and it's ill, they then have to look at having it treated. If the treatments are expensive then they might well look at getting rid of the animal, either giving it to a shelter or just turfing it out on the street.

    Obviously in both those cases it's wrong, it's mistreatment or ill thought out on the part of the "prospective owner".

    I guess the suggestion of picking a healthy animal is to lessen the chances that a new owner is going to want to turf it out because they can't afford to make it well.
     
  14. visceral_instinct Monkey see, monkey denigrate Valued Senior Member

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    Well I'm glad I didn't take that advice.

    My cat ws a runt, and she is thriving now.
     
  15. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    LOL, I thought that said 'rusty' not 'runty'
     
  16. S.A.M. uniquely dreadful Valued Senior Member

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    Almost all my cats started off as runty. And even though a couple did not grow to full size, they've all been healthy enough and needed no vet attention. The only one who fell sick with kidney failure and was put down was not a runt and was over 18 years old.
     
  17. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Wouldn't buying a sick animal be like buying rotten food?
     
  18. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Would you compare sick humans with rotten food too?
     
  19. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    No, what kind of moron would think they were even on the same level??? :bugeye:
     
  20. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Humans are animals. Non-human animals are beings that can suffer just like us.
    Are you saying that animals are on the level of rotten fruit then?
     
  21. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Lord love a duck. Its like a broken record. I'm not getting into this lame ol argument with you

    I would never find the sickest weakest animal to buy. Its like going to the store and buying rotten food thinking I could save it and whip it into something wonderful.
     
  22. Norsefire Salam Shalom Salom Registered Senior Member

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    Take only the best and strongest.
     
  23. Enmos Valued Senior Member

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    Wonderful.
     

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