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I adopted a kitten!

My roommate and I have adopted a kitten! We got her at the Seattle Animal Shelter. She’s a three month old Lynx Colorpoint Shorthair, which basically means she has the same dark areas as a Siamese, but she has tabby stripes in those areas. She is so cuddly I had a hard time pouring her food because she wouldn’t stop nuzzling my hands the whole time, and she loves cuddling up on our laps and happily being held. She is freaking adorable:

There will probably be no intelligent posts for the remainder of the week, as per the xkcd law of Cat Proximity:

She doesn’t have a name yet, so suggestions are welcome!

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Comments

  4. abadidea says

    I am so jelly. The kitten I rescued from being abandoned in a haystack on a farm turned out to be nearly feral no matter how much love and attention we gave her – my mom’s gotten stitches from her and she once tore my eye open, true story (luckily it healed). My fiance is severely allergic to cats, so there goes my lifelong dream of celebrating my new life with a new kitten. Maybe someday when we have money we can get a Siberian.

  15. Marie the Bookwyrm says

    SQUEE!!!!!! What an adorable baby! Ummm, names, names, I’m not good at names. Pixie, maybe?

  16. says

    D’awwwwwww kitten kitten KITTEN CUTENESS!

    As for a name… Hmm. You’ll probably call her adorable enough times that she’ll answer to it, so just name her Adorable ^.^

    (or if you’re the type that likes actual names for pet names, maybe Amelia? Amber? Abigail? Can you tell I like the letter A? XD)

  17. Shaun says

    D’aww, so cute. I recommend Minerva/Athena or Diana/Artemis. I like mythological names for pets and those two options seem like good female cat names to me. Do you still have her quarantined in the bathroom (from the looks of your pictures)? I adopted a kitten many years ago and he wouldn’t leave the bathroom for the longest time, even after I left the door open for him to leave on his own.

  18. says

    D’awwwww KITTEN CUTENESS!

    As for a name… You’ll probably be calling her adorable enough that she’ll start to answer to it, so just make it official and name her Adorable ^.^

    (or if you’re the type to like actual names for pets, maybe Amelia? Amber? Abigail? Can you tell I like the letter A? XD)

  19. says

    She was just spayed today, so we have to keep her in the bathroom for at least a day so she’s not jumping and running around too much. But she desperately wants to go exploring. Tomorrow!

  20. Bee says

    Just squeed out loud in the middle of the law library, two weeks before exams start. Thank FSM looks can’t kill.

    And you should totally call her Lilith. Or Jezebel.

  26. says

    I’m with Shaun. I like mythological names, as well; I have a little boy named Buddha and a big, fat girl named Hera. I think your kitty looks like a “Sphinx” to me. =)

  27. badandfierce says

    Mogget. Jinx. Tsarmina. The Amazing Maurice (cats reject the gender paradigm). Dinah. The Glass Cat. A through L (who is a wyvern but inspired by a cat). Llyan. Faithful. Ruetha.

    I suppose you could give a cat a name that wasn’t from a nerdy children’s book, but why would you?

  29. Dan says

    Stormageddon
    Miss Fluffy Pants
    Kitty Face
    Mrowr?
    Madame Fuzz Feet
    Senora Gata
    Allergies
    Extra Vacuuming
    You’re So Cute. Yes You Are!
    Why Is Your Butt Always In My Face?
    Fluffy McFlufferson

  30. Philip Legge says

    Cute kitteh! Now, you do know that your devoted readers will now need “Caturday” posts on a regular basis (like Jerry Coyne’s blog website) to rival a certain other FreeThought Blog’s anti-Caturday bias, don’t you?

    And unexpected nouns can be a good source of cat names: the SO and I are ruled over by a pair of Devon Rex cats, one of which has dark grey spots all over a mainly white coat (not exactly like a Dalmatian, though) so he was dubbed Chocolate Chip Biscuit, or just Biscuit for short. In turn that inevitably led to his sister being landed with the name (Blue) Cheese.

  35. says

    Oh Em Non-Existent Gee, she’s gorgeous. Congratulations!

