Po' Kitties is a group of volunteers concerned about the welfare of feral cats in Polk and Upper Spartanburg Counties. We operate under the auspices of the Foothills Humane Society, a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization. For information, email Dana at danamayer@windstream.net
Sunday, October 7, 2007
What is an Ear Tip?
This photo is of a Noah's Ark ear tipped cat. The tip of the ear is taken off while under anesthesia to denote that the cat has been sterilized at a glance. This means the cat is part of a managed colony.
29
comments:
Anonymous
said...
How does this effect the cat medically? What are the side effects? it seems a little inhumane to chop off part of your cat's ear.
Here is a link about eartipping from Dr. Julie Levy who is THE expert on feral cats: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/eartipping.html
I have to say that eartipping could possibly save the cat from being spayed or neutered again, or even worse, if it is brought into a shelter and not eartipped, it would probably be euthanized.
It is the only reliable way to tell if a cat is spayed or neutered in a colony and is approved by all the major humane groups.
would'nt it just make more sense to put a chip in the cat that has all the medical information instead of cruelness by cutting the cats ear..thats just wrong.
I think this sounds like a good idea. It doesn't sound like it affects the cat any and microchipping is expensive and impractical. It's impractical to catch all the cats over and over again to scan them to see if they have been "fixed".
Do you know anyone who suffers ghost pains from having a piece of their lobe missing? I don't. There's a reason ears are pierced, stretched and marked. How is ear tipping that different from getting a pierced ear? Would I rather work to stave overpopulation than fret about a chip of the cat's ear. BTW - How is a tattoo less painful than trimming the tip of the cat's ear when it's asleep? Let's weigh our priorities people!!!
Did any of you screaming about ear tipping being mean or cruel stop to think how stressful & tramatic it is for a feral cat to endure being captured, transported in a vehicle, handled by people, (possibly anesthetized if really wild)while risking injury, illness or death from the stress, just for someone to check for a tatoo or chip? I'm sorry if the thought of ear-tipping makes you uncomfortable, but guess what IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU & IT IS NOT ABOUT YOUR COMFORT! If the cat is ear tipped, it can be released immediately if caught in a live trap. It also allows folks that particpate in the TNR program to know which cats have already been neutered at a glance so they can focus on those feral cats that still need to be neutered.
Anonymous said: "Did any of you screaming about ear tipping being mean or cruel stop to think how stressful & tramatic it is for a feral cat to endure being captured [...] just for someone to check for a tatoo or chip?"
In Australia, the tattoo is pretty large (1/2 an inch diametre generally) in a dark colour on an ear's white background. In any sort of trap or cage, the cat's going to be looking directly at you the whole time. The tat's very easily visible, I assure you.
Well, at least you are all trying to do what's best for the animals. Seems to me like the ear tip would be equatable to circumcision, but I suppose some people would think that was inhumane. Don't forget your common grounds before you get angry at each other over your differences.
It's more inhumane to abandon your cats that keep breeding more and more homeless unwanted cats, that spread disease and starve to death. If people were more responsible in the first place this wouldn't be an issue. Stop whining this is a proactive approach to an aweful situation.
Erm, wouldn't that hurt. . . like a lot? And if the cats are house cats but are going to be let out a few times, would eartipping still be as reccomended? Because I don't like the tip of my two cat's ears cutoff when a simple "Hey, this cat is spayed." would do just fine. That is, if we ever give away the cats. Rawr
I have a real problem with ear tipping.I understand the need to indentify but why not tattoo the tip of the ear with a bright ink clearly visible. Serves the same purpose without maiming.Want to say " Well Done" for all who care for those in need. Every little bit does matter. Thanks
I don't see how disfiguring the cat is humane. And tattooing is very simple. Rabbit breeders do it all the time without any ill effects to the animal & you can see the tattoo is there very clearly. It is done with a small tool that resemble pliers. Tiny metal plates that have needles in the shape of numbers or letters go on the end of the pliers. Black ink is smeared on the skin & the plate is pressed into the skin of the ear. The ink is wiped off and waalaa, new tattoo. The tattoo can easily be seen at a distance. Just another option that could be considered.
