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Was It Okay To Dye Her Cat Pink??

post #1 of 45
9/28/10 at 8:41pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-11418607
The owner of the cat dyed pink wants the world to hear her side of the story. when I first read the news articles, I thought it was very disrepectful of the owner. However, I realize now that the owner is young, and the dye is harmless, and the cat was probably most traumatized by the bath, not the food coloring. What do you think?
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post #2 of 45
9/29/10 at 1:57am
I still stand what i said and i think it is wong she dyed the cat to be the same colour as her hair

i dont care that the food dye is non toxic but if we start letting people to this then what else will can we then what else will we start turning a blind eye to

AS the BBC dont show the whole story

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...atch-hair.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...-her-hair.html

She is 22 and has 2 children and she is showing them that is is an alright thing to do
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post #3 of 45
9/29/10 at 3:53am
Pets are not fashion accesories.
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post #4 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miss Mew View Post
Pets are not fashion accesories.
Exactly!!!!!!
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post #5 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:19am
I agree with all of this, but also, my thought is, if she's a good pet owner otherwise, then thankfully she HAD dyed her cat pink at the time. Must've been easier to find a pink cat than any other color. Then she can be reunited and educated and learn how to properly take care of her cat. Like keeping her cat inside, not dying its fur, etc.,.
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post #6 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:25am
She's just another idiot who doesn't understand how to take care of animals properly. Or her self for that matter. 22 years old, single mother of 2 kids? Someone tie her off for goodness sakes.

And it's too bad she can't be not allowed any animals at all. And she's raising two more who won't know how to take care of animals. That cat probably ran away, I bet she leads a miserable life at the hands of that young woman and her children, treated like a toy or thing.
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post #7 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:25am
Id love to know who through her over the fence

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-11433213

Quote:
However, the RSPCA said Natasha Gregory, 22, from Swindon, would also be informed of the potential hazards of dyeing cats.

The cat, called oi! Kitty, was reportedly seen being thrown over the garden fence of a man on 18 September, who called RSPCA officers.
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post #8 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:40am
I see I'm being too kindhearted and optimistic again. If a man was trying to save her by throwing her through the fence, maybe the cat was better off not ending back up with her owner.

I always try to see the best in people and that people can improve.

Well except people like Michael Vick and people who throw litters of kittens into the ocean or the highway. I have no forgiveness for that.

I really hate dyeing animals. I think it's wrong, but that is in my mind, could be a forgiveable sin that someone could learn from and move onward to being a good pet owner.

Does that make sense?
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post #9 of 45
9/29/10 at 4:47am
It was immature of her to do it, but if she is fined or even just ostracized for it then they need to ban and fine the companies that sell "pet products" that contain far more harmful things that actually kill cats - such OTC flea topicals and flea shampoos. All the cat foods containing dyes need to be pulled off store shelves, too, since most have red 40 - the same dyed she would have used. (and over a lifetime would be ingested in far higher quantities through food)

The mention that red (or pink) in this case could be a dangerous color confuses me a bit. What animals in the UK see red? Do you have a lot of primates running loose over there? Most animals, including dogs and cats cannot see red. The cat being white/light colored (as it would still appear to animals even though it's pink atm) is actually more dangerous than say a brown tabby coat. Lets fine people for letting white cats outside.


IMO, give her a stern reprimand. But leave what is otherwise a well cared for cat in its home. There's enough cats in shelters already. Hopefully the RSPCA doesn't do what they do to so many that have ultimately broken no laws - get them fired from their jobs, etc.
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post #10 of 45
9/29/10 at 5:14am
Honestly I think the outrage over this is way over the top.

Is it ridiculous to dye your cat a different color? You bet. But in this case the woman used a harmless food coloring, she clearly didn't get it near the cats eyes or nose (looking at the picture of the cat provided by the media).

Personally I think the woman looks completely stupid with pink hair, but to each their own. Aside from making her cat look ridiculous it appears the cat is otherwise healthy and she has a home.

I don't see this as much different then those folks who give their poodles those really bizzare hair cuts.
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post #11 of 45
9/29/10 at 8:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kai Bengals View Post
Honestly I think the outrage over this is way over the top.

Is it ridiculous to dye your cat a different color? You bet. But in this case the woman used a harmless food coloring, she clearly didn't get it near the cats eyes or nose (looking at the picture of the cat provided by the media).

Personally I think the woman looks completely stupid with pink hair, but to each their own. Aside from making her cat look ridiculous it appears the cat is otherwise healthy and she has a home.

I don't see this as much different then those folks who give their poodles those really bizzare hair cuts.
Much ado about very little.

My initial reaction was that I'd rather see a cat occasionally dyed with food coloring than ingesting it, and other questionable additives, on a daily basis.

The media have really played this up. Was the cat thrown over the fence, or did it jump? Is she an "unemployed mother of two" or a stay-at-home mom?

Cats supposedly can't see red tones, but if I put two toys down which are identical in everything but color, Jamie always picks the hot pink one, so I have my doubts about that.
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post #12 of 45
9/29/10 at 8:26am
My Tolly likes pink, too.

