- Joined
- Feb 19, 2001
- Messages
- 34,872
- Purraise
- 77
There is no doubt about it. The Internet is a wonderful tool. A virtual cyber library here at your disposal. It has its good points along with the bad ones, and the same can be said for these forums.
Because we are cat lovers, most of us want to do the best we can for the cats that share our lives. Routinely, questions are asked and answered on all the forums by various people sharing from their either personal experiences or perhaps on just what they glean from the internet itself.
So how do you go about processing the information here and making sure it is right for you and your cat? You use critical thinking any time something is posted here. It doesn't matter who it is that says it, you have to weigh it, evaluate it, see if it makes sense. If it doesn't then challenge yourself and do your own research on the subject- looking at both sides of the issue (always) and then come to your own personal opinion. It's not necessary to challenge the person presenting the information- but it is necessary to challenge yourself before accepting any information here. Sometimes it is a matter of just curiousity to get the question answered to your satisfaction. Other times, it could mean the difference between the quality of life your cat has now and if it will diminish if you blindly follow advice without doing the research first.
I've been here a long time. I have seen "miracles in a can" being presented and have felt the aftermath when crushed members contact me and say "I followed so-and-so's advice and my cat died anyway." I have seen board magic (not even close to miracles in a can) work it's own magic for ailing cats and owners. I have watched as people do their best to present workable solutions to all sorts of problems that cat owners face. I have cringed at some of the responses when they are far off the mark and hoped that those reading the posts would understand to do their own research, and talk to a real-life vet before accepting anything said on these forums as the gospel truth. I have seen scam artists try and hit the tender-hearted in the wallet by presenting pleas for help with a sick or injured kitty.
As I said, the Internet has the potential for good as well as bad. We were all given brains so we could reason and think and probe when things don't add up.
Because we are cat lovers, most of us want to do the best we can for the cats that share our lives. Routinely, questions are asked and answered on all the forums by various people sharing from their either personal experiences or perhaps on just what they glean from the internet itself.
So how do you go about processing the information here and making sure it is right for you and your cat? You use critical thinking any time something is posted here. It doesn't matter who it is that says it, you have to weigh it, evaluate it, see if it makes sense. If it doesn't then challenge yourself and do your own research on the subject- looking at both sides of the issue (always) and then come to your own personal opinion. It's not necessary to challenge the person presenting the information- but it is necessary to challenge yourself before accepting any information here. Sometimes it is a matter of just curiousity to get the question answered to your satisfaction. Other times, it could mean the difference between the quality of life your cat has now and if it will diminish if you blindly follow advice without doing the research first.
I've been here a long time. I have seen "miracles in a can" being presented and have felt the aftermath when crushed members contact me and say "I followed so-and-so's advice and my cat died anyway." I have seen board magic (not even close to miracles in a can) work it's own magic for ailing cats and owners. I have watched as people do their best to present workable solutions to all sorts of problems that cat owners face. I have cringed at some of the responses when they are far off the mark and hoped that those reading the posts would understand to do their own research, and talk to a real-life vet before accepting anything said on these forums as the gospel truth. I have seen scam artists try and hit the tender-hearted in the wallet by presenting pleas for help with a sick or injured kitty.
As I said, the Internet has the potential for good as well as bad. We were all given brains so we could reason and think and probe when things don't add up.