    And she looks like a Griselda to me. Or possibly a Tabitha, for the pun.

  36. Lycanthrope says

    I second any and all of these, although I only get the references to Mogget, The Amazing Maurice, Dinah, and Llyan. But I feel I should point out that of those four, only Dinah and Llyan are female.

    Also, KITTY!

  37. Shawn Smith says

    I vote “Killer” or “Kali” or “Pele.” It won’t be long before she’s a cat, and she’ll probably be that for 15 to 20 years. Plan for the future, I say.

  38. says

    With those paws: Mittens!

    Those ears are so adorable!
    They remind me of a caracal, which thanks to an old MMORPG addiction now makes me suggest Eve.

    Of course, you could always go with the classic Puddy Tat.

  39. Francisco Bacopa says

    ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

    You are now an official skeptical atheist. All of us must have kittehs. Only PZ is exempt.

    I highly recommend upright sisal wrapped scratching posts and corrugated cardboard scratching mats. They don’t feel like furniture so the cat gets less confused. Also, OK scratchy places need to be put near natural “territory spots”. Cats have scent glands on their toes and love to scratch any furniture that sticks out into an open space. Place appropriate scratchy spots near these projections.

    Or you could do what we real cat lovers do and just not give a crap.

  40. Erp says

    Hypatia, Aspasia, Sappho, Lynx (both for her type and because one of the earliest scientific societies was the Lincean Academy [lincei being Italian for lynxes]), or Maat (Egyptian goddess of truth).

  41. Dello says

    Beautiful kitteh! Well done for getting her from a shelter. I’ve done shelter work and anyone who adopts from a shelter is an angel in my eyes.

    My partner and I live with 10 dogs and 8 cats and have fostered many kittens so here are some name suggestions:

    Saphena, Illy, Charlie, Scylla, Lillah, Pig, Noot, Ella, Georgie, Mika, Mouse, Monkey, Bean, Moe, Boo, Pinkie, Panda, Scout, Huckleberry, Iris, Pooh, Sparkle, Skunk, Spider, Molly, Manx, Trillion, Biff, Bunny, Pirate, Lilly, Temple, Leila, Dev, Sahara, Liquorice, Daphne, Puffin, Blaise, Tyco, Cassini, Naimu, Snoppy, Ipoti, Nom Nom, Saito, Kepler, Hubble, Pickle, Tigger, Io, Europa, Voltaire, Sagan, Nina, Eigg, Zuzu, Womble

  42. grumblekitty says

    I sure hope you REALLY like your roommate (and vice versa), because you are both now the property of a very HAPPY kitteh, and you wouldn’t ever want to make her UNhappy, would you?? Lol!
    I suggest Oreb for a name. Ok, he’s a bird, and a boy, but hey. He’s also a cutie, and it’s the book I’m working on right now, so that’s what I thought of…

  43. Mocha says

    KITTY! SQUEEEEEEEE!!!!

    You could name her Tornado, Jellybean, Laplace, Python, or you could just name her KITTY!

  47. susanmurph says

    You could name her “Dora” – short for “Adorable!” We’d love to have a kitteh, but hubby is allergic, so we have a dog who we spoil rotten.
    Give her ear skritches for us!

  49. Moose says

    We’ve saved three shelter cats over the last decade. I’ve always felt that a cat’s name should be something unique.

    In New Zealand there was “Puck”, a rather scrawny runt of a black neutered tom, but one of the most prolific hunters I’ve ever witnessed. Often found in trees. He could jump over two meters dead vertical, nab something off a tree branch and bring it down in his jaws (his favorite prey were Cicadas-they made funny noises and were crunchy).

    Here in Oz I have a classic black cat (totally invisible at night) named after the Asatru goddess Sif, who was known for her golden tresses (Sif of the golden locks). Our “Sif” is all black, but has golden eyes (Sif of the golden looks…yes, I like puns…) and also answers to “Sifalus”…

    The other Oz cat was a scrawny one (mottled white and black) and was named “Bernice” by the shelter staff. She had a tough life-someone thought it would be amusing to set fire to her and her littermates. She was the only survivor, and has the scars to prove it.

