Now, I know that this article is going to get a lot of “adopt, don’t shop” comments, and that’s understandable, but I am a firm believer that once the animals have been born, they deserve loving homes, regardless of the circumstances.
Rather than shaming pet owners who may have gone to a pet store or questionable breeder, it’s more important to direct that anger towards promoting best practices and properly regulating animal breeding in ways that disincentives the harmful ones.
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A six-year-old blind cat named Moet is a great example of why it’s important to promote better pet adoption practices.
As a kitten in Oman, Moet was put up for sale in a pet store, where she was caged with a bunch of other kittens. The store didn’t care about their well-being, leaving the small cage dirty, with little water or food provided for the cats.
In such a situation, illness is common and when Moet became sick, perspective buyers wouldn’t consider choosing her.
Eventually, her illness progressed to the point where she began to go blind and developed an infection in her eyes.
All the other kittens were adopted, leaving Moet alone until a woman who rescues neglected animals got her out of there and to a vet.
There, Moet’s eyes had to be removed completely and she began the road to recovery.
Soon after, Emily Shotter, a recent arrival from the U.K., was looking for a companion for her current cat.
Though she was concerned at first about adopting a special needs cat, once Emily was introduced to Moet, they were inseparable. Moet still had stitches in her face from the surgery, but Emily could see how much love and personality the poor kitty had.
Two years later, Moet is an energetic diva with a sizeable social media presence.
Emily hopes that by sharing her story, people will be more aware of how poor breeding and care practices can be devastating for the young animals. She also hopes to raise money to open a proper cat shelter in Oman, so that she can keep saving more kittens in need.
You can help by following Moet on Instagram @moetblindcat and by spreading awareness of her story.
h/t: The Dodo