I find it interesting that some people scream about how inhumane declawing a cat is. "It's like cutting their fingers off at the knuckle", "They'll never be the same"...etc. Yet, they are perfectly fine chopping off an ear or giving a female cat a hysterectomy.
Of course, they would reply that declawing is a selfish thing only selfish people do to protect their belongings, whereas the other procedures are for the cat's own good. Yet, there is no good reason to cut off the ear when they can simply tattoo on the inside. Isn't that more humane than disfiguring?
So, are you saying you clip these young cats ear off and then let them go out in the wild, to let anyone that sees them "know" they are a feral/stray cat, but has been SPAYED??!! That's a bunch of crap! I think it is inhumane to disfigure these beautiful cratures. I don't for a minute, think this would prevent them from being euthanized when taken to a shelter. If they aren't spoken for after a period of time, they are euthanized ANYWAY! Don't try to dance around that! I don't care what some of these people are saying about them getting caught, handled, caged, etc. is worse than clipping the tip of their ear, if they are still a feral cat then they will be out in the wild anyway and in danger. If someone doesn't like cats, they aren't even going to know why or care if that cats ear is clipped. I had no idea what this was until I looked into it from seeing it done on two of my friends HOUSE PETS!! That was a very BIG mistake!!
i love how people contemplate the humane aspects of this, when the animals are doing what the wild intended. Our interference is not humane, our interference is only four our comfort, ego and conscience. I don't see anyone rushing out to sterilize human beings when we do the same thing... If you are going to capture and sterilize a feral cat, have the balls to admit that your humanity has nothing to do with what you are doing and that the entire process is cruel to the animal
How would yall like it if someone snatchs YOU and cuts off part of your ear just so you're recognized? If part of their ear was meant to be cut off it wouldn't be there in the damn first place!!!
I had my cat neutured today and they tipped his ear he is a housecat I am outraged I had no idea what ear tipping was so i left the box blank then when I picked him up he was missing half his ear now everytime I look at him I cry Ive had him since he was a newborn and bottle fed him and now when I look at him I feel like I made a mistake I can never change what happend and feel so guilty. Has this happend to anyone eles?
I can't believe that people are arguing over the relative humaneness of tattooing vs. ear tipping. As long as the cat is anaesthetized during the procedures, I don't think there is any difference between the two. Both presumably cause some minor discomfort, but neither impedes the cat's functioning the way losing another part of its body might.
The whole concept of disfigurement is something that only matters to human beings. A cat isn't invested in the way that it looks.
Children children children, ear tipping is a slight disfigurment. These cats arent gonna shuffle off to Hollywood for a scene in an epic movie. They are gonna live out their lives in good health doing what ever wild cats do except one thing. They arent gonna breed more wild cats to suffer from diseases and hunger. This isnt australia BTW. I wouldnt get too deep into cat ear tipping if I was you. You might conjur up the subject of the senseless slaughter of kangaroos.
Wow. Considering you can see a cat from a distance and know that you don't have to try to catch it, seems more than worth the supposed discomfort. Tattoos may work elsewhere but it seems like you would still have to catch the cats in order to see the tats. Seems like a waste of resources.
We are dealing with a litter of cats in the garage and learning about what to do. Part of the beauty of the cat is it's symmetrical features. And the ears are so beautiful. Even though there seems to be a good purpose to doing it, it is marring their appearance, and they probably know it. And the other cats will tell him or her that they are missing a piece of ear, and looking injured from a fight, other cats might think they can pick on them. It is enough that they have been taken against their wills and sterilized for controlling the population. Maybe there is another way. And when a cat continues to not get pregnant it should be clear that she was spayed. Can't the surgical scars be seen by shaving the belly? And checking the male's privates can also show he has been fixed. I vote no to ear chopping. Ear tipping is too nice a label for a mutilation that is justified. But I do not know too much about it. My opinion. I am also against cutting dogs ears and tails off. Most of these breeds are not hunting and getting them caught in the bushes. And dogs are smart enough without making them "look smarter" with pointy ears that were not given to them by nature. The poor things can't wag their tails. And people with these dogs just need to buy a box of Q tips and mite solution and maintain those adorable floppy ears. Sometimes an idea with a purpose to the masses goes too far. Like the Chinese government limiting families to one child. People in positions of power make decisions that may not always be right. Maybe right for some but not right for others. But God Bless anyone who is doing things for the benefit of animals, and trying their best in an overwhelming situation of too many animals and not enough people who want to love and care for them.
