D'AWWWWWW!

[Chrono Crow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJQG6V1MOVY

[giantsfan97]

excellent choice for the name of the thread

GO CHARLEY GOOOOO

[kupo]

AWWW this is inspiring!

YAY CAT

[PonderThis]

Arrr!!! So conflicted!!! Urge to make smartass remark battling TEH CUTE!!!

TEH CUTE WINS!

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWZUMZ!!!!!

[catastrophile]

I'm not sure I get it.

He's in no pain, needs no special care, and has a normal life expectancy. Other than being marginally clutzier, he's just like a normal cat.

So . . . he's amazing because he's a spaz?

Or do his owners just think they're hot $#!+ because they didn't have him killed for being clumsy?

One of my cats is a complete idiot. But he's in no pain, needs no special care, and has a normal life expectancy. And he likes hanging out with the other cat, looking out the window, and playing. And cats just like him are needlessly destroyed by the ton every year.

AMAZING.

[James]

Or do his owners just think they're hot $#!+ because they didn't have him killed for being clumsy?

I think the idea is that they're saying that some people would have a kitten with that condition put down, whilst their experience suggests that there's no reason to. I mean, I have sympathy with the whole pessimism and misanthropy thing, but people aren't always being self-congratulatory shitheads.

Sure, it's pretty sentimental, but I don't think it's doing anything seriously wrong.

[catastrophile]

Okay, I don't really mean to question the motives of the owners. I'm sure they mean well. To the extent that the owners hate the idea of cats being killed for no reason, that's swell.

But the draw of the video is not that it increases awareness of this condition; it's the cat's comical lack of coordination. And while the message at the end -- "if you have a kitten like this, ask your vet for more information" -- is probably heartfelt, honestly, what do they think people are going to do?

"Gee, I was gonna put him in a sack and toss him off a bridge, but let's take him to the vet instead."

Eh, I dunno.

[chrismachine]

I like that video. No horn-blowing there, IMO.

[James]

Okay, I don't really mean to question the motives of the owners. I'm sure they mean well. To the extent that the owners hate the idea of cats being killed for no reason, that's swell.

But the draw of the video is not that it increases awareness of this condition; it's the cat's comical lack of coordination. And while the message at the end -- "if you have a kitten like this, ask your vet for more information" -- is probably heartfelt, honestly, what do they think people are going to do?

"Gee, I was gonna put him in a sack and toss him off a bridge, but let's take him to the vet instead."

Eh, I dunno.

IT WAS LIFE-AFFIRMING GOD DAMMIT.

I never thought I'd say that, let alone in capitals.

Sure, it won't change the world, but what really will? I found it heart-warming and I like my heart to very occasionally be warm.

[Kerberos]

I played it without the music except during the last part because I forgot to put my ear buds in. Cat must've too, because we're the only ones not captured by the audio-transmitted sympathy hormone release inducer cunningly built into that video.

I really don't do the whole "Aww, so cute, how could anyone not want it" thing. You can tell because I eat meat. And if I were on a life raft with my dog, starving, I'm such a terrible person that I will say in polite company that I would eat my dog oh my god I'm such a monster.

Interesting anecdote about me being a jerk: one time, I was talking with a girl about eating horses (her main defense was "there purty dont eat tehm"), and in a lull, I heard her discussing her next mode of attack with her friend. It was noisy, though, so I just heard "Blah blah blah moose blah."

"Aha!" I said. "Is it okay to eat moose?" I don't know where I was going with it, but she got all angry at me because she was talking about siccing her dog on me. Her dog is named Moose. And I'm amused.

What a pointless post. Unlike all of your profound, important revelations.

[catastrophile]

I found it heart-warming

I realize I'm being a dick. I just want somebody to explain to me how this cat qualifies as amazing.

He's just a perfectly mundane cat with a slight affliction. Sure, he's adorable. He's a cat.

[PonderThis]

I found it heart-warming

I realize I'm being a dick. I just want somebody to explain to me how this cat qualifies as amazing.

He doesn't. He qualifies as TEH CUTE.

[James]

I really don't do the whole "Aww, so cute, how could anyone not want it" thing. You can tell because I eat meat. And if I were on a life raft with my dog, starving, I'm such a terrible person that I will say in polite company that I would eat my dog oh my god I'm such a monster.

Hey, a lot of us would, but that doesn't mean we're cold-hearted murder machines, as cool as that sounds.

Sometimes I wonder whether it'd be more self-consistent of me to be a vegetarian. I don't see it happening any time soon, though. And then there's the whole thing about what the knock-on effects are, which I can't be bothered to think about. Which is pretty bad, really, if it's a serious issue.

Interesting anecdote about me being a jerk

I always find it strange when people talk about being a jerk as though it's not something to be ashamed of. If it's not a problem you're not being a jerk.

What a pointless post. Unlike all of your profound, important revelations.

Oh Christ, I think I sometimes sound like this. I really hope I never sound like this.

I just want somebody to explain to me how this cat qualifies as amazing.

Oh no, the video description uses hyperbole. I think I'm going to poopcakes my pants. In other news, parents all think their children are better than they really are. Coming up: people like the smell of their own farts.

[catastrophile]

Not just the video description. The response to it here is similarly overindulgent. Which is fine, except the only thing that makes this cat video exceptional is the lurching and the staggering. If this cat was a person I imagine he'd tell you all to go mind your own dang business and stop staring at him.

This is, like, the pet videos version of this. Cute, even amusing in a cruel sort of way. But inspiring?

[Kerberos]

I just want somebody to explain to me how this cat qualifies as amazing.

