Before you freak out about this 2ga punched cartilage on this cat’s ear, which was done by a Connecticut veterinarian under anesthesia, please read Chelsea‘s explanation of what you’re seeing —
“This was done while she was under anesthesia because she was a member of an established feral cat colony that was going to be released back into the wild. The holepunch was supposed to signify that she has been spayed — they do this to control the population, as the cats usually are completely wild and un-adoptable. She was an anamoly and decided that she liked being a pet better!”
Comments
166 responses to “Dermal Punched Ear… On a cat!”
All my cats have their ears tattooed so they can be identified if they ever got lost. The procedure took about 30 seconds under sedation and healed incredibly quickly, there was no blood, no scabs, they didn’t scratch at it. I imagine this has the same healing time, and it saves the same animal from being taken in to the vet’s again. Where I live, they shoot feral cats (and sometimes pets) – so this is obviously preferable…
Oh, and PETA wouldn’t have an issue with this method, they’re all for TNR.
All my cats have their ears tattooed so they can be identified if they ever got lost. The procedure took about 30 seconds under sedation and healed incredibly quickly, there was no blood, no scabs, they didn’t scratch at it. I imagine this has the same healing time, and it saves the same animal from being taken in to the vet’s again. Where I live, they shoot feral cats (and sometimes pets) – so this is obviously preferable…
Oh, and PETA wouldn’t have an issue with this method, they’re all for TNR.
smash- You think the animal notices the microchip in their neck? Haha that’s totally asinine. Those animals have so much subcutaneous skin they do not feel it. When the needle is inserted into their skin most don’t even react. It’s not a “computer chip” either. The chip is made out of an inert, biocompatible substance, which means it won’t cause an allergic reaction or degenerate over time.
They are extremely safe and thousands of animals are reuinted with their owners every day!
smash- You think the animal notices the microchip in their neck? Haha that’s totally asinine. Those animals have so much subcutaneous skin they do not feel it. When the needle is inserted into their skin most don’t even react. It’s not a “computer chip” either. The chip is made out of an inert, biocompatible substance, which means it won’t cause an allergic reaction or degenerate over time.
They are extremely safe and thousands of animals are reuinted with their owners every day!
I’m SO glad that the overwhelming majority of responses to this post are sensible and rational. Any reasonable person can see that this ‘modification’, like tattooing and microchipping, is done for the welfare of the animals and the other species with whom they cohabit. To see these responses is such a refreshing change to the usual spur-of-the-moment PETA-type bullshit about ‘consent’ and such.
Furthermore, I wanna see a pic of the kittie’s face!
I’m SO glad that the overwhelming majority of responses to this post are sensible and rational. Any reasonable person can see that this ‘modification’, like tattooing and microchipping, is done for the welfare of the animals and the other species with whom they cohabit. To see these responses is such a refreshing change to the usual spur-of-the-moment PETA-type bullshit about ‘consent’ and such.
Furthermore, I wanna see a pic of the kittie’s face!
I bet all the unmodded cats are jealous
I bet all the unmodded cats are jealous
>>48
Yeah, now that the hole is THERE (and just inherited, so to speak) if the cat was friendly enough I’d definitely wanna put a ring in it at least just the once for a photoshoot!
>>48
Yeah, now that the hole is THERE (and just inherited, so to speak) if the cat was friendly enough I’d definitely wanna put a ring in it at least just the once for a photoshoot!
Yep, seeing the kitty’s face would be good. Cute top of the head though!
Yep, seeing the kitty’s face would be good. Cute top of the head though!
hehe I can’t believe my kitty made it onto modblog!
I would just like all the people who have said that this is wrong/harms her in some way, that all of the cats that are spayed/neutered are sent to foster homes after for at least two weeks to make sure that there are no complications from the surgery. During this time, they are mostly kept in cages because they are so wild and will attack people when scared, and it was during that time that they found my cat to be friendly.
I have wanted to put a plug of some sort into her ear, but I don’t think she would stay still long enough for me to do it (I could barely get those pictures :]) and i think she would probably try to get it out.
I would agree that random “modifications” on animals are wrong, but if there is a purpose (even if it is only for future identification) and it is done in a proper enviornment and looked after, I don’t see the problem. Is tagging an animal in some way any worse than killing and eating one? (I don’t think so, hence why I am a vegetarian.)
Overall, she doesn’t seem to mind having a hole in her ear. She is, as someone said, fat and happy.
hehe I can’t believe my kitty made it onto modblog!
