[Willie Green]

I do not believe a boy is a dog is a cat. Animals are animals. They are not people and do not contain within them the same intrinsic value. They are "meat on the hoof".

Although animals are not people, they do deserve to be treated humanely.
Cats are not "meat on the hoof".
They have been domesticated for both utilitarian purposes (pest and rodent control) and as companions/pets.

[calex59]

Cats are not "meat on the hoof".

Boy I agree with you on that one, you ever try to eat a cat? They taste terrible even when you are starving!(Go ahead a ask, I know you want to!)

[Pessimist]

"Although animals are not people, they do deserve to be treated humanely."

Have you ever watched a cat when it catches a bird or a mouse? They "play" with it (aka torture it) before they kill it.