Every little thing gets blown up these days, with the internet to do it. No one would have ever heard about the pink cat otherwise.

I still think it's an idiotic thing to do. My issue is, for people who do things like this that are presumably "harmless", where do they draw the line?

Hey I dyed my cat pink to match my hair and it went okay. I think I'll put make up on her, won't she look pretty with mascara? I'll pierce her ears too and we can wear matching earrings.

That is why I object to this kind of thing with animals. Many don't know when to stop. It's just wrong, to even start, in my opinion.
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post #13 of 45
9/29/10 at 9:14am
I think things get a little blown up too. I personally wouldn't dye any animal. I don't think this is any different than the people who dye their dogs.
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post #14 of 45
9/29/10 at 11:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jcat View Post
Cats supposedly can't see red tones, but if I put two toys down which are identical in everything but color, Jamie always picks the hot pink one, so I have my doubts about that.
They make look the same to you, but do they to a cat? He may prefer one on a particular side or each toy could smell slightly different. Cats perceive things very differently to how we do.

But no, very few mammals can see reds. Primates, including humans, can. Blues, greens, yellows are more common in nature, thus animals tend to see these colors.
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post #15 of 45
9/29/10 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
They make look the same to you, but do they to a cat? He may prefer one on a particular side or each toy could smell slightly different. Cats perceive things very differently to how we do.

But no, very few mammals can see reds. Primates, including humans, can. Blues, greens, yellows are more common in nature, thus animals tend to see these colors.
What colour does the red cape appear to be to a bull do you think? I'm not sure we humans know everything there is to know about animals, i.e., what they can see, think, or feel.

As for a non-toxic dye, I think that is far less harmful than a declaw and lots of folks do that and the media gives it little to no negative attention.
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post #16 of 45
9/29/10 at 11:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kai Bengals View Post
Honestly I think the outrage over this is way over the top.

Is it ridiculous to dye your cat a different color? You bet. But in this case the woman used a harmless food coloring, she clearly didn't get it near the cats eyes or nose (looking at the picture of the cat provided by the media).

Personally I think the woman looks completely stupid with pink hair, but to each their own. Aside from making her cat look ridiculous it appears the cat is otherwise healthy and she has a home.

I don't see this as much different then those folks who give their poodles those really bizzare hair cuts.
Agreed on all points.
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post #17 of 45
9/29/10 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite View Post
What colour does the red cape appear to be to a bull do you think? I'm not sure we humans know everything there is to know about animals, i.e., what they can see, think, or feel.
Grey. It's the movement and the fact that bullfighters have been stabbing the bulls by that point that makes them charge. Cattle are easily confused by sudden movement and not best at judging exactly where something is. (common knowledge if you've grown up around cattle)

And what colors and light level an animal sees can be (and has been) measured through dissecting the eyes and studying the rods and cones found there. Vision isn't some mystical supernatural ability, it's measurable. Cattle, in fact, can't see green, either (again, if you've grown up around cattle, that's common knowledge).

ETA: To get to the point. The kitty doesn't know it's pink, other cats and dogs wouldn't know it's pink, and the local birds probably think it's the strangest cat they've ever seen.
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post #18 of 45
9/29/10 at 1:14pm
I kinda agree with Nial on this one - food coloring will not hurt a cat's fur and it was harmless. Stupid but harmless.

No one says a word when they post pics of dogs and cats during Halloween with dyed fur and costumes. Why make a big deal out of this?

Besides our one son (teenager at the time) dyed a few of our cats with a lot of white on them - blue, green, and pink for Easter. It washed off in a few days!
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post #19 of 45
9/29/10 at 2:03pm
I think it was harmless, people don't say anything about poodles being dyed, infact people pay a fortune, food colouring is hardly harmful and the press over here especially The Sun tend to make things out to be alot worse than they are.x
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post #20 of 45
9/29/10 at 2:06pm
Im sorry but i still cant see this as harmless its sheer stupidity and its teaching her children that this sort of thing is right

whether its hurt the cat or not it is not right

oh yeah i dont agree with people dying their poodles either
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post #21 of 45
9/29/10 at 2:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by -_aj_- View Post
Im sorry but i still cant see this as harmless its sheer stupidity and its teaching her children that this sort of thing is right

