Hello Readers
Hope you all are doing well.
Our cities may glitter with lights and movement, but beneath all that noise lies a deep silence — the silence of lost empathy. In the race to chase something purposeless, something we cannot even clearly explain, we have forgotten the most basic truth of living: oneness. We have forgotten that we are not separate from the world around us. Dogs, cats, cows, donkeys, pigeons — they are not outsiders. And it must be said clearly and without hesitation: there is nothing such as “stray animals” or “street animals.” These are labels humans created to distance themselves from responsibility. No living being can be “stray” on a planet that belongs to all life. We are not owners of this world — we are only one species within it.
What we see today in towns and cities is not progress but a dangerous mix of ignorance, arrogance, stupidity, and mindless superstition. This combination has made cruelty normal and compassion rare. Even today, people casually say cats bring bad omen or dogs are evil. These beliefs are not faith or tradition — they are lies passed on without thought. Those who demonise cats and other animals do not understand life, nor do they understand humanity. They speak from fear, conditioning, and insecurity, not from truth. A person may be highly literate and still remain deeply uneducated if empathy is missing.
Animals, in contrast, are far more disciplined and peaceful than humans. They do not destroy anything. They do not manipulate, dominate, or harm for pleasure. They live quietly, honestly, and within limits. Most animals are naturally shy and actively avoid humans. They do not seek conflict. They seek safety. It is humans who provoke, chase, corner, and then call animals aggressive. We are the real mischief-mongers. Animals simply respond when threatened.
Walk through any city and observe closely. A dog resting silently is chased away. A cat minding its own business is treated like a curse. People behave as if animals are invading “their” space. But who gave us the authority to decide who gets to live alongside us? We altered the land, built over every open space, and yet behave as if we are doing animals a favour by tolerating them. The truth is simple: animals adjusted to us — not the other way around.
Yet, humanity is not entirely lost. In every neighbourhood, there are still people who choose compassion over cruelty. One such example is Catty Fosters, a group that works selflessly to rescue and care for cats and other urban domestic animals. Their work is grounded not in slogans, but in lived values. Founder Kaur says she has two children and that above everything else, they are ensuring their children become humans first. She says they live and breathe animals, and nothing bad has ever happened to them — and nothing ever will. Their lives stand as living proof that the belief that cats bring bad omen is completely false. “Those who demonise cats and animals don’t understand humanity,” she says.
This is what a truly human- and pet-friendly society looks like. Children growing up with animals learn patience, responsibility, empathy, and respect. They are not learning fear — they are learning humanity.
Catty Fosters operates locally, caring for abandoned and injured animals across neighbourhoods. They can be contacted at 08296887881. Their work deserves recognition, support, and respect — because they do what society often refuses to do: care.
Mahatma Gandhi’s words ring truer today than ever: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” If this is the measure, then our cities still have a long way to go.
At the root of cruelty lies one dangerous illusion — human superiority. We believe we are above animals because of intellect and the power to create or destroy. But this illusion collapses when we face a simple truth: if animals, birds, and insects vanished, the balance that sustains human life would collapse, and we would be history. The earth does not depend on humans. Humans depend on every other species — even the smallest ones we ignore.
People often talk about sensitising society. Sensitisation matters, but only where there is openness. With deeply arrogant, ignorant, and rigid minds, awareness alone fails. When cruelty is pre-meditated and justified, compassion cannot enter. That is why there must be influence and enforcement from people in power. Mindless harming of urban domestic animals should never be tolerated. Such behaviour reflects deeper psychological failure and must be dealt with seriously.
Let us be absolutely clear: this discussion is not about wildlife, nor about urban wildlife. Wildlife is governed by science, law, ecology, and complex frameworks, and it must not be conflated with other debates. This is also not an argument about animal rights versus wildlife conservation.
In the end, empathy is not charity. It is responsibility. A world without empathy is cold, violent, and unlivable. When we make space for animals, we make space for humanity itself. Let us drop our arrogance, reject superstition, and rediscover our sense of oneness.
Animals never asked for permission to exist.
They were never the problem.
We are.
And we still have the choice to change.
Catty fosters can be followed on:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1C5Kha136d/
https://www.instagram.com/catty_foster?igsh=MWFsMTZmZHltNHRiZA==
Living with Hope
Tejus RS and Harish Murthy
