Oh, mighty wolf, what have we done?

I ask you, have you ever seen a more perfect example of feline beauty?

This is my nephew’s cat Bebo. He is a rescue cat with no papers, and I think he knows that he is beautiful.

In not-unrelated news, I recently discovered this meme, and have been laughing about it ever since:

Ah, the magic of selective breeding. I don’t know Bebo’s lineage, but I am pretty sure that he is the feline equivalent of a mutt, as, I believe, are most of our healthiest dogs. It doesn’t take close examination to realize that we as a species got hold of a timber wolf and twisted him into unimaginable shapes and sizes and states of ill health. Dachshunds have bad backs, pugs can’t breathe, and any self-respecting Chihuahua is just a sneeze away from having his eyeballs jump right out of their sockets.

It should be easy. I could just gallop up to the moral high ground, climb up on my tiny soapbox and denounce all dog breeders as disciples of Dr. Moreau; I could stubbornly refer to all purebred dogs as misshapen monsters, and I could righteously declare that anyone who would buy a dog when they are so many deserving mutts languishing in lockup is an incurable idiot. But then, I see a pure white German shepherd or a retriever with a curly perm, or my friend’s Pomeranian springs into my lap. . .and suddenly everything gets very, very complicated.

Anyway, we can’t easily undo ten thousand years of messing with Mother Nature. I’m pretty sure it would take another ten thousand years of a hands-off breeding policy for teacup poodles to stop trembling, and once one gets a taste for Siamese cats with ears big enough to catch radio signals, it’s hard to go back. When I look at my friend Bebo, however, I think it might be worth our while to try.

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For your further edification:

The Island of Dr. Moreau – Audiobook | Listen Instantly! (audiobookstore.com)

13 Comments on “Oh, mighty wolf, what have we done?

  1. I didn’t understand how anyone could buy a dog from a breeder, until Animal Control refused to allow me to adopt a dog from their shelter- because our outdoor shed and fenced in run for our dogs wasn’t good enough. I am reminded of a meme making fun of a picture of a dog outside with the caption, if you feel cold, so does he, only a picture of a raccoon took the place of the dog.

      1. And also, your story of the shelter reminds me that policies like theirs need to have room for flexibility and discretion!

  2. Hey there! Stumbled upon your post on the WordPress feed and couldn’t resist saying hello. I’m already hooked and eagerly looking forward to more captivating posts. Can’t seem to find the follow button, haha! Guess I’ll have to bookmark your blog instead. But rest assured, I’ll be keeping an eye out for your updates!

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    1. Thank you, I appreciate hearing from you! I will try to see if I can find that pesky follow button.

    2. I have moved the follow button to the top of the sidebar on my blog. Please let me know if it isn’t showing up!

  3. Came across your post on the WordPress feed and just wanted to drop by and say hello ! Your content caught my attention, and I’m thrilled to explore more of your thought-provoking posts. Although I couldn’t locate the follow button (funny enough!), I’ll definitely save it for later ! Rest assured, I’ll stay vigilant for your future posts.

    Looking forward to embarking on this reading adventure with you!

    Warm regards,

    Thanks – TheDogGod – http://www.pomeranianpuppies.uk

    1. I moved the follow button up to the top of the sidebar. Please let me know if it doesn’t show up for you. Thanks!

Thanks for reading! Any musings or recollections of your own to share?