feral cats and feral people

[anunitu]

Ok,we become concerned when people dump Cat,and they become feral...But just think about the fact that we ALSO dump people out too. Why so many feral homeless people out there,no real program to bring them back into the human fold. Complain about how these "Feral" humans make your day such a sad affair,cause that could NEVER happen to you,cause you are "Special" just like some Cats are "Special" and don't get dumped(thrown away) and why do we throw away other people(Not that we ourselves could be thrown away)

So,just this thought,and what do you think about the topic,could it effect you personally?

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: feral cats and feral people

In my late 20's/early 30's, I was $5. away from that for quite a while. Three B.A.'s, a full time job, no drug habit, no compulsive shopping, etc., just a too-low paycheck for too-long hours and no available time off to go on interviews and still make rent. It was one of those deals with an almost impossible commission quota. Ugh. In any event, no one helped me at all. I lost friends because I couldn't afford to go do things with them. Eventually I managed to get out of all that mess but it wasn't easy. I believe a lot of these "feral" people are in a similar boat but never got a break.

[thalassa]

Re: feral cats and feral people

Well...without belaboring the definition too much (because it makes me feel vaguely insensitive to compare cats and people in this way), there really aren't too many feral humans--a feral animal is a domesticated animal raised with minimal human contact or socialization in the wild by stray or feral parents. A stray cat would probably be more analagous, regardless of whether it became stray because of neglect, abandonment or running away.

With that being said, my problem with the feral/stray cat population is that cats are an introduced species that puts some pretty high pressure on the native wildlife, both in terms of competition and in terms of predation. Additionally, cat has no choice whatsoever--not even an inkling of a choice--to choose between where or how it lives...or in getting help.

With some caveats, for the most part, humans have a choice. Yes, there are events that are out of our control, and yes, there are people that are unable to navigate the system for getting help...but there is still a system in place (like most systems, its not perfect and it is prone to fail from time to time) for most of these sorts of life events like joblessness or leaving an abusive spouse, etc....and, admitedly, there are places where the system fails (like the time between school and finding a job, or underemployment, or if you are disabled but unable to recieve benefits for whatever reason, or you live in a really depressed economy and legitimately can't find work for a long term period).

[Medusa]

Re: feral cats and feral people

Feral people are feral because of either mental illness or drug addiction. I am sympathetic to both. But I aint getting near one. Because I don't like being accosted by drug addicts while at the bus stop.

Feral cats? I used to 'train' them in the alley. Sitting for hours with them till I got a hold of one. I was a cat whisperer as a child. I also was full of scratches and I caught ring worm once. Dad was not a happy camper on that one.

[nbdy]

Re: feral cats and feral people

In my late 20's/early 30's, I was $5. away from that for quite a while. Three B.A.'s, a full time job, no drug habit, no compulsive shopping, etc., just a too-low paycheck for too-long hours and no available time off to go on interviews and still make rent. It was one of those deals with an almost impossible commission quota. Ugh. In any event, no one helped me at all. I lost friends because I couldn't afford to go do things with them. Eventually I managed to get out of all that mess but it wasn't easy. I believe a lot of these "feral" people are in a similar boat but never got a break.

I relate. Mid-20s I was down to what I could carry on foot and nothing but feet for traveling. Unlike you, I chose it -- looked around at the corner I'd been backed into and imagined forward to what that would be as the years rolled along and said, "Nope." It could have gone any number of ways, for me it turned out to be just what I needed. I often wonder why some folks always seem to bounce back while others can't seem to catch a break, and there are all sorts of explanations to be found from karma to strength of will, but who really knows?

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: feral cats and feral people

^^ I don't know. The hardest part for me was, once you take a lower level job just to pay the bills, you're stuck. Later in my 30's I went to grad school at night, and had a close-to-home job that barely covered the bills but afforded me the ability to get to classes, and when I graduated, all any company or agency wanted to know was "Where are you now working, how much do you make?" They wanted to place me at that same level, as if the new degree counted for nothing. I think that was one of the biggest disappointments in my life. I wasn't even getting interviews, while people who never had a job before were getting great offers. Guess that was the age thing.

I think it's a numbers game - if there are 90 jobs and 100 applicants, 10 will be left out. A lot of places I worked had a pyramidal structure - you were never getting promoted unless your boss died and you edged out 20 other people in the running. It's like the Kentucky Derby - one will win, and one will run last, no matter what.