In the Toronto Star, so-called advice columnist Ellie Tesher gave her opinion to a man who returned the family cat to a shelter because he was too shiftless to care for it:
Q I agreed to get a cat on the promise that my wife and her son would be the primary caregivers. After a few years, I realized I was the one dealing with the litter, food and water, and even occasional vet visits. Meanwhile, my wife and her son just enjoyed the fun parts. I am not a pet-hater, I just never had any growing up.
The cat eventually died of kidney failure. Then my wife wanted another cat. I made it very clear that the minute I needed to do ANYTHING, for whatever reason, I would return the cat to the animal shelter. She didn’t believe me, until one day the cat was gone, and I informed her which animal shelter I took it to.
I think this marriage is over. Do you agree?
Catnapped
A It’s not up to me, nor the cat. Do what feels right. You don’t get nine lives.
Tesher couldn’t have given worse advice:
(1) This man’s ultimatum shows his controlling and slothful nature. There must be therapists in Canada. Tesher should have recommended that he consider intensive institutional care.
(2) “Do what feels right” is bad advice since those feelings led him to do something wrong.
(3) This cat was subjected to the stress of a shelter, and might have been given away or euthanized before the spouse and her son could rescue him.
(4) No, buddy, you’re not a pet-hater. You’re a cat-hater. I know one when I see one.
(5) Of course the marriage should be over. The spouse and her son should get as far away from this miscreant as possible.
(6) This libertarian blogger has great respect for the people of Canada, and is confident that the spouse can find a better Canadian partner (if she would like one) than the worthless sack of crap who took her cat to a shelter.
(7) I should sincerely hope that, while this man is walking alone one day on a cold Toronto street, a pack of tabbies attacks him, and inflicts the maximum damage possible through strategic bites to the most vulnerable parts of his anatomy. If there’s any justice on this planet, this guy has it coming.
(8) The Star should cancel Tesher’s bad-advice column immediately.
(9) Come on, Canada — you can do better.