I am blind. Why don't humans adopt blind cats?

Dear George,

As you can see from the photo, there is something wrong with my eyes. Not that I can see anything wrong. Even if I could recognise myself in a mirror I couldn't. I am completely blind. I got cat flu as a kitten but I was rescued by a family that looked after me whom I loved very much. Then they went abroad so I was stuck in Wrexham CP for months before anybody gave me a home. I am happily settled (adored actually)in Janice's flat with 2 litter trays, 2 scratching posts and a cat gymnasium. Sometimes I use it just to show her that I appreciate all her efforts. Sometimes I pole dance on scratching posts to amuse her too. She's a good carer. But why do most humans turn away from disabled cats. I used to hear them pass by my cage, pause and then just walk on by. It was very hurtful.

Feely Felix.

PS. There's some information about cats like me on www.celiahaddon.com in the disabled animals section.

Dear Feely,

Humans are like that. They discriminate all the time. It's just one of the ways that they are inferior to cats. We aren't like that. We wouldn't refuse to talk to another cat just because it didn't have four legs or because it couldn't see properly. It wouldn't occur to us. Why would we? But humans do it all the time. They even discriminate against other humans.

Ever seen a human talking in a specially loud voice to some other human in a wheelchair - as if the wheelchair person couldn't hear properly or was mentally challenged? If you were out and about in the streets, Feely, you might come across this. It happens. Human beings are a pretty low form of life at times but we cats can sometimes bring out their higher natures.

So when they ignore, patronise or just euthanize disabled cats, it's more or less what they do to other humans (except for the latter). They don't believe that disabled cats have just the same rights to live and be happy as do entire and abled cats. So they peer into the shelter cages and notice the disability. Some of the nicer ones say "Aah, poor little pussycat" and then they pass on by.

Some rescue shelters don't even give us a chance of life. They euthanize us almost at once. They call themselves sanctuaries or rescue establishments but they are abbatoirs. In the USA about 70% of the cats handed into rescue are just euthanized - according to an American Humane Society survey. Luckily in the UK, the figures are much better and (with a few exceptions) many shelters give a second chance to cats like you, Feely. And it is getting better in the USA too with no-kill shelters starting up.

Cats Protection in Wrexham gave you a second chance. So did Jance. She's a special human being so cherish her, Feely. There are hundreds of disabled or elderly cats in cat rescue shelters desperately needing humans like her.

George.