    But…Bernice? No, we needed something to remind us how tough she is. We renamed her “Bebe”, which is short for BurnEd BernicE.

  51. Nixie says

    As a person who’s worked in the vet field for mucho tiempo… originality in pet naming is so appreciated and enjoyable. Some of my favorite patient names:

    Chaos Theory
    Bucket
    Trout
    Pants
    The Fury

    I’m especially fond of verbs:

    Buoy
    Singe
    Bounce
    Clunk

    hopefully some helpful fodder ;-) and congrats!
    Oh, and by the by, highly recommend a raw diet (cats being obligate carnivores and all) and limited vaccine protocols.
    More food for thought from one scientist to another.
    And I hope I didn’t start a commotion, just figured I’d be a little birdy. :-)

  52. Martin says

    You’re just sucking up to Jerry Coyne!!!!! Although for someone aspiring to a career in academic biology, not a bad person to suck up to.

  56. geocatherder says

    No suggestions for names; names tend to come to you after you’ve been with the cat awhile. But she’s certainly a beauty. The (feline) boys would be uber-jealous if they knew I was admiring someone else’s cat.

    Okay, I’ll amend that with a suggestion: Natasha. That was the name of my most recently deceased kitty, who, kicking and fighting the whole way, eventually died of old age. She was demanding, vocal, and amazingly loving. She didn’t care where she was, as long as she was with her people; it made her an excellent traveler. She liked laps in the evening and crooks of the arm for sleeping at night. She trained the boys to understand that she would accept no harassment, even though she only weighed 5 lbs. (compared to their 11 lbs. and 18 lbs.) She was amazing. I hope your kitty is equally amazing.

  59. Alexandra says

    In the same spirit of Schrodinger, I have to suggest Heisenberg. But that’s also cause I just finished the first season of Breaking Bad.

    Otherwise, I also agree with random noun/verb names. My roommate and I have renamed some unfortunately-labeled neighborhood kitties from “Flotsy” (puke) to “Flotsam” and “Lexy” to “Lexicon”. You could always go for “Periodic Table of the Elements” and call her Ellie for short…

  60. Aliasalpha says

    1) Awwww cute

    2) I suggest naming her PZ just to annoy him because of the lack of tentacles

  64. says

    Now, that is lazyness, if I ever saw it. No more hard work for creative posts – just look at the kitty and use source material. And it will probably also increase traffic.

    I had always a fondness for giving animals dignified names … as in “Her Supreme ´Majesty, Lady Julia Augusta, Princess of the innermost household, rotectress of the academic realm, maecenas of the arts, most gentle caretaker of Her humble subject and ultimate sovereign of the human race in general and the Royal Can-Openers in particular.”

    (Level of royalty cat-adjusted.)

  65. Praedico says

    Awww! Kitty! Cute! Kitty! (sorry, my own cat is asleep nearby and the pictures in combination have caused an overload)

    Well, I was going to suggest Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, but somebody already suggested Stormageddon. (Damn you, fellow Doctor Who watcher!)And that means I’m pretty much dried up on names; it took me weeks to pick a name for my current cat.

    Good for you for adopting from a shelter! If I ever had to actually get a cat, I’d certainly get one from a shelter, but I usually just cut out the middleman and get adopted by one of the local strays (or cats that are simply dissatisfied with their current staff) when moving into a new area, whether I want to or not.

  66. laurentweppe says

    And another poor victim has been enslaved by the devious felis catus. So much for atheism: You’ve just joined the oldest cult on the planet, ruled by perfidious four legged devils who decided that since our bigger brain and opposable thumbs would put us above them in the food chain they would have us worship them and work for them. And look at the comments! Even an image of a kitten is enough to melt down the cognitive abilities of people this days.

  69. stacy says

    Sw’mbo (exotic-sounding acronym for She Who Must Be Obeyed)
    Pie or Pi (short for Sweetie-Pie)
    Critter
    Annie Mule
    Death (Destroyer of Worlds, and Catnip Mousies)

  70. says

    Animal Shelter Special! The only way to go! The best cat we ever had was an Animal Shelter Special, a Calico American Shorthair named Ermyntrude.

