Unresponsive cat to be disowned

Usually, when I flick through a local paper, I find myself thinking, 'wow, this is terrible. I don't even know why I waste my time keeping up with these things anymore,' but today I encountered a rather unusual article that I thought would be ripe for discussion on the BBS. Part of the reason why I was bothering with a local paper came down to boredom of course, I don't know, but see what you think here.

Original article here - copied and pasted below if the link does not work.

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Parents frustrated at lack of response from family pet.

A couple living in Winchester told the Chronicle last week that they will be ignoring their pet cat's cries for attention and food on the grounds that the feline will not think to pay them back in the near future. Archie Livingstone, 51, stated that the straw that broke the camel's back was the alarmingly expensive nature of the pet's flu treatment over winter.

'We've decided against keeping it,' he says, 'Taking it back and forth to that surgery was a pain, and frankly, she would never take me to the doctor's when I need a check-up. I don't even fit in the basket.'

The cat, Flossie (aged 7), was Livingstone's gift for his daughter two years ago. Flossie was well-received by the family until she showed signs of weakness in 2008, when she flopped over one afternoon after being vigorously trained to jump through hoops. The family were also alerted by Flossie being sick on Mr. Livingstone's shoes while she was trying to clean them one evening in 2009.

Mr. Livingstone has come under attack for his decision by some in the local community, which he maintains was also decided upon by his wife as a way of teaching responsibility to their children. 'This wasn't our first decision,' he told us, 'we gave plenty of money to the RSPCA, but Flossie failed to improve. We were hoping for a quicker recovery personally.' He claims that his critics ask too much of him, saying 'it's possible that Flossie could survive on the smaller budget, but what's the point of that if she can't rake in a bit for us, even on the better quality food and shelter?'

Critics of Mr. Livingstone's actions have set up a group on the popular social networking website Facebook entitled 'Flossie not Flosser', that defends Flossie on account of her being too much of a cat to really contribute to the family home. Notably, no cats have joined the group yet, which Mr. Livingstone claims is proof that the majority of them don't care to work at life.

Other residents of Winchester have stood up to defend Mr. Livingstone's actions, and many pet owners have offered support in the way of sympathy through being familiar with the struggle. Others have moved a bit further with their assistance of the family by disowning their pets also, which has caused some worry amongst the city's councillors.

A Winchester City Council spokesperson told us, 'We're worried what state the city might get into with these disowned pets rising in numbers. These pets have been let go of because of their overall uselessness to the private individuals who owned them, meaning they're likely to be useless to everyone else too.'

Previous resident difficulty with animals has not had a lengthy documentation in Winchester. We are yet to see whether the most recent actions will result in a greater city for both parties.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Chronicle has received numerous letters about this article, from writers on both sides of the argument. A budgie with surprisingly good handwriting wrote to us, 'I am not a regular reader of your newspaper sir, but I was still deeply disturbed by your recent report on the circumstances of Flossie the cat, since I am a fairly learned budgie, and I worry somewhat about future attitudes...' (full letter here). The staff of the Chronicle deny any accusations of unfortunate implications in the original article and will continue to point out that the events have been reported accurately.

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Another issue I just thought about as I read the article again was how fast the news travelled. That says something about the times. I can bet that certain parties won't be happy with how fast it circulated either.

It all sounds a bit bizarre to me actually. Well, I suppose that around nine times out of ten, that's probably the intention.

[Vagetarian]

They shouldn't even own a cat if they cant take care of it. Maybe it was the vigorous training in jumping hoops that made him flop over.

[Vagetarian]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: A budgie with surprisingly good handwriting wrote to us, 'I am not a regular reader of your newspaper sir, but I was still deeply disturbed by your recent report on the circumstances of Flossie the cat, since I am a fairly learned budgie, and I worry somewhat about future attitudes...'

wtf i didnt see the budgie note.

[UberCream]

Wow, and I thought AMERICANS were known for abusing all that love them. At least we "yanks" neglect with respect!

[Freaki-boy92]

p'raps they should've got a dog.

[Thematrix27]

These people are fucking idiots. The cat flopped over after you were vigorusly training it to jump though hoops? No shit, cats aren't supposed to do that. And claiming that cats are unrpoductive because no cat joined their group on facebook? This is the kind of shit PETA is meant for.

[Ryan]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: Flossie was well-received by the family until she showed signs of weakness in 2008, when she flopped over one afternoon after being vigorously trained to jump through hoops.

Well there's your problem.

They're lucky the cat knows how to use a litter box properly, let alone literally jump through hoops.

Da fuck mang.

[Elios]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: 'it's possible that Flossie could survive on the smaller budget, but what's the point of that if she can't rake in a bit for us, even on the better quality food and shelter?'

I palmed my face.

It's a cat! Come on!

[Moiunda]

I could not help but burst out laughing because a budgie wrote a letter to the editor... I bet that budgie would have payed back his owner...