Maybe the government or the laws should do something about cat breeding from the level of suppliers. I know a lot of people are working at these levels. Let those of us who pray, keep praying for good humane solutions to the animal population explosion in the world. And thank you for any and all people who have helped or are helping in any way. I have rescued and rehabbed small exotic animals who were neglected, injured, ill and dying in pet shops. Guinea pigs, hamsters, etc...
One more thing, a vet should always tell the person about chopping off the ear. And not rely on a form that may not be understood. And this should not come as a traumatic surprise to the person of the cats. It was sad to hear about the person who posted about her house cats that came home without all of their ears. I would have gone crazy. You might consider taking legal action in this particular case, no matter how much good work the vet does. Vets could give people a page clearly stating what they will be doing in addition to the spay or neuter. Or the vet tech should spell it out in words. Or post it in their waiting room. Full disclosure is a very important thing. One time I brought a guinea pig to the vet, and they took him in the back to take blood. When they returned him to me, one finger had been shortened along with taking the nail off. I was mortified. The vet nonchalantly said, after the fact that that was the easiest way to get blood. Then he said the finger and the nail would grow back.I do not remember if it did ever grow back. Still OMG. He needed to inform me of what was going to happen.And get my consent to do it. And I doubt they used anaesthesia. You know that must have hurt him a lot. (Poor boo boo) Unfortunately in this world we all live and learn, suffer, and animals also suffer. It has been written in a holy book that man would have dominion over animals. That does not mean to hurt them, and it also means to take care of them. The whole thing is a very complex issue. Who is right? Why would a domestic cat need to have its ear chopped? That was very wrong. There are collars and metal tags to identify this fact. To the same person, I would really consider sueing for permanent damage to your cats' appearances and psychological pain and suffering for all of you, set some precident to keep this from happening to other unsuspecting people's cats and kiss their ears every day, and stop feeling guilty. Let what happened to your cats not be in vain. Maybe it happened so that others could be spared the trauma you have sustained. Mandatory full disclosure regarding ear tipping. And it should be changed to ear chopping or ear clipping. Much Light to you and your cats. Also why can't a photo be taken of the spayed or neutered feral cat and put on a data base, so that when a cat who has been trapped comes in, they can search to see, if there is a match, coloring, general location and see if it has already had the surgery. It might not be perfect but it could help. So many cats do look similar...
I too would much prefer to see the sterilized ferals be switched over to tatoos instead of disfiguring ear tipping.I think for the vets it is the easiest and cheapest way but I personally would rather pay a tiny bit more even for a feral to get a tatoo that to have the top of it's ear clipped off~I mean that is an irreversable disfigurement that might cost the cat not to be adopted should it ever be tamed.Also the writers who had it "accidentally" happen to their pets~just extremely sad for them ~I mean,that is something that can never be rectified for them and some people are sensitive to esthetic issues.Here is really wishing that we can get the tipping issued replaced to a tatoo.
The SPCA has a policy for cutting off the ears of cats that are 1) low income spay and neutered 2) Feral cats. Our SPCA gave me no option but to have the ears cut or no spaying. If you object write this person at ASPCA asking them to change their policy and allow people to so no to the cutting of ears of cats. Glow in the dark tatoo ink works great. HEre is who to write to laural@aspca.org
All you retards screaming about tattooing must never have heard of a black cat. Idiots. Eartipping saves lives and I have never met a cat who seemed the least bit bothered by it.