I would just like all the people who have said that this is wrong/harms her in some way, that all of the cats that are spayed/neutered are sent to foster homes after for at least two weeks to make sure that there are no complications from the surgery. During this time, they are mostly kept in cages because they are so wild and will attack people when scared, and it was during that time that they found my cat to be friendly.
I have wanted to put a plug of some sort into her ear, but I don’t think she would stay still long enough for me to do it (I could barely get those pictures :]) and i think she would probably try to get it out.
I would agree that random “modifications” on animals are wrong, but if there is a purpose (even if it is only for future identification) and it is done in a proper enviornment and looked after, I don’t see the problem. Is tagging an animal in some way any worse than killing and eating one? (I don’t think so, hence why I am a vegetarian.)
Overall, she doesn’t seem to mind having a hole in her ear. She is, as someone said, fat and happy.
hehe I can’t believe my kitty made it onto modblog!
I would just like all the people who have said that this is wrong/harms her in some way, that all of the cats that are spayed/neutered are sent to foster homes after for at least two weeks to make sure that there are no complications from the surgery. During this time, they are mostly kept in cages because they are so wild and will attack people when confronted, and it was during that time that they found my cat to be friendly.
I have wanted to put a plug of some sort into her ear for the longest time, but I don’t think she would stay still long enough for me to do it. (I could barely get those pictures :]) And i think she would probably try to get it out.
I would agree that random “modifications” should not be done on animals, but if there is a purpose (even if it is only for future identification) and it is done in a proper enviornment and looked after, I don’t see the problem. Is tagging an animal in some way any worse than killing and eating one?
Overall, she doesn’t seem to mind having a hole in her ear. She is, as someone said, fat and happy.
hehe I can’t believe my kitty made it onto modblog!
I would just like all the people who have said that this is wrong/harms her in some way, that all of the cats that are spayed/neutered are sent to foster homes after for at least two weeks to make sure that there are no complications from the surgery. During this time, they are mostly kept in cages because they are so wild and will attack people when confronted, and it was during that time that they found my cat to be friendly.
I have wanted to put a plug of some sort into her ear for the longest time, but I don’t think she would stay still long enough for me to do it. (I could barely get those pictures :]) And i think she would probably try to get it out.
I would agree that random “modifications” should not be done on animals, but if there is a purpose (even if it is only for future identification) and it is done in a proper enviornment and looked after, I don’t see the problem. Is tagging an animal in some way any worse than killing and eating one?
Overall, she doesn’t seem to mind having a hole in her ear. She is, as someone said, fat and happy.
I work at a vets office in the USA that doesn’t mark the feral cats that get spayed (We work with a fix-a-feral program and sometimes spay/neuter 3 feral cats in one day). We have gotten in cats that have already been fixed. All have to go through being put under anesthesia since they can’t be handled otherwise, and with the girls were it isn’t always immediately noticeable that they were worked on before some get opened up again for no reason. Yes this has only happened a few times but enough that I would think marking them would be a smart thing to do.
I work at a vets office in the USA that doesn’t mark the feral cats that get spayed (We work with a fix-a-feral program and sometimes spay/neuter 3 feral cats in one day). We have gotten in cats that have already been fixed. All have to go through being put under anesthesia since they can’t be handled otherwise, and with the girls were it isn’t always immediately noticeable that they were worked on before some get opened up again for no reason. Yes this has only happened a few times but enough that I would think marking them would be a smart thing to do.
for those who think this is more along the lines of “cosmetic” as opposed to for health reasons, realize that if there is no outward sign that the cat has been fixed they will cut the animal open again to fix it only to realize that it has already been done.
I think it is great. You are saving the life of the cat and making sure it doesn’t have to undergo more procedures than it needs to.
for those who think this is more along the lines of “cosmetic” as opposed to for health reasons, realize that if there is no outward sign that the cat has been fixed they will cut the animal open again to fix it only to realize that it has already been done.
I think it is great. You are saving the life of the cat and making sure it doesn’t have to undergo more procedures than it needs to.