  73. Morpheus91 says

    So cute! :D Given my obsessive adoration of all things Whedon/Buffy, I’d have to suggest Miss Kitty Fantastico.

  74. speedwell says

    I had a beautiful, good kitty named Bandersnatch, and another one called Jabberwock, and a third one who started out as Snow, since we tried to break the three-times trend, but wound up being called Snark instead. As in, “Hunting of the Snark”. Since he is the kind of Snark that “has whiskers and scratch[es]”, it is really appropriate.

    I vote for Snark for your new pretty one, especially since you are a blogger and snark is also a virtue to be cultivated. :)

  76. Lauren Ipsum says

    UTTER CUTENESS!!!!!!

    We can’t get a new cat until our current feline overlord passes over the Rainbow Bridge (may that be many years from now), as she is exceedingly jealous of other kitties. I must enjoy kittens vicariously.

    I suggest/second Diana, Bastet, Hypatia, or Lilith.

    And good on you for going to a shelter. We have two feral rescue organizations in my neck of the woods, and any new feline additions to our household are coming from one of them. Unless the cat adopts us first on his/her own, which is how the current feline overlord acquired us.

  79. Nicholas says

    My vote for a name would be “Reginolith” or “Reg” for short (looks like her paws are dirty, and “Regolith” is, according to the almighty Google, the technical term for “dirt”).

  83. Flah the Heretic Methodist says

    In honor of boobquake, name her Calaveras, after the fault line, and call her Callie.

  84. Nomen Nescio says

    speaking as the owner of two siberian huskies, both humane society rescues — what sibes need more than monetary expenses is space and time. a good-sized, WELL fenced-in back yard is more a requirement than an option. running them on a bike daily (you won’t get them any exercise by running yourself, no human is THAT good a runner. get a <a href=springer arm style attachment, you’ll need it to control the bike and dog once the dog sets to pulling you along) would be great. they need good training, and they can’t be let off a leash anywhere outside an enclosed space, not even for a second.

  85. Blueaussi says

    Congrats on the new addition, and kudos for going to a pound or shelter! I’m slightly over-dogged at the moment, just adopted a pup from the pound, so I’m at 2 cats and 3 dogs. An, no, I’m not looking for a kitten. the cats already have the upper hand around here.

    So, names, do you like people names or are you looking for something clever or funny? I tend to go with people names for my herd, although one of the cats is Fiddler, because he kept fiddling around with things he wasn’t supposed to, like power cords, shoestrings, and dog tails.

    Your young lady looks like she’s going to be rather elegant when she’s all grown up, so perhaps Agatha, Lily, or Vivian?

  88. Yellow Thursday says

    Hey, that’s what I named the kitten I adopted about a month ago! He’s (now) about the same size as Jen’s kitten, but with long black hair and three white “buttons” on his underside. I had a tough time choosing a name, but Fizgig certainly fits because he’s all teeth and claws when he attacks my toes.

  90. hoverfrog says

    Spot. Spot was Data’s cat from ST:TNG.

    Failing that how about something incredible bland and uncatlike. Rather than “Selina” or any of the excellent names above how about something like “Keith”. Think about it. When you introduce your cat people will not know what to say and will give you a quizzical and slightly bemused look. You could get years of entertainment out of that.

    Of course a cat requires both a formal name i.e. Emperess Renderclaw, slayer of string and leaver of unpleasant gifts, as well as an informal name i.e. Stinky, and a introduction name, “Keith”. None of the names you use will ever be responded to by the cat.

  91. Horse-Pheathers says

    I’d always heard it as “Everything not nailed down is a cat toy. Anything that can be pried up with a crowbar is not nailed down.”

  92. Jed says

    Stormageddon, Master of Science

    Because every name is better when it has master of science after it.

  93. theophontes, feu d'artifice du cosmopolitisme says

    ♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!

