My letter to Animal Planet

[AAFitz]

Dear esteemed editors of Animal Planet,

I recently was searching through On Demand, and saw your series Cats 101. For fun I clicked on it and saw a show called Kittens. My first thought was, "Awesome, its like the internet on TV." My wife and I didn't really want to watch TV, but I convinced her with; "How can you not want to watch "kittens". They are the epitome of all good in this world." And so we did.

As expected, there were lots of cute little kittens running around doing the insane things that kittens do, and thanks for that. However, that is not the reason I am writing to you. If I had to write a letter to everyone that showed me a picture of cute kittens, even I would eventually run out of words.

My problem was with your segment about the litter of kittens you showed born. They weren't just born under some barn or shed either. They had a Vet, and even a nurse deliver them. It was a small litter, only two cute little kittens, which you showed grow bigger every week.....except in the end....WHEN HALF OF THE LITTER DIED!!!

Are you kidding me? You make a show called "Kittens" and then proceed to film a segment in which half of an entire litter dies? Now remember, I convinced my trusting wife to watch this with me, and the only upside is that we still had tears blocking our eyes, as you immediately cut to a segment about a mother cat that went into a burning building to save most of her kittens, one by one, except for the last, which she died trying to save. This of course was complete with a picture of one of the grown up kittens that I can only speculated was named Freddy Kruger. Again, are you kidding me!!!????

The title of the show was 'Kittens', not 'Kittens; Sometimes they die!', or 'Kittens; A great way to teach your kids about death!' or 'Kittens; They can't realistically all possibly be saved from burning buildings even if their mother is a feline superhero' or any other appropriate title that could have prepared me and mine to have our hearts ripped out by the following show. If I want to watch something depressing and horrible Id just have watched the Jersey Shore, which at least lets you know something horrible will follow with its title.

I sincerely hope you learn from this mistake in the future, and If I see a show called 'Puppies' you damn well better film more than one litter being born, so you can actually show some puppies that...you know....live.

Thank you,

Fitz

[natty dread]

a mother cat that went into a burning building to save most of her kittens, one by one, except for the last, which she died trying to save.

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY


(btw, this is exactly why I don't like watching those animal rescue shows anymore. half the time, they just show complete inhuman bastards who treat animals like shit, and even when they get to rescue animals, half of the time they die anyway. )

[the carpet man]

heh. i always wonder why people shed tears over animals. is it not enough to cry about the death of a loved human, you have to get upset about beached whales or dead cats as well? it is only an animal.

[AAFitz]

heh. i always wonder why people shed tears over animals. is it not enough to cry about the death of a loved human, you have to get upset about beached whales or dead cats as well? it is only an animal.

Yup. Its only an animal. However, that little cat got quite a bit of press. More people will have cried at its death than yours.

[the carpet man]

that is quite an extraordinary and pathetic statement for you to make, specially as you do not know anything about me.

[oVo]

you do not know anything about me.

True... you just might be or become very famous and shock us all with your passing.
Then again, the lack of empathy towards animals and quite possibly all living things
expressed in your post might just make us think "good riddance" when you pass on.
No worries though, there's still time for you to improve your attitude about life.

The premise of that "Kittens" show is absurd and I'm surprised that such content
was produced and aired.

[the carpet man]

it is sad that you would rejoice in my death (e.g. 'good riddance') because i do not get upset about the death of a kitten

[natty dread]

it is sad that you would rejoice in my death (e.g. 'good riddance') because i do not get upset about the death of a kitten

Your mom is sad for ever birthing you.

[natty dread]

it is only an animal.

And so are you. What's your point?

[oVo]

Rejoice? You could be gone tomorrow and I might miss it.
But... I'm a wuss and the early demise of any living thing
touches me.

and that would include even you if I was made aware of your departure.

[Woodruff]

heh. i always wonder why people shed tears over animals. is it not enough to cry about the death of a loved human, you have to get upset about beached whales or dead cats as well? it is only an animal.

An animal that you can very easily form a very close bond with. If you don't believe that there is a personal relationship between a pet and their owner, I do feel sorry for you.

[the carpet man]

i refer more to the animals in the letter, which are cats he has turned on a television and just become aware of. i can imagine there is a level of distress when a person's dog of 15 years dies.

natty: you continue to make some very personal remarks about me. why is that necessary? i do not insult you as a person.

[natty dread]

natty: you continue to make some very personal remarks about me.

So you dispute the fact that you're an animal?

[Woodruff]

i refer more to the animals in the letter, which are cats he has turned on a television and just become aware of. i can imagine there is a level of distress when a person's dog of 15 years dies.

Oh, gotcha. I think the OP was thinking more along the lines of "children seeing it" (who quite often WILL feel horror at an animal they don't know dying") and his wife (whom he goaded into watching the program because "it would be all furry, games and light").

[the carpet man]

natty dread, i was obvious referring to your comment to me about 'your mom was sad for ever birthing you'. it strikes me that this is very un-necessary and also fails to address anything i said. you are simply again being hateful because you do not agree with me.

[natty dread]

Yeah but I'm doing it ironically.

[BigBallinStalin]

Was there a reply?

[AAFitz]

that is quite an extraordinary and pathetic statement for you to make, specially as you do not know anything about me.

Actually, its clear I hit the nail on the head, or in this case...screw.

[AAFitz]

natty dread, i was obvious referring to your comment to me about 'your mom was sad for ever birthing you'. it strikes me that this is very un-necessary and also fails to address anything i said. you are simply again being hateful because you do not agree with me.

No. I wouldn't underestimate old natty there. I'm sure he is being hateful, because he actually hates you and the ridiculousness you are presenting here. And while he may cry at the death of an itty bitty kitty, I suspect the death of a troll may not illicit the same emotional response.

[natty dread]

Kitties have a place in my heart.

[the carpet man]

i am a 'troll' because i do not understand what is so important about an animal's death?

this is the same as his reaction to my not caring about gay marriage: you both seem to think i am a worse person for not caring about the death of a cat. i would ask if either of you eat meat.

[AAFitz]

i am a 'troll' because i do not understand what is so important about an animal's death?

this is the same as his reaction to my not caring about gay marriage: you both seem to think i am a worse person for not caring about the death of a cat. i would ask if either of you eat meat.

No, you are simply heartless for not understanding why some are touched by the death of an animal, or possibly sociopathic even...impossible to know....either way, I couldnt care less. You are a troll, simply because you troll.

In any case, I don't really care. My point was only that more people will shed a tear for that cat, than for you. Some animals are just loved more than others, but dont let it get you down.

[AAFitz]

Kitties have a place in my heart.

[the carpet man]

No, you are simply heartless for not understanding why some are touched by the death of an animal, or possibly sociopathic even...impossible to know....

a man died in hanoi today. he was old. he had a few family members, who loved him. do you feel like crying? i feel this is more upsetting than the dead cat you cried over. yet will it make you cry? i feel not.

i eat meat. forgive me for not giving a snivel over the cow or pigeon before i put it in my mouth. it's an animal. do you mourn for the loss of the civil rights movement that this kitten will never become a prominent activist? do you cry for the mother cat that it will never see its child go away to university?

much as in the thread on gay marriage, i merely question why a dead animal on a television programme is a force in your life that makes you cry. there is no need to answer that question by attacking me personally, which you did.

[natty dread]

it's an animal.

So are you.