whether its hurt the cat or not it is not right

oh yeah i dont agree with people dying their poodles either
I see your point as to encouraging children, I think that though now this has ben publicised more people may do it? Although I said it was harmless it wasn't necessarily correct and I can't understand either why the cat was thrown into someones garden. x
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post #22 of 45
9/29/10 at 2:20pm
SO selfish, so ridiculous! Dyeing an animal because you like that color. In the wild, animals who are of unnatural appearance are attacked and killed. If they know this about others, wouldn't they feel the same way about their own appearance?
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post #23 of 45
9/29/10 at 8:54pm
I see the cats sitting without homes in the crowded shelter, sometimes there are cats on the side of the street that got hit by cars, sometimes strays get dumped in the country or pts by the county, and people declaw their cats in mass numbers, there is real animal abuse going on where medical care, food, water, and basic shelter needs are not being met but this story is getting media attention as "cruel"?
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post #24 of 45
9/29/10 at 9:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cococat View Post
I see the cats sitting without homes in the crowded shelter, sometimes there are cats on the side of the street that got hit by cars, sometimes strays get dumped in the country or pts by the county, and people declaw their cats in mass numbers, there is real animal abuse going on where medical care, food, water, and basic shelter needs are not being met but this story is getting media attention as "cruel"?
"Ms Gregory, who has pink hair, said she loved oi! Kitty and wanted her back. The RSPCA said it was looking into the matter and would not comment further.

Ms Gregory said she loved the colour pink.

"My mum wanted me to wear pretty dresses but I wanted to climb trees. As I got older I saw it as a womanly and feminine colour and now I just love it - pink and fluffy."

She said she got the cat from her sister and had decided to give it a bath to wash off the smell of her sister's house. " quote

I don't think it's about an offense of intentional animal cruelty as much as the questionable mind set of the home and selfish, narrow minded girl who attempted to bath the scent of her sisters house off of the kitty using food coloring???
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post #25 of 45
9/29/10 at 10:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kai Bengals View Post
Honestly I think the outrage over this is way over the top.

I don't see this as much different then those folks who give their poodles those really bizzare hair cuts.
My mother recalls that in the late 40's and 50's when she was young, come easter there would be pet shop windows with real baby chicks or bunnies dyed pink or blue, etc... And that there was a fad for dyeing your white poodle those same odd non-animal colors. Of course the world has changed since then. But I bet the dyes back then weren't anywhere near as non-toxic.
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post #26 of 45
9/30/10 at 4:53am
It was a stupid thing to do. And harmless or not they have to be shamed in showing that it's still wrong. Dye your own hair but leave animals alone is what i say

Even the poor cats owner looks stupid with her bright pink hair!.
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post #27 of 45
9/30/10 at 8:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
She's just another idiot who doesn't understand how to take care of animals properly. Or her self for that matter. 22 years old, single mother of 2 kids? Someone tie her off for goodness sakes.

And it's too bad she can't be not allowed any animals at all. And she's raising two more who won't know how to take care of animals. That cat probably ran away, I bet she leads a miserable life at the hands of that young woman and her children, treated like a toy or thing.
So because she is under a certain age and has 2 kids, even though you know nothing of why the father is not around, she should be tied off? Im not a mother but find that offensive! I am 23 and have friends who are mothers, and are darned amazing ones, working their butts off and providing a great life for their kids!

I dont agree with dying a pet, and while Google would look awesome with hot pink feet, I dont plan on dying him that! But I think its just making a huge deal over nothing much! Why not instead focus on something that actually needs attention, like over population, starving pets, dog fighting, and actual animal cruelty.
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post #28 of 45
9/30/10 at 8:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by capt_jordi View Post
Why not instead focus on something that actually needs attention, like over population, starving pets, dog fighting, and actual animal cruelty.
AR groups like PETA, HSUS, and RSPCA hop on stupid stuff like this, that's why. (and if anyone wants to argue that RSPCA isn't one, look up the board and goal changes that started in the '80s)
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post #29 of 45
9/30/10 at 9:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by capt_jordi View Post
So because she is under a certain age and has 2 kids, even though you know nothing of why the father is not around, she should be tied off? Im not a mother but find that offensive! I am 23 and have friends who are mothers, and are darned amazing ones, working their butts off and providing a great life for their kids!

I dont agree with dying a pet, and while Google would look awesome with hot pink feet, I dont plan on dying him that! But I think its just making a huge deal over nothing much! Why not instead focus on something that actually needs attention, like over population, starving pets, dog fighting, and actual animal cruelty.
I was just sounding off. I get angry at people who do stupid things to animals.

My opinion is that 1) she is setting a bad example to her children on how to treat animals, and so raising two more people who are potential animal abusers. When you have children your life is no longer your own, you have to consider what your actions will teach them, and 2) if she'd do this to a cat she professes to love, what else will she do next to the poor cat, and what will the kids do to the cat when they get old enough.

I think this kind of treatment to animals is wrong, and people who do it may not know when to stop.

All those other things you list get plenty of attention too. This kind of stuff (pink cats, dropping cats in trash barrels, back packing with a cat) becomes world wide news because of the internet.

All these news stories have comment sections, have you ever read any of them? People love to sound off and the internet allows everyone to feel like they have a worldwide audience. The more people get involved, the bigger the story becomes.

After all, here we are, talking about it too.
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post #30 of 45
10/1/10 at 6:09am
I would never subject an animal to dyeing it's fur. I think it is okay for people to paint their toenails, tie ribbons in their hair (for poodles). But I think a line needs to be drawn. I don't understand why someone would want to do it and I don't think they need an animal.
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