    We once had a whip round at Scienceblogs Pharyngula for kitty names. Here is the list:

    EeBee (Evil Biologist), Dawkins,PeeZee, Slimeball, Stalin, Hulk, Thor, Gremlin, Fuzzy Squid, Tetrapus, Maddened Badger, Klepto, Lucifer, Grendel, LazyFatass, Carver, Tuxedo, Penguin, Holstein, Cattica, Lilith, Azriel, Lucifer (lucyfur), Felix, Lily, Beezlebug, Floofypants, Ming Ming, Sirikit, Tup Tim, Omar Bongo, Louis, Lestat, Angular, Sweet Pea , Whitey, Big Guy, Suitcase, , Briefcase, Wallet, Yo! Kitty!, Astrofee, Triskele, Squirrel, Ditch, Mommy, Big, Grey, Baby, Titus, Continuity, Oh Two, Rowan, Kipling, Baloo, Eeyore, Strohs, Sherman, Diefenbaker, Snowball, Dust , Oreo, KC, Butch, Plummet, Zeppo, Archie…Snip, Snark (Snarkitteh), Boojum, Molly, … (thanks for the frills Brownian)

    ♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!♥Kitty!

  94. Nerdette says

    I’ve found a tendency to call cats “little ones”, so my new policy with cat names is to name them after hobbits. Adamanta is a good lady hobbit name – she married into the Tooks. Firiel was Samwise’s granddaughter. So many good hobbit names…

  96. Jed says

    Somehow I missed that Stormageddon was already suggested. Well, in that case I second the name. And Master of Science should be after any name you give your cat.

  97. Ubi Dubium says

    Beelzebubbles

    Mefistofleas.

    The only real name that cats answer to is the sound of a can opener, and I can’t spell that.

  99. mas528 says

    I am a fan of “real” names for animals. Mine have had names like Dawn, Maya, Christopher (Lee), Bianca, Frederick (Swann), Timothy, Friday, and Iman.

    It is a lot less embarrassing when telling your friends your cat’s name, and you can cutisize the name as much or as little as you want when talking to your pet in private.

  100. daveau says

    I wouldn’t worry about naming her right away. Let her run around and see what works for her. If you name her now, you’ll eventually call her something else anyway.

    Congrats on your adorable new kitteh. So jealous.

  104. says

    Queen Maeve, the tabby god-cat that brought the world into existence last week Thursday is proud of you. You are no longer destined to suffer in the eternal uncleaned litter box after you pass on.

  106. says

    As a history major who is into mythology, I have been owned by a Potemkin, Finn MacCumhal, Nadya (after Lenin’s wife), Diana, Serebnaya (Russian for silver). We also currently own The Man, Mutt and Jimmie Superfly Snookums (who is a girl).

    However, I still think my favorite cat name ever has been Bob.

    I second the recommendation for sisal wrapped scratching posts. Also, those plastic circular tracks with the ball in them. Jimmie loves hers to the point where we have to put it up at night to get some sleep.

  107. kevinmccormack says

    Yep, she’s a keeper.

    As for names, you’ll try out a few and one will stick. However, remember that eventually her name will devolve to a variation of the one or more of the following:
    Cat
    Kitty
    S$%t Head
    WTF
    and
    NO!

    BTW: My tortie Lydia answers to ‘Pretty Pretty’ (disgusting, I know)

    Oooooooh
    Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
    Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.
    She has eyes that folks adore so,

    La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la

  109. Lori says

    What a sweetie. I suggest Rosalind, after Rosalind Franklin, instrumental to the discovery of the structure of DNA, although her contribution was long-ignored.

  113. says

    Our current feline housemate are Amelie and Fezzik (my husband and I bond over movies); in the past I’ve had Chelsea, Smokey, Artemis, and Leia (after the Princess). My brother has a cat named Bullseye. In almost all of those cases, the right name was determined after living with a cat for a few days, and was usually a combination of something we were into at the time plus the cat’s personality.

    You’re into Harry Potter–Hermione or Bellatrix? What about Pokemon names?

  114. Unbeliever says

    I’ll suggest my beagle’s nickname. Her real name is Buttercup, but she answers to “Evil”. :)

    Of course, if you’re looking for comedy value, the looks you’ll get roaming the streets at night calling out to her will be MUCH more interesting if you name her “Pizza” as per an earlier suggestion. :)

  115. Mattir says

    Wrong color for a Mogget, but that’s definitely on the list of names for subsequent kitties.