I tell ya, budgies know how to orchestrate business.

[NekoMika]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: A couple living in Winchester told the Chronicle last week that they will be ignoring their pet cat's cries for attention and food on the grounds that the feline will not think to pay them back in the near future.

Animal neglect, why do they even get to keep the cat?

The cat, Flossie (aged 7), was Livingstone's gift for his daughter two years ago. Flossie was well-received by the family until she showed signs of weakness in 2008, when she flopped over one afternoon after being vigorously trained to jump through hoops.

Well of course it's going to weaken after you force it to be trained to hop through hoops, cats are cats, not circus acts.

The family were also alerted by Flossie being sick on Mr. Livingstone's shoes while she was trying to clean them one evening in 2009.

I still don't have a clue what this sentence is talking about. Did the cat throw up on the shoe or something?

He claims that his critics ask too much of him, saying 'it's possible that Flossie could survive on the smaller budget, but what's the point of that if she can't rake in a bit for us, even on the better quality food and shelter?'

It's a cat, what do you expect, a talking, circus, miracle cat? Not happening...

[Gagsy]

That is.. Quite ubelievable really, in fact I hope it is just some kind of big joke. I can't see how a man who claimed to give money to the RSPCA would be under the incorrect illusion that a cat or any pet for that matter (pet not working farm animal) could pay their way back to the family which keep them.

I'm a little shocked, truly.

[Idiot-Finder]

This family is unresponsive themselves

In other words, they're brain dead!

[Grim13x]

At 1/19/10 06:09 PM, Gagsy wrote: I'm a little shocked, truly.

inorite?

[Grim13x]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: The cat, Flossie (aged 7), was Livingstone's gift for his daughter two years ago. Flossie was well-received by the family until she showed signs of weakness in 2008, when she flopped over one afternoon after being vigorously trained to jump through hoops

I lol'd at this. Who the fuck does that to a cat though.

[physicsman09]

I did not think it was possible to be that moronic.

I see now that I was wrong.

[JKMonkey]

lol, silly Brits

[All-American-Badass]

One question: How the hell do they think a cat is going to take them to the hospital?

[newgroundskeeperjim]

Something you'd expect from Winchester. Scarab, I do believe you are the most intelligent person in that hellhole of a city. I mean who good has ever come from there? "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne, the worst general the UK has seen. Who else? Meh.

[1Tyla1]

Maybe they assumed the cat was species dysphoric and thought s/he was human, so they expected her/him to work to help with the shelter and foot!

[Ericho]

I just went through the article link and it says it cannot be found, so too bad. It still sounds pretty wierd that people are expecting so much from a cat, when cats are known for not doing much. It reminds me of that funny "Confuse A Cat" sketch from "Monty Python's Flying Circus". They should have called those people!

[Urban-Champion]

Those 2 people trolled that Newspaper hard.

At 1/19/10 06:02 PM, chubbthehippo wrote: Also, by unresponsive, do you mean dead?

I don't think you need to be dead to be unresponsive. In fact, I think you can have a great deal of life in you, which makes sense in the case of Flossie. Response can be defined in a few ways, but at our human levels, simply replying with 'thank you' may be enough... but maybe it's isn't, maybe that's a thought.

But for cats, it doesn't seem like it. Then again, cats don't speak brilliant English, which does call the question of why we bother in the first place again, yes?

[Axlzero451]

At 1/19/10 06:40 PM, All-American-Badass wrote: One question: How the hell do they think a cat is going to take them to the hospital?

They thought it was a cat version of Lassie.

[DarkRedFlame]

C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER.

The link isn't real.

[Dogmeat]

It's reasons like this is why I believe the masses are ignorant, idiotic, fucking retarded cock fuckers.

[Idiot-Finder]

Damn it! I should have known...

Not surprising however since you're a great writer.

[Ragnarokia]

She wants her cat to take her in a basket to the doctors? what sort of fantasy would does she live in.

Anyone expecting to get a cat and have it entertain and 'pay back' the family clearly chose the wrong type of animal. I find it stupid that they tried making the cat do jumps through hoops etc...cats jumping through hoops what strange idea is that, they just sit down and lick themselves.

For such a laid back animal they seem to have a completely incorrect idea of what they got. Still funny and incredibly sad to hear.

[icecreammac]

At 1/19/10 05:00 PM, Scarab wrote: A couple living in Winchester told the Chronicle last week that they will be ignoring their pet cat's cries for attention and food on the grounds that the feline will not think to pay them back in the near future.

It's a fucking CAT! Who the hell neglects their pet just because it can fucking work at McDonald's and bring back a fucking pay check. Oh man, do I hate those kinds of people!

[AlkaSeltzer]

IT'S ALL IN A DAYS WORK FOR... CONFUSE-A-CAT

[Rad]

It must of been a really slow news day.