Ugly Cats

Some 'ugly' animals are so ugly they are cute but there are some that are just plain ugly, just like there are people, babies, dog, etc that are just plain ugly and nothing will fix that.

There isn't a particular breed that I consider ugly. I have seen cats and dogs of all breeds that are ugly, but hairless ones due to dental issues seem to be the worst(untreated dental disease, if it is treated even if they are toothless they could be drop dead gorgeous. I just don't like the look of an animal with nasty teeth rotten teeth.) It isn't because they are hairless, as I said it isn't the breed, I have seem beautiful Chinese crested and sphinx and ugly animals with plenty of hair.

I don't think ugly was meant in a bad way. I have had friends with ugly animals and each of them loved their animals and even called them ugly but in a loving way(like when I call Nuts or Attitude s-head.) They loved having animals that didn't fit the cute mold because it made then unique and the animals seemed to be a lot friendlier than 'cute' animals. I had a friend who would go to shelters and get the ugliest animals there so they would have a good home and because she knew they wouldn't be adopted because everyone wants 'cute' animals. She loved every last one of her ugly animals(and she called them ugly, I thought some were cute.)

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder and isn't always a negative thing.

Taryn

ugly cats don't exist. God was in a wonderful mood when She created them.

Originally Posted by Taryn

hairless ones due to dental issues seem to be the worst(untreated dental disease, if it is treated even if they are toothless they could be drop dead gorgeous. I just don't like the look of an animal with nasty teeth rotten teeth.)

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But that's not the animals fault it's in that condition, it's the stupid irresponsible owners who let them get that way

When I brought Maybelle home she was ugly.

She had spent 4-6 months being neglected and also abused by other animals.

Her head looked shaped funny, her body didn't curve right, her face was gaunt and sunken in, her colorings looked like she was wearing an over coat that was too big, her fur was dingy looking and she had a spot around her neck where the flea collar had started to eat away the fur underneath it.

she really looked aweful, when I found her I barely recognized her as the same cat.

NOW I can't recognize her as the same cat because she looks so wonderful, there's a brightness to her fur and eyes again, she looks soft and fluffy (as fluffy as a short hair gets) you just want to run up and pet her, her face filled back in, her body filled in, she sits properly again its amazing.

while you do see the occasionaly ugly healthy animal, I do have to admit, most ugly animals I've seen are because of the conditions they're forced to live in.

(and just for the record, I like hairless animals, its kind of like people, you cant generalize types that are ugly, it can happen to all of us )

It's a good thing it was dark outside when I found Aya. She was so ugly I'm not sure I would have picked her up had I gotten to take a real good look at her.

She had such a bad URI that she looked like someone had socked her in the eyes twice. both her eyelids were almsot entirely glued shut and she was covered in fleas and dried blood from flea bites.

She cleaned up very nicely though!

Originally Posted by Lyrajean

It's a good thing it was dark outside when I found Aya. She was so ugly I'm not sure I would have picked her up had I gotten to take a real good look at her.

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Now i have to say this has upset me to read.

So are you saying had you noticed she was "different" to normal looking cats you would have left her on the street?

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Now i have to say this has upset me to read.

So are you saying had you noticed she was "different" to normal looking cats you would have left her on the street?

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= not serious...

But, honestly not knowing anything about raising young kittens at that time, I would have thought twice about whether there was anything I could do for her, or if she could survive even with help. I also had to consider that I was living in an arrangement which didn't allow cats (still doesn't -she's my contraband kitty, shhhh...)

There are so many strays / ferals here that you have to be choosy with what you pick up. I didn't know that Aya was going to make it. If I picked up every kitten I saw on the street I'd have a hundred cats by now. Its disturbing to me as I came from a place where the stray / feral population is minimal or controled and we have a fabulous HS shelter as well as several others to take in abandoned animals.

Generally speaking if it has a cat family around I leave it as it has a chance. thre's a colony of mura neko and peoples 'outside pets' (some of them have collars) at the local park. (I know the kitten mortality is around 40%, the most common roadkill around here is squashed kitten).

Since I brought Goma home about 6 months after I found Aya, I've realized I can't pick up any more strays. As Aya reacts badly to any cat intruders and I don't have the space to separate them and there's no shelter to take them to. He was another 'ugly' street kitten. He 'wobbled' , his third eyelid was visible and he had a hole in his back from a large abscess.