    There’s always (gasp) Aslan.

  121. Svlad Cjelli says

    An recent acquaintance of mine might call it muffin-butt. Apparently a catch-all term of some fashion.

    I hear human-raised gorillas also have rapport with cats.

  122. Svlad Cjelli says

    A pokemon name. Ah, yes, Slugma seems appropriate. Or Pearl. Gotta love Pearl, that crazed bastard.

    Or Nerfbat, in memory of Explosion. Requiescat in pace, dear wanton destruction.

  125. ringo says

    She looks like a Sasha to me or a Spencer, but for some reason I think all unnamed pets look like Spencers.

  127. Chakolate says

    I always let my cats name themselves. Doc is so named because he’s gray and grizzled, like ol’ Doc Adams of Gunsmoke, and because he’s always trying to inoculate me with his teeth. Pi is both transcendentally irrational, and colored in black and white patches, like the Pied Piper.

    Just listen to her: she’ll tell you her name soon enough.

  131. RealityBasedSteve says

    As an ex-soldier, hang gliding, cave exploring, 2 fisted manly man of men, all I can say is “OHHHHHH Kitty Kitty Kitty Kitty OHHHHHH”

    She’s a super-cutie.

    Steve
    Who is casting his vote for “Skep T. Kat” (Not that it matters, cats have their own secret name anyhow

  132. charleswallace says

    Please understand, I agree that katz ‘r’ kool, In fact I have been hypnotized by many fine Katz into feeding, cleaning, and caring for them, but note that the “xkcd law of Cat Proximity” graph has some hidden evidence: Only one axis is labelled. The Y-axis is a bit vague.
    Therefore, I must accept this as evidence that even *thinking* of katz rotz yer brain. Too bad they tastes nasssty, precious.

    -Charles, South of Disneyland.

  133. John Hinkle says

    I tried Hey-there’s-a-mouse! for my cat’s name, but whenever I exclaimed that I was mysteriously overcome with the desire to open a can of wet food, my eyes transfixed on that swishing tail and those reptilic eyes…

  138. Deanna Joy Lyons says

    If you put a lil bushy thing on top, and that’s what the look like. <#

    Just needs ranch dressing to dip in. Yum!

  139. athena says

    A veterinarian told me cats respond to names that start with a T or S. Those sounds (supposedly) mimic the sounds made by birds and mice.

    P Z Meowers is hilarious!

  140. says

    I agree with someone else who said Skepticat, or Skep T. Cat as they said.

    Also know that it can be

    PZ Meowerz, Skepticat if you want a title added to said cat.

  144. says

    How about “Satan”?

    “Come here, Satan!”

    “Who’s a cute Satan?”

    “Is that you, Satan?”

    And of course, Satan sleeps at your feet every night.

  145. maxinelevine says

    Awwww!

    *kitten speak begins*
    Lookatthewittlecutekitteh!

    Oooooooocutewittlefuzzykins!
    *kitten speak ends*

    Congratulations! She’s adorable.

  146. P Smith says

    Does she still need a name? How about Caramel?

    The streaks and range of colour from light to dark brown scream the word, and the eyes are sweet enough to make men say “Squee!”

    .

  150. Nixie says

    @ “why limited vaccine protocols”

    unfortunately a lot of vets these days over vaccinate. Even large governing bodies like the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) do not recommend yearly vaccination. Far fewer are actually needed for long term immunity. After initial immunization and possible booster lifelong coverage or “3 years or greater” immunization is needed. Check out research and protocols by Dr. Jean Dodds, AVMA, and AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association).

    two cents in

  151. fastlane says

    I’m going to second (third?) this one.

    Although, you could reverse the initials and make it ZP (Zippy).

  152. fastlane says

    And just cuz… My kitteh, Pixel:

    http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c146/Wylann/Pixel/

    She made the move halfway across the US in May (KS –> WA) and was quite the trooper. She’s a love kitten.

