Writer's Block: Bird by Bird

[asterroc]

[Error: unknown template qotd]

No more cruel than it was for us to fundamentally change wild animals into domestic cats, dogs, cows, and ducks.

Comments

setting the record straight?

[demigoth.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the other animals, but the way I read it was that cats domesticated (to what extent is debatable) themselves due to the abundance of food (pests) which were attracted to crop storage and human settlement.

Some think it's cruel to let cats outdoors because indoor cats have healthier and longer lives. While that may be true, that doesn't fit the mold that cats fell into without much willful intervention from people (compared to dogs, etc.), and some cats are miserable if they can't roam.

The way I see it, as long as you're doing whatever is possible and reasonable to keep the bird happy and healthy, and it isn't obviously miserable at being caged however much of the time, it isn't cruel. At least, not any crueler than letting it take its chances with nature. Depends on the bird I guess?