Lol, a paper I wrote about cats for my writing class. I was really excited about it. So here it is.
Cats. What more is there to say? People love them, people hate them, people make
movies out of them. Cats are cuddly, lovable creatures, which sometimes have a mean
and grumpy streak to them. Despite where you go around the world, no matter how
different you are, or where you live, if you prefer blue, or if you like red better, there is
sure to be one thing that you have in common with anyone who walks by you in the
street : you all know about this furry, domesticated mammal. What’s so special about
them anyways? Impressively, there are approximately 73 million owners of cats in the
United Sates alone. While some people have a strong dislike for the little clawed feline,
there are others whom share a strong bond with them and have a special place in their
hearts for these pawed friends. Having grown up with both parents with a strong dislike
of cats, I am not so partial to them. But let’s lightly investigate and explore why people
feel the way they do about these animals, and maybe by the end of reading this you will
have had a change of mind.
First off, let’s try to understand why some people hate cats. Why would anyone hate
these cute and seemingly innocent creatures, you ask? Well, let it be known to you that
studies have shown that 10% of the U.S. population have pet allergies - and cats are
among the most common culprits. Allergies . . . no big deal, right? Wrong. People with
over-active immune systems are easy victims to the annoying and disagreeable
symptoms of cat allergies which ensue after even their slightest interference with the
species. Among the common symptoms such as coughing and having itchy, red eyes,
cats can also cause hives or rashes on the chest and face. You might think that
grooming and sprucing up your cat so that less stray hairs get into the air may fix these
problems, but I have to inform you that this is not the case being that the allergies are
not cause by cats’ hairs, but instead are caused by the proteins in cats’ saliva, urine,
and dander (things which we obviously have no control over in an attempt to reduce).
Where there are cats, there will be allergies. Interesting yes, but what about people who
are not allergic to cats and still hate them? Sadly, there is a majority of people who
would say that the cat is a very snobby and spoiled creature. There are those that think
it is very annoying and lazy, expecting everything from the owner and giving nothing but
unfriendliness in return. And last but not least, a lot of people think they are just stinky
and foul. Maybe with all this said you will now have a better understanding of why some
people hate cats, although some of you might still love them.
Now having heard why some people harbor a strong dislike of the cats, let us now
discuss and deliberate why some people love these little animals. Universally, they are
valued by many people for their companionship, which is a wonderful trait. People love
cats because, generally, they are gentle animals and have a nurturing spirit about them.
I think people who have pet cats will agree with me that they often seem to know what
you are feeling and are there to comfort you when you are feeling a little blue. Besides
their affable tendencies, cats have an impressively skillful ability to hunt vermin and
household pests. Since they are crepuscular predators, they have a keen sense of
hearing and possess the ability to see in darkness in order to locate their prey. While
reading an article from yahoo entitled ‘What if all the cats in the world suddenly died?’
by a writer named Natalie Wolchover, I learned that a 1997 study in Great Britain
revealed that 9 million cats of Britain were collectively killing close to 200 million wild
specimens per year. I find this very impressive. Beside all these wonderful tributes, cats
are undeniably cute. Purring with their unique throats, they are soft and cuddly. Clearly,
these are definitely good reasons of why lots of people love cats, although some of you
may still hate them.
With both a love and hate of cats that our society hold, as a loud nation that likes to
voice our opinion, we have resorted to placing the cats in the media and portraying
them as various things we feel will give entertainment to viewers. We have portrayed
them as spies, talking animals with hidden agendas, humorous and silly cartoon
characters, as well as fighting icons in popular video games. What exactly have we
accomplished by putting the cats in our wide broadcasting? Well, thanks to cartoons
such as ‘Garfield’, we have now portrayed the cat as a lazy character which likes to eat
lasagna. Thanks to the beloved classic ‘Alice and Wonderland’, we have portrayed the
cat as a devious and sneaky thing with a creepy, crescent moon smile. Dramatically, we
have also depicted the cat as a super-agent spy that is out to take over the world, as in
the popular movie ‘Cats and Dogs’. Is there more to the seemingly shallow and
humorous portrayals we have created in our cat frenzy? Yes, there is more. Amid the
many organizations dedicated to stopping animal cruelty, thanks to ASPCA (which has
helped this cause by repeatedly putting out commercials featuring clips of animal
cruelty) millions of animals have now been saved. Appreciating the cats and their safety
is all it took. Since showing the cat in it’s helpless state in the media, we have created a
compassion which has moved people to work to stop animal cruelty in our society, and
further prevent all animals from cruel treatment because no animal deserves that.
Now having gone through the cons and pros of cats, I hope I have helped you develop a
better comprehension and knowledge of the little creatures. As a previous cat hater, I
must say I have developed a deep appreciation and respect for the little animals.
Whether you love them or still hate them, or whether you kind of like them, or kind of
hate them, you have to admit . . . without cats, our world would be a much less
interesting place which would be full of mice. Cats are the creatures of diverse purpose,
comforting some and constantly annoying others. Devotedly, they are there by your feet
asking for a massage, and if they are not there, they are in your garbage groveling for a
scrap of food. Near your pantries killing the mice, or in your backyard terrorizing your
dogs. Being companions and friends always. These animals are pretty awesome.
Cats . . . what more is there to say?