29 comments:
How does this effect the cat medically? What are the side effects? it seems a little inhumane to chop off part of your cat's ear.
Dear Anonymous,
Good question...
Here is a link about eartipping from Dr. Julie Levy who is THE expert on feral cats: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/eartipping.html
I have to say that eartipping could possibly save the cat from being spayed or neutered again, or even worse, if it is brought into a shelter and not eartipped, it would probably be euthanized.
It is the only reliable way to tell if a cat is spayed or neutered in a colony and is approved by all the major humane groups.
would'nt it just make more sense to put a chip in the cat that has all the medical information instead of cruelness by cutting the cats ear..thats just wrong.
I think this sounds like a good idea. It doesn't sound like it affects the cat any and microchipping is expensive and impractical. It's impractical to catch all the cats over and over again to scan them to see if they have been "fixed".
Here in Australia we tattoo the cats with a symbol:
Ø
Much more humane I think.
Do you know anyone who suffers ghost pains from having a piece of their lobe missing? I don't. There's a reason ears are pierced, stretched and marked. How is ear tipping that different from getting a pierced ear? Would I rather work to stave overpopulation than fret about a chip of the cat's ear. BTW - How is a tattoo less painful than trimming the tip of the cat's ear when it's asleep? Let's weigh our priorities people!!!
Did any of you screaming about ear tipping being mean or cruel stop to think how stressful & tramatic it is for a feral cat to endure being captured, transported in a vehicle, handled by people, (possibly anesthetized if really wild)while risking injury, illness or death from the stress, just for someone to check for a tatoo or chip?
I'm sorry if the thought of ear-tipping makes you uncomfortable, but guess what IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU & IT IS NOT ABOUT YOUR COMFORT!
If the cat is ear tipped, it can be released immediately if caught in a live trap. It also allows folks that particpate in the TNR program to know which cats have already been neutered at a glance so they can focus on those feral cats that still need to be neutered.
Anonymous said: "Did any of you screaming about ear tipping being mean or cruel stop to think how stressful & tramatic it is for a feral cat to endure being captured [...] just for someone to check for a tatoo or chip?"
In Australia, the tattoo is pretty large (1/2 an inch diametre generally) in a dark colour on an ear's white background. In any sort of trap or cage, the cat's going to be looking directly at you the whole time. The tat's very easily visible, I assure you.
Well, at least you are all trying to do what's best for the animals. Seems to me like the ear tip would be equatable to circumcision, but I suppose some people would think that was inhumane. Don't forget your common grounds before you get angry at each other over your differences.
It's more inhumane to abandon your cats that keep breeding more and more homeless unwanted cats, that spread disease and starve to death. If people were more responsible in the first place this wouldn't be an issue. Stop whining this is a proactive approach to an aweful situation.
Erm, wouldn't that hurt. . . like a lot? And if the cats are house cats but are going to be let out a few times, would eartipping still be as reccomended? Because I don't like the tip of my two cat's ears cutoff when a simple "Hey, this cat is spayed." would do just fine. That is, if we ever give away the cats.
Rawr
I have a real problem with ear tipping.I understand the need to indentify but why not tattoo the tip of the ear with a bright ink clearly visible. Serves the same purpose without maiming.Want to say " Well Done" for all who care for those in need. Every little bit does matter. Thanks
I don't see how disfiguring the cat is humane. And tattooing is very simple. Rabbit breeders do it all the time without any ill effects to the animal & you can see the tattoo is there very clearly. It is done with a small tool that resemble pliers. Tiny metal plates that have needles in the shape of numbers or letters go on the end of the pliers. Black ink is smeared on the skin & the plate is pressed into the skin of the ear. The ink is wiped off and waalaa, new tattoo. The tattoo can easily be seen at a distance.
Just another option that could be considered.
I find it interesting that some people scream about how inhumane declawing a cat is. "It's like cutting their fingers off at the knuckle", "They'll never be the same"...etc. Yet, they are perfectly fine chopping off an ear or giving a female cat a hysterectomy.