There are cats that I find more attractive than others, but I don't consider any of them ugly. If I went by their appearance and what I find most visually appealing, I probably would not have ever had anything but short haired orange or yellow tabbies. My fluffies, gray tabbies and torties over the years have given me much joy, and there was beauty in all of them.
Someone called my darling Fred ugly once, and it made me so mad. So what he looked like a tough little alley cat, he was adorable, loving, and I still think he was the most beautiful cat that ever walked on 4 paws.
Ugly cats, no way!

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

I think the word ugly should be changed to "different" because i would truly hate one of my kids being called ugly

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I agree, I remember that member who told me Bumper was ugly and looked like an alien when I PMed him about his sig, I was really upset about it.

And yes, there are some we ooh and ahh over more, but that makes them more beautiful, it doesnt make the others ugly. People ooh and ahh over movie stars and models, does that make everyone else in the world ugly?

Although I do agree that some are unclassically cute, the ones that are 'so ugly they are cute'

I spent about 7 years working in very large animal shelter. Seen lots and lots of "ugly" dogs. They only time I ever saw a cat that I would classify as ugly was a cat that was partially hairless - a hairless mixed breed. It off course got adopted promptly!

Being living art seems to be a part of the cats job description.

Originally Posted by Pat Traufield

I spent about 7 years working in very large animal shelter. Seen lots and lots of "ugly" dogs. They only time I ever saw a cat that I would classify as ugly was a cat that was partially hairless - a hairless mixed breed. It off course got adopted promptly!

Being living art seems to be a part of the cats job description.

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I have experienced the same thing in the shelter, stunning cats with great temperaments who are still there weeks later, and then plainer cats get adopted quickly

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I remember that member who told me Bumper was ugly and looked like an alien when I PMed him about his sig, I was really upset about it.

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I remember you telling us about that and felt upset for you. I've been waiting for someone to say something like that about mine if i've had a "Mod duty" to do as well. I know i shouldn't, but my instant reaction would be to ban them because i would be so mad and hurt

Originally Posted by Pat Traufield

Being living art seems to be a part of the cats job description.

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I'd agree with that!

NorthernGlow, whoever told you Tomu was ugly needs their eyes testing. What a gorgeous cat!

Originally Posted by Ruthyb

I agree with everyone else they are all beautiful, I found this ages ago on a website and I found it disgusting, someone had put the picture on and labelled their cat ugly. I don't think they should be able to have animals if they regard them as that, this cat is obviously special needss and needs love and affection. People like that disgust me.

http://imgsrv.starpittsburgh.com/ima...y_Ugly_Cat.jpg

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I don't know if that cat is special needs or not, actually. It looks just like any other cat when they shake their heads.

I don't understand why anyone would get so worked up to the point of acting petty. Animals don't have the ability to understand beautiful or ugly - they don't care (well, we could debate birds), they don't get caught up in pride and ego like humans do. That's one of the wonderful things about them. And what someone else thinks about your cat isn't going to change the care you provide your cat with. Shrug it off and go about your day.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Animals don't have the ability to understand beautiful or ugly - they don't care (well, we could debate birds), they don't get caught up in pride and ego like humans do.

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I agree....Louie Da Lip doesn't know he looks different and he maintains his weight despite his bad slobbering problem. Jack doesn't care that his blaze is crooked and makes his face look oddly proportioned, and people who have commented on his looks follow it with 'but he is the nicest cat I've seen.' and he has his own fan club. The only thing I have ever noticed any animal reacting oddly to is one of its species that is a strange colour - most horses react oddly and sometimes violently to greys and pintos, cows know what a cow should look like (according to their herd standards) and the odd one will be driven from the herd, normal sheep react to dark coloured sheep....and on and on. Have seen cats react badly to tailless cats, colour points, ones with large white blotches, and 'normal' dogs react badly to toy dogs and bulldog types - the profile and size isn't right despite scent being right.

So I see no reason not to accept and love a 'differently visaged' pet of any kind - I dearly love each of mine regardless

Originally Posted by Staceyloobug

I don't know if that cat is special needs or not, actually. It looks just like any other cat when they shake their heads.

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To me, it looks like it has something wrong with one of its front paws, cute little chappy.

This thread is making me want a sphynx cat again I asked hubby last night he said NO WAY!!! x