"Painted" Animals

I just received an email with lots of pictures of cats whose coats have been painted different colours. I have also seen this so-called 'fun' thing done to dogs at recent events.

The big buzz around this trend is that the painting could cost up to $15,000 for cats, and would have to be redone every three months since the fur, and therefore the colour, would grow out.

Everyone seems most upset about the huge cost. Well, to be honest, if you have an extra $60,000 (to paint your animal companion four times a year), I am very happy for you, but please, do consider the poor animals.

Has no one ever considered that this colouring procedure could actually be hurtful to our animal companions????

I don’t mean that cats will be harmed if, in some way, they digest the dye ---the dye is probably safe (yeah right) --- but what about the distortion of body language?

There was one picture of a cat whose face had been ‘enhanced’ with large white circles around her eyes and a huge smiley face. What will happen when this cat meets another cat? Will the other one feel frightened, and maybe attack the painted one?

We have to consider this.

Even cats that are living together in the same family might not want to interact with each other anymore or chase each other. Animals use their facial expressions and their body language to interact and to stay safe. If we mess this up with painting, etc. we can truly endanger our most wonderful and precious friends, and make their lives miserable.

When you see an animal whose coat has been painted, please do not pay any attention to the ‘art.’ Instead, please mention to the guardian that this kind of painting could be harmful to his or her friend.

This is the only way to stop the trend of painting animals. If we pay too much attention, we will do the opposite.

How can this be anything else than an attempt to grab attention? In my opinion, animals are beautiful just the way the are. Every animal is a beauty queen or king to me.