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Burlington, IA | Jim, I'd say I'm sorry, but - I'm not. Part of it, is that I have certain standards in life that I try to live by. It is beyond my comprehension to advocate animal abuse, even in jest, let alone publicly as a businessman. I'm not an animal rights nut. I've been around agriculture all my life, if I could start farming, even now, in my fifties, I'd be a 6th generation farmer in this country. So, I have some understanding of livestock production, and all that goes with it. I even eat meat, plenty of it, and even like my steaks medium well. I have no problem with hunting, in fact, I wish a good part of the population of the overgrown rats we call deer could be eliminated.
But, there is something about even the hint of animal abuse that simply goes against my grain. There are times when I read/hear accounts in the media of a cat or dog or horse or whatever being mistreated or abused, that I feel like I'd like to commit some mayhem myself, only where the perpetrator is concerned. There are even a few who have made themselves evident on NAT, who advocate shooting cats for little to no reason, one guy for no more than muddy pawprints on the hood of a vehicle. I simply can't comprehend that kind of thinking, and they for sure wouldn't want to try it around me. Dogs who are getting into livestock, that I can understand.
I'll freely admit that, although I like dogs just fine, I am somewhat partial to cats. I admire their independence.We've had some really smart ones, including one who'd play fetch with a q-tip with us. I'd certainly take their company over a lot of people that I could think of, including just about anybody in Washington or Hollywood. There is nothing more calming than having my feet up in my home office on a winter day, contented cat curled up in my lap, watching the snow fall outside, and having a chance just to think, or read. I've had/have some who've been some of my best buddies. Fortunately, my wife enjoys having pets as part of the family as much as I do.
So, yeah, violence or advocacy for violence against certain animals, as I said earlier, doesn't sit well with me, whether in jest or deed. It still surprises me that a businessman would make a comment like that in public, even as a joke. I'll agree with you this far. It was a dumb joke. Dark humor is sometimes lost on me, anyway.
To return your technicality, no, I don't know that you can't light oil w/a match. I'm not that smart. I do know that oil will burn, that's how they got rid of some of the oil in the Gulf, by burning it off. But I have no idea how they lit it, just that it burned.
By the way, compliments to the o.p. for wanting to clean the oil off of his cat. I'd think some of the sincere suggestions he's gotten here should work, especially the Dawn liquid.
Maybe we all, myself included, just need to think twice before we say some of the things we say.
JDH
Edited by JDH SE IA 10/30/2010 02:53
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Engine oil on cat
