Rush Limbaugh's Cat.

Ah, Rush and pets.

From Radio Equalizer:

DEHUMANIZING RUSH

Even His Cat Generates Controversy

In the twisted world of partisan politics, how could Rush Limbaugh's cat manage to become an issue?

The answer is that when it comes to dehumanizing a key conservative enemy, nothing is sacred in this stage of the game.

I used to listen to Limbaugh a lot, 10 years ago. Then I got tired of the "Long Time Listener, First Time Caller, and I gotta say, Mega-Mega-Mega-Dittoes on [fill in the blank issue] geez yer a genius Rush!" callers, and listened only to his monologues that started the hour, and then, I just drifted away. Nothing against Rush.

One of the things I was always piqued by was when he discussed animals. Rush clearly believes that only people have souls, thoughts, feelings, etc, of any sophistication whatsoever (and many animal behaviorists will agree with that assessment) and his discussion of pets followed that line. Such as this description of his relationship with his cat:

I told the story about the cat. I'll try to recreate the story. I love my cat. I got the greatest little cat in the world. You people know it. I pet this cat. I love this cat. I feed this cat. But I'm smart enough to know she only really wants me when she wants to be fed. I have learned enough to know that when she comes and starts head butting me or walking around my legs, she wants to be fed.

Every time I hear (or read) Rush discussing pets, I understand why he thinks like he does. He treats 'em like objects, and, on a fundamental level, doesn't really respect them (as treacly and new-agey as *that* sounds!).

The Interior Guard of Argghhh!, when they want to get fed, get vocal, and underfoot. It's clear when they want to be fed. But I get the head-butting, leg-rubbing and other behaviors Rush describes... *after* they've been fed. And at random times during the day. And the cats come to hang out. They watch tv with us (Barney *really* watches TV, especially anything with animals on it - I'd love to know what's going on in her mind at those times).

My point is - we treat the critters as family, not as objects. And they respond to that. In ways that clearly are not related solely to food.

More starkly is how that manifests itself with the horses. Our horses come when we call. Whether there's food involved or not (they come *much* quicker when they know there's food involved, you betcha!). But they come on their own volition. Our horses, in a horsey way, like us. Yes, we trained them to that. I got that. But you watch how many hard-core horse people treat their horses, and watch how their horses behave. Then watch our horses. Our horses want to be around us. They want to go riding. They want the head scritches, etc. And it isn't just us - our boys are the barn sluts. Everybody comments on how nice they are, and how different our horses are than others in the barn - including theirs, as they jerk on the reins and bully their horse around.

This is getting longer than I intended. My point being - not to pile on Rush, but to use Limbaugh's words to illustrate my point - that if you treat your critters like family (and that, like children means discipline and training... all larded with love and affection) they'll *want* to hang around you, and not just because you feed 'em.

That's all.