First off, Thank you to the cat owner for adopting a rescue!! we need more people being responsible with their animals out there. Secondly, I work @ a city shelter in california where the feral cat issue is a huge topic of debate. This would be an even better way to let us know that a cat is from a feral colony then the ear tipping method, just because its so obvious. That way, we could contact our local rescue groups to see if they’re missing a cat. It would be even better if certain groups had different sized punches. As for the comments about microchips, which i insert daily, i really don’t understand the issue of irritation to the animals. Sure, some do have reactions, depending on the breed and skin characteristics (less loose skin, etc.). I think I’ve seen maybe 2 reactions, and only at the injection site, (ie inflammation, hair loss) in my 2 years on the job. I believe the positives outweigh the negatives. I don’t know how many times we’ve gotten in aggressive/ freaked out animals which would have not been able to be put up for adoption and had to have been euthanized. But upon scanning them we find a chip and an owner to call to pick them up. Anyone have a better solution then?? In a perfect world these things would not be necessary, but we’re coming up with the best ideas we can to deal with a jacked up situation.
First off, Thank you to the cat owner for adopting a rescue!! we need more people being responsible with their animals out there. Secondly, I work @ a city shelter in california where the feral cat issue is a huge topic of debate. This would be an even better way to let us know that a cat is from a feral colony then the ear tipping method, just because its so obvious. That way, we could contact our local rescue groups to see if they’re missing a cat. It would be even better if certain groups had different sized punches. As for the comments about microchips, which i insert daily, i really don’t understand the issue of irritation to the animals. Sure, some do have reactions, depending on the breed and skin characteristics (less loose skin, etc.). I think I’ve seen maybe 2 reactions, and only at the injection site, (ie inflammation, hair loss) in my 2 years on the job. I believe the positives outweigh the negatives. I don’t know how many times we’ve gotten in aggressive/ freaked out animals which would have not been able to be put up for adoption and had to have been euthanized. But upon scanning them we find a chip and an owner to call to pick them up. Anyone have a better solution then?? In a perfect world these things would not be necessary, but we’re coming up with the best ideas we can to deal with a jacked up situation.
just to incite the rage
ive happily pierced a rabbit….rabbits get eaten here and are rarely kept as pets but are kept as a food source i got asked to pierce a rabbit’s ear and thought why not it might save it fromgetting eaten and it did just that. the owner was so proud of his very cool rabbit hekept it as a pet…. i saw him about a couple of months later the piercing had healed without any hassles and the rabbit was definately not ending up on a plate…
just to incite the rage
ive happily pierced a rabbit….rabbits get eaten here and are rarely kept as pets but are kept as a food source i got asked to pierce a rabbit’s ear and thought why not it might save it fromgetting eaten and it did just that. the owner was so proud of his very cool rabbit hekept it as a pet…. i saw him about a couple of months later the piercing had healed without any hassles and the rabbit was definately not ending up on a plate…
they tattoo dogs and cats for identification pierce cows septums and ears they also pierce babies with a piercing gun
they tattoo dogs and cats for identification pierce cows septums and ears they also pierce babies with a piercing gun
just me – Who is ‘they’? I don’t know any civilised member of society who would pierce a baby with a piercing gun or a rabbit’s ear for artistic merit.
Eating a rabbit is part of a natural relationship with it, piercing it’s ear is not.
just me – Who is ‘they’? I don’t know any civilised member of society who would pierce a baby with a piercing gun or a rabbit’s ear for artistic merit.
Eating a rabbit is part of a natural relationship with it, piercing it’s ear is not.
Above is the extra apostrophe for the tattoo later on.
Above is the extra apostrophe for the tattoo later on.
you know, there are alot of comments on here, but hopefully someone will read this!!!
a friend of mine has an inside/outside cat. we have the ferile cat program here as well, where they pick up the cats and spay/nueter them. his cat (already nuetered) was picked up by mistake as an un spayed female… the poor kitty dissapeared and returned 3 days later with stitches down his poor belly and the tip of his ear was clipped. poor little guy.
you know, there are alot of comments on here, but hopefully someone will read this!!!
a friend of mine has an inside/outside cat. we have the ferile cat program here as well, where they pick up the cats and spay/nueter them. his cat (already nuetered) was picked up by mistake as an un spayed female… the poor kitty dissapeared and returned 3 days later with stitches down his poor belly and the tip of his ear was clipped. poor little guy.
ho ho it wasnt done for artistic merit it was done for the fun of it. and i never said babies ears were pierced by civilised people what makes a person civilised? take a walk down the street and you will see many under five year olds with their ears gun pierced a good raeson why responsible piercers should pierce children with a needle another thing ive happily done in the past
ho ho it wasnt done for artistic merit it was done for the fun of it. and i never said babies ears were pierced by civilised people what makes a person civilised? take a walk down the street and you will see many under five year olds with their ears gun pierced a good raeson why responsible piercers should pierce children with a needle another thing ive happily done in the past
I had a feral cat as a pet once. Instead of a hole punch they snipped off the tip of his ear. We were told he was wild an untamed and the place that had him tried to convince us to adopt another cat instead, but he ended up being a lovely companion! (Although he did randomly bite at times.)