Awww... Cat's just jealous. Here, have a kitty treat.

that doesn't mean we're cold-hearted murder machines, as cool as that sounds.

MUST KILL DISBELIEVER. MUST STAB IN WARM, BEATING HEART.

ERROR 404: TARGET COULD NOT BE FOUND.

If it's not a problem you're not being a jerk.

Oh, really?

... Yeah, I can't think of a comeback to that.

[catastrophile]

Mmmmm, treats. I prefer mine live and squirming. Much more fun that way.

[James]

Not just the video description. The response to it here is similarly overindulgent.

Before your first post, other than Kupo describing it as "inspiring" all people had said was "awwww". That's not really indulgent.

Which is fine, except the only thing that makes this cat video exceptional is the lurching and the staggering.

It's nice because an animal which probably would have died in the wild is able to survive and have an apparently pretty good life.

If this cat was a person I imagine he'd tell you all to go mind your own dang business and stop staring at him.

But it's not a person, it's an animal, and it's OK to patronize animals BECAUSE THEY'RE rickin'-frackin' ANIMALS. It's not like we respect them or anything. We keep them in our houses for our own amusement.

I guess it's not such a big deal, but I don't see many animals with disabilities, really. I saw a dog with its hind legs supported by wheels, once, and an old friend had a neighbour whose cat was (apparently) blind. I was pleased that these animals were able to survive despite their respective problems (although I did wonder how much fun the life of a blind cat would be). It made me sad when my cat's kittens got gangrene and had to be put down. I wanted them to just amputate the infected legs. But that obviously wouldn't have worked. That's not really relevant, but I'm reminded of it. Earlier I ate some dead pig. It doesn't make much sense, but that's how we are.

This is, like, the pet videos version of this. Cute, even amusing in a cruel sort of way. But inspiring?

The chances of him being put down were considerably lower.

[catastrophile]

Which is fine, except the only thing that makes this cat video exceptional is the lurching and the staggering.

It's nice because an animal which probably would have died in the wild is able to survive and have an apparently pretty good life.

How does that distinguish it from other cat videos?

it's OK to patronize animals BECAUSE THEY'RE rickin'-frackin' ANIMALS

Just when I was worried about coming off as the insensitive one.

[James]

Which is fine, except the only thing that makes this cat video exceptional is the lurching and the staggering.

It's nice because an animal which probably would have died in the wild is able to survive and have an apparently pretty good life.

How does that distinguish it from other cat videos?

It's similar but to a greater degree.

it's OK to patronize animals BECAUSE THEY'RE rickin'-frackin' ANIMALS

Just when I was worried about coming off as the insensitive one.

I call one of my cats an idiot all the time. He really is. He's a complete moron. That obviously doesn't hurt his feelings. In fact, it's impossible to hurt his feelings even if you want to. He's obsessed with human attention and extremely persistent with it. Trying to get him to give up trying to stand on you while you're watching telly is a futile endeavour. I'm not going to be sensitive about animals, because they're not people. But I do like them, on the whole.

I also find animals quite funny. I think that may be because I can't help but see them in human terms, which is kind of seeing them other than how they actually are, but it's fun this way, so I'm going to stick to it.

[catastrophile]

Okay, so, do you like the video because the cat has somehow triumphed in the face of adversity, or do you like it because it's entertaining to watch the thing stagger around like a gimp?

I should start a poll.

[Dusk]

It made me sad when my cat's kittens got gangrene and had to be put down.

Geez, what did you do with them? Re-enact civil wars?
Force them to sleep in a peat bog.. full of peat?

BECAUSE THEY'RE rickin'-frackin' ANIMALS

Well, that's just not acceptable.. but it does explain his gait.

Okay, so, do you like the video because the cat has somehow triumphed in the face of adversity, or do you like it because it's entertaining to watch the thing stagger around like a gimp?

Ok, for a start, they have a good point about people putting down cats just because they walk funny. Secondly, they are or they employed the use of an amateur film maker with an amateur production company looking for some Youtube exposure. That's why there's all the fluff and pathos and whatnot.
Looks like it appeals to the multitudes.

[James]

Okay, so, do you like the video because the cat has somehow triumphed in the face of adversity, or do you like it because it's entertaining to watch the thing stagger around like a gimp?

Probably a bit of both, to be honest. Well, it's not so much that he walks funny. I think there's a kind of innocence to it. That's being patronizing again, isn't it? I don't care, he's a cat. It's a bit like why people like seeing babies or baby animals. A lot of it's because they're vulnerable and innocent and it makes those of us who are actually human go mushy and stupid. I'M JOKING, I'M SURE ALL OF US ARE AT LEAST MOSTLY HUMAN. But you know what I mean. Sorry if our immediate and automatic reactions to the video weren't entirely logical or politically correct.

I doubt he actually is innocent, really. I mean, everyone gets more upset in films when a dog dies than when a person dies, but carnivores are pretty much indiscriminate killers, and I'd say that animals are on the whole more selfish than humans, and why wouldn't they be? That said, some people do push selfishness to quite incredible levels.

It made me sad when my cat's kittens got gangrene and had to be put down.

Geez, what did you do with them? Re-enact civil wars?
Force them to sleep in a peat bog.. full of peat?

No, another cat (we presume the father) came into the house and bit all but one of them. The one he didn't bite was actually the oldest, but he was hiding at the back of their box. He later went to a friend of mine and became very fat, very smelly, and very grumpy. He'd growl ridiculously if you picked him up, and he breathed heavily. Recently he died, which was a shame. He was fairly old, though. But not as old as his mother, who is still alive and well.