Of course, they would reply that declawing is a selfish thing only selfish people do to protect their belongings, whereas the other procedures are for the cat's own good. Yet, there is no good reason to cut off the ear when they can simply tattoo on the inside. Isn't that more humane than disfiguring?
So, are you saying you clip these young cats ear off and then let them go out in the wild, to let anyone that sees them "know" they are a feral/stray cat, but has been SPAYED??!! That's a bunch of crap! I think it is inhumane to disfigure these beautiful cratures. I don't for a minute, think this would prevent them from being euthanized when taken to a shelter. If they aren't spoken for after a period of time, they are euthanized ANYWAY! Don't try to dance around that! I don't care what some of these people are saying about them getting caught, handled, caged, etc. is worse than clipping the tip of their ear, if they are still a feral cat then they will be out in the wild anyway and in danger. If someone doesn't like cats, they aren't even going to know why or care if that cats ear is clipped. I had no idea what this was until I looked into it from seeing it done on two of my friends HOUSE PETS!! That was a very BIG mistake!!
i love how people contemplate the humane aspects of this, when the animals are doing what the wild intended. Our interference is not humane, our interference is only four our comfort, ego and conscience. I don't see anyone rushing out to sterilize human beings when we do the same thing... If you are going to capture and sterilize a feral cat, have the balls to admit that your humanity has nothing to do with what you are doing and that the entire process is cruel to the animal
How would yall like it if someone snatchs YOU and cuts off part of your ear just so you're recognized? If part of their ear was meant to be cut off it wouldn't be there in the damn first place!!!
I had my cat neutured today and they tipped his ear he is a housecat I am outraged I had no idea what ear tipping was so i left the box blank then when I picked him up he was missing half his ear now everytime I look at him I cry Ive had him since he was a newborn and bottle fed him and now when I look at him I feel like I made a mistake I can never change what happend and feel so guilty. Has this happend to anyone eles?
I can't believe that people are arguing over the relative humaneness of tattooing vs. ear tipping. As long as the cat is anaesthetized during the procedures, I don't think there is any difference between the two. Both presumably cause some minor discomfort, but neither impedes the cat's functioning the way losing another part of its body might.
The whole concept of disfigurement is something that only matters to human beings. A cat isn't invested in the way that it looks.
Children children children, ear tipping is a slight disfigurment. These cats arent gonna shuffle off to Hollywood for a scene in an epic movie. They are gonna live out their lives in good health doing what ever wild cats do except one thing. They arent gonna breed more wild cats to suffer from diseases and hunger. This isnt australia BTW. I wouldnt get too deep into cat ear tipping if I was you. You might conjur up the subject of the senseless slaughter of kangaroos.
Wow. Considering you can see a cat from a distance and know that you don't have to try to catch it, seems more than worth the supposed discomfort. Tattoos may work elsewhere but it seems like you would still have to catch the cats in order to see the tats. Seems like a waste of resources.
We are dealing with a litter of cats in the garage and learning about what to do. Part of the beauty of the cat is it's symmetrical features. And the ears are so beautiful. Even though there seems to be a good purpose to doing it, it is marring their appearance, and they probably know it. And the other cats will tell him or her that they are missing a piece of ear, and looking injured from a fight, other cats might think they can pick on them. It is enough that they have been taken against their wills and sterilized for controlling the population. Maybe there is another way. And when a cat continues to not get pregnant it should be clear that she was spayed. Can't the surgical scars be seen by shaving the belly? And checking the male's privates can also show he has been fixed. I vote no to ear chopping. Ear tipping is too nice a label for a mutilation that is justified. But I do not know too much about it. My opinion. I am also against cutting dogs ears and tails off. Most of these breeds are not hunting and getting them caught in the bushes. And dogs are smart enough without making them "look smarter" with pointy ears that were not given to them by nature. The poor things can't wag their tails. And people with these dogs just need to buy a box of Q tips and mite solution and maintain those adorable floppy ears. Sometimes an idea with a purpose to the masses goes too far. Like the Chinese government
limiting families to one child. People in positions of power make decisions that may not always be right. Maybe right for some but not right for others. But God Bless anyone who is doing things for the benefit of animals, and trying their best in an overwhelming situation of too many animals and not enough people who want to love and care for them.
