Scientists Developing a Bad Reputation in their Relationship with Cats

Of course scientists are people and within a group of people you will find some who don't like nature, don't like wildlife and don't like cats.  Within the past week there has been a spate of stories about scientists and their relationship with domestic cats and the scientist does not come out of the stories in a good light.

Just yesterday there was a story of a talented and well-known scientist in the UK.  He developed new light equipment in order to treat cancers.  We are told that he "inadvertently" or carelessly killed a neighbour's cat.  He put poison down to get rid of the rats on his land in Cheshire.

He put down a mixture of bacon, tuna and slug pellets.  The trouble is almost any animal could eat this poisonous concoction so if he intended to target rats he did it very, very carelessly indeed.  It is difficult to believe that a pioneer in cancer research and invention was that careless.  It makes me think that he put the poison down deliberately, knowing that it might well kill animals other than rats.

His name is Colin Whitehurst (54).  His neighbour is David Furness (41).  David found his cat dying, foaming at the mouth having eaten Mr Whitehurst's poison.

What David says is important:

“The chap would openly say to me he didn't want any wildlife living in the area-but what I can't understand is why he bought a property with all that land."

Mr Whitehurst had a two acre parcel of land adjacent to his property and apparently put the poisonous mix on that.

Mr Whitehurst was prosecuted and taken to the criminal court where he admitted causing unnecessary suffering under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.  He was handed down a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2493.03 in costs.  The magistrate said that he had a disregard for wildlife.  He certainly did.

I must also refer to an animal testing facility at London University in which the scientists conducted Frankenstein-like experiments on domestic cats, cracking open their brains and inserting electrodes. Also, opening up the spinal-cord and inserting electrodes in that as well.  All in the name of some sort of vague benefit to people.  We don't quite know what it was about.  It doesn't really matter because it is totally unacceptable.

These are scientists who are highly educated many to Ph.D. level.  They should know better.  They should have a high level of morality and ethics built into their work and their behaviour.

Then we have the New Zealand Ph.D. economist who wants to exterminate all cats on the islands.

There have been cases reported in the past of scientists demonstrating bias in their work.  This is in relationship to the impact of the domestic cat preying on native species.  There's no doubt in my mind that there are many scientists who dislike cats in the same way that there are many people who dislike cats.  However, fortunately there are probably many more people who love cats.