I had a feral cat as a pet once. Instead of a hole punch they snipped off the tip of his ear. We were told he was wild an untamed and the place that had him tried to convince us to adopt another cat instead, but he ended up being a lovely companion! (Although he did randomly bite at times.)
#20 – gummooooooooooo! “i hate fucking rabbits.”
#20 – gummooooooooooo! “i hate fucking rabbits.”
My last cat, who was a stray until she adopted me, was missing the tip of one of her ears. I had assumed it was a victim of the streets, but it turns out it meant that she had been caught, snipped, and released. The ear nipping prevented her from being caught and hauled off to the vet a second time. Personally I much prefer this method of animal population control to euthanasia. 😉
My last cat, who was a stray until she adopted me, was missing the tip of one of her ears. I had assumed it was a victim of the streets, but it turns out it meant that she had been caught, snipped, and released. The ear nipping prevented her from being caught and hauled off to the vet a second time. Personally I much prefer this method of animal population control to euthanasia. 😉
#66 – the poor thing!
#66 – the poor thing!
#21 or Lori
“The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progression be judged by the way it’s animals are treated” Mahatma Gandhi
It all boils down to the bottom line. I respect that people are concerned with protecting what is the beautiful and delicate ecosystem of Australia. However, I have no respect for the murder of animals due to a lack of funds. This is my primary concern. The visual modification is a secondary issue in my opinion. I would rather be forcibly modified and alive then dead and in some dumpster somewhere. I think that most cats would agree.
I hope you haven’t felt disrespected as it was not my intention.
#21 or Lori
“The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progression be judged by the way it’s animals are treated” Mahatma Gandhi
It all boils down to the bottom line. I respect that people are concerned with protecting what is the beautiful and delicate ecosystem of Australia. However, I have no respect for the murder of animals due to a lack of funds. This is my primary concern. The visual modification is a secondary issue in my opinion. I would rather be forcibly modified and alive then dead and in some dumpster somewhere. I think that most cats would agree.
I hope you haven’t felt disrespected as it was not my intention.
#64, as unfortunate as it is, after working at a piercing studio I’d see people once a week bring in their babies looking for us to pierce their ears and were shocked that not only would we not do it but that we used needles for any piercing in general. I still see pierced babies around town almost daily.
I personally think notching or tipping the ear would be better than a whole. My cats would certainly get their ears caught on things. I once had a cat get an infection in it’s ear and the entire thing ballooned up, had to go through surgery to get drained, and the poor thing never really got it’s balance back. Ears can be very vital parts of cats anatomy. If one of these cats gets it caught and torn on something, they could end up with an infection. Less likely if it’s just the tip or a notch.
#64, as unfortunate as it is, after working at a piercing studio I’d see people once a week bring in their babies looking for us to pierce their ears and were shocked that not only would we not do it but that we used needles for any piercing in general. I still see pierced babies around town almost daily.
I personally think notching or tipping the ear would be better than a whole. My cats would certainly get their ears caught on things. I once had a cat get an infection in it’s ear and the entire thing ballooned up, had to go through surgery to get drained, and the poor thing never really got it’s balance back. Ears can be very vital parts of cats anatomy. If one of these cats gets it caught and torn on something, they could end up with an infection. Less likely if it’s just the tip or a notch.
Have these people not heard of microchipping? This is as unnecessarily painful and archaic as tattooing numbers on housepets to identify them. As others have said already, if this gets caught on something before or even after it has healed, it could cause an infection that is painful or worse.
Have these people not heard of microchipping? This is as unnecessarily painful and archaic as tattooing numbers on housepets to identify them. As others have said already, if this gets caught on something before or even after it has healed, it could cause an infection that is painful or worse.
You have to catch a cat, drag it to the vet and scan it to detect a microchip. That is unneccessary extra trauma for the cat. Being trapped and handled isn’t exactly a picnic for them, you know.
You have to catch a cat, drag it to the vet and scan it to detect a microchip. That is unneccessary extra trauma for the cat. Being trapped and handled isn’t exactly a picnic for them, you know.