Maybe the government or the laws should do something about cat breeding from the level of suppliers. I know a lot of people are working at these levels.
Let those of us who pray, keep praying for good humane solutions to the animal population explosion in the world. And thank you for any and all people who have helped or are helping in any way.
I have rescued and rehabbed small exotic animals who were neglected, injured, ill and dying in pet shops. Guinea pigs, hamsters, etc...
One more thing, a vet should always tell the person about chopping off the ear. And not rely on a form that may not be understood. And this should not come as a traumatic surprise to the person of the cats. It was sad to hear about the person who posted about her house cats that came home without all of their ears. I would have gone crazy. You might consider taking legal action in this particular case, no matter how much good work the vet does. Vets could give people a page clearly stating what they will be doing in addition to the spay or neuter. Or the vet tech should spell it out in words. Or post it in their waiting room. Full disclosure is a very important thing. One time I brought a guinea pig to the vet, and they took him in the back to take blood. When they returned him to me, one finger had been shortened along with taking the nail off. I was mortified. The vet nonchalantly said, after the fact that that was the easiest way to get blood. Then he said the finger and the nail would grow back.I do not remember if it did ever grow back. Still OMG. He needed to inform me of what was going to happen.And get my consent to do it. And I doubt they used anaesthesia. You know that must have hurt him a lot. (Poor boo boo) Unfortunately in this world we all live and learn, suffer, and animals also suffer.
It has been written in a holy book that man would have dominion over animals. That does not mean to hurt them, and it also means to take care of them. The whole thing is a very complex issue. Who is right? Why would a domestic cat need to have its ear chopped? That was very wrong. There are collars and metal tags to identify this fact.
To the same person, I would really consider sueing for permanent damage to your cats' appearances and psychological pain and suffering for all of you, set some precident to keep this from happening to other unsuspecting people's cats and kiss their ears every day, and stop feeling guilty. Let what happened to your cats not be in vain. Maybe it happened so that others could be spared the trauma you have sustained. Mandatory full disclosure regarding ear tipping. And it should be changed to ear chopping or ear clipping.
Much Light to you and your cats. Also why can't a photo be taken of the spayed or neutered feral cat and put on a data base, so that when a cat who has been trapped comes in, they can search to see, if there is a match, coloring, general location and see if it has already had the surgery. It might not be perfect but it could help. So many cats do look similar...
I too would much prefer to see the sterilized ferals be switched over to tatoos instead of disfiguring ear tipping.I think for the vets it is the easiest and cheapest way but I personally would rather pay a tiny bit more even for a feral to get a tatoo that to have the top of it's ear clipped off~I mean that is an irreversable disfigurement that might cost the cat not to be adopted should it ever be tamed.Also the writers who had it "accidentally" happen to their pets~just extremely sad for them ~I mean,that is something that can never be rectified for them and some people are sensitive to esthetic issues.Here is really wishing that we can get the tipping issued replaced to a tatoo.
The SPCA has a policy for cutting off the ears of cats that are 1) low income spay and neutered 2) Feral cats. Our SPCA gave me no option but to have the ears cut or no spaying. If you object write this person at ASPCA asking them to change their policy and allow people to so no to the cutting of ears of cats. Glow in the dark tatoo ink works great. HEre is who to write to
laural@aspca.org
This eartipping is MUTILATION and INHUMANE. This just makes me believe dealing with the ASAP is a BAD THING.
All you retards screaming about tattooing must never have heard of a black cat. Idiots. Eartipping saves lives and I have never met a cat who seemed the least bit bothered by it.
LOL at Victoria... I think you forgot your meds again!
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