Why Cats Need Nine Lives

Two Teenagers Charged With Setting Cat on Fire
Sewell Chan
The New York Times
March 19, 2009

Two teenage boys were arrested two weeks ago for pouring lighter fluid on a cat and burning it alive inside an occupied building. The cat was so badly burned that it had to be euthanized. The teenagers face up to 25 years in jail if convicted. One of the teenagers had a previous conviction for beating a man in his bed before demanding money from the victim. This is a very short article about the abuse of a species that has had a very long and colorful history. My blog is not meant to minimize the abuse of any other species.

People who are cruel to animals usually have a callous disrespect for any life: It is known that serial killers characteristically begin their careers by torturing and killing small animals. Twenty-five years is a just punishment for these boys’ crimes, especially in light of the progression to bigger, human targets that their actions are likely to take.

Cruelty against animals is despicable. Crimes against cats are particularly odious because of the hate-related nature of these acts. Cat torture and immolation is a centuries-old “pastime”: The New York Times has articles in its archives dating back to the 1800s describing such acts of violence. Often, such acts were simply dismissed as "boys being boys." Cat burning was a also a form of mass entertainment in 16th century Paris;
and the Danish fastelavn carnival that occurred seven weeks before Easter traditionally included beating a barrel with a black cat inside it to ward off evil. I also found lots of links on UTube pertaining to live cat burnings (links not provided). I didn't open them so I can't tell you if they were real.

There is much superstition surrounding cats and they have long been associated with witches and “crazy cat ladies” (myself being one – or both). Millions of women and cats were burned to death and tortured during the witch trials, here and in Europe. Much has been written about the social, economic, and religious politics of these acts. But karma has its way of working things out: The slaughter of cats (and dogs, to a lesser degree) during the medieval period (1230 to 1700) contributed to the bubonic plague that devastated Europe in the 1600s. The rat population, allowed to multiply unchecked, attacked the grain stores, devouring the grain and dropping infectious fleas that spread the disease. More than 25 million people died during the plague.

There are many misconceptions about cat behavior and the physical and emotional needs of cats, which can lead to such acts of torture and violence and just plain old neglect. People generally believe that cats can fend for themselves and be left alone for long periods. This is not true. Cats are more individualistic than dogs but their basic needs are the same, no matter how differently they may be expressed. They have a strong need for company, affection, food, and shelter. The difference between a cat and a dog is that the cat will demand it on its own terms. Companion animals, both cats and dogs, are not able to fend for themselves once they have become dependent on humans.

I have heard otherwise intelligent human beings and self-proclaimed animal lovers make some of the most outrageous statements, and behave accordingly, regarding cats. Last year, a former neighbor sought my advice regarding a friend who had a situation with her 17 year-old-cat. The woman recently moved in with her boyfriend, who had a two-year-old cat. The two cats did not get along and no measures had been taken to ease the transition for the new housemates—they had simply been thrown together into their new environment and expected to get along. After about two months, hardly enough time to adjust, it was decided that the older cat had to go. My neighbor, who is the most devoted of dog owners, suggested taking the cat to another location and abandoning it, since cats can just fend for themselves. I did mention that the cat was 17-years-old. This neighbor also found it amusing that her Chow dog (a fighting breed), who was often poorly secured, often got into our yard and terrorized our cats. This activity was actually encouraged. The dog did eventually take a nip at a human.

Negligence is a very common form of cruelty. The French writer and pilot, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, wrote in his book, The Little Prince, “You are responsible forever for what you have tamed.” I wholeheartedly agree with his philosophy and I would take it a step further to say that we, as humans, are responsible for taking action against all acts of cruelty, especially those involving the most vulnerable members of our society. A kind neighbor took the initiative to seek medical help for the poor cat. We, as a society, can demand strict punishments for those who abuse and torture animals. By stopping an animal abuser, you may also be saving a human life.