    Grats on the new furry overlord, may you enjoy many years of feline companionship. (And if you are like us, and don’t want her scratching things, check out SoftPaws).

  154. says

    On the name front, I have to agree that she will “tell” you.

    My kitteh, Gracie, reminded us of Gracie Allen, and she lives up to the name. (She’s a silly thing!)

  155. says

    Nixie, thanks for your answer. You can understand why a statement like that would perk up a skeptic’s ears, I hope. It’s the kind of hit and run that many anti-vaxxers like to throw out and hope people don’t notice. If that is not you, I apologize.

    If I read you right, what you are saying is that many vets give more vaccinations than the recommended schedules? That is very weird, why would they do that? And if they did, for instance, give a three year shot every two years for instance, what possible harm can that do?

    I’m looking into the name and orgs you provided, and it sure looks like the same kinds of things that people who oppose vaccines usually say: “While vaccines have significantly reduced the incidence of serious infectious diseases over the years, increasing evidence implicates vaccines in triggering immune-mediated and other chronic disorders.” From http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/vDrDodds.html

    If I understand it correctly, there is no evidence (although plenty of suspicion from people) that vaccines do such a thing at all. I’m sorry, but it just appears to be the same old anti-vax claims, just packaged a little more gently.

    Even if there were reason to suspect that vaccines can do harm to, as they say, certain animals which may be susceptible to adverse effects, no one knows which pets would be affected, and how, so Dr. Dodds’ assertion that individual veterinarians should use their own judgement and experience with the patient to determine what to do is in no way supportable. She’s just like Dr Sears’ and his “alternative vaccine schedule.”

    They and their patients/clients are, like many people, irrationally nervous about immunization, so they’ve made up out of whole cloth an alternative to “reduce the harm”

  156. Alexa says

    Diana! :’) Aww, that brings back memories of my first cat, named Diana, of course! The name suited her so well, she really was a goddess of the hunt. She brought me so many “presents” – lizard tails, birds, bugs… I miss her!

  159. Nixie says

    I am no immunologist but I work with an Internist in veterinary specialty care. We see more and more cases of chronic disease in patients with “good” veterinary care not just issues stemming from things like malnutrition. In fact, this increasing number has prompted us to start collecting data for future research.
    Vaccinations are not the only contributing factor but with the exponential growth of disease in companion animals over the past fifty years three main factors exist. These are modern breeding practices, the development of pet food, and modern veterinary medicine with heavy concentration on vaccines. The argument that since you can’t find any research that seems to assert “no harm done” with “extra” or “just in case” vaccination doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. The AVMA is the largest veterinary governing body in the U.S. and doesn’t put out recommendations lightly. Nor does AAHA, another highly regarded organization. Their immunologists make these recommendations based on actual science. Sadly, more frequent administration stems from fiscal policies on the micro level and a cursory understanding of immunology in the guise of aiding public health, totally understandable when one looks at the breadth of knowledge needed for general practice. Vets practice for, at minimum, two species in areas of obstetrics, orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology, dentistry, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.
    Over or unnecessary vaccination stresses healthy immune systems and can be a serious detriment to health and longevity. Think about the last time you had or needed a vaccination. Companion animals live shorter lives than us and develop full immune systems early (if I’m not mistaken around 6 months to a year). The nuance in my statement about limiting, not completely discontinuing, seems to have sparked some sort of antagonism for these “anti-vax” proponents. This reeks of black and white thinking and does not allow for more sophisticated interpretation. You referred to it as “packaged more gently” but to me this is the essence of true scientific understanding.
    Although I don’t think my comments “anti-vax”, more along the lines of cautionary and thought provoking, it makes me wonder what is so wrong about skepticism? Isn’t that what this blog and our dear host is all about promoting? All in the name of science instead of rhetoric. Skepticism is what gave our established scientific minds things like evolution, continental drift through plate tectonics, and possible mass extinction via extraterrestrial impact event. The last still heavily debated actually since the theory is only a couple decades old.
    I was just hoping to put a little skepticism into the mind of a valued thinker, our lady of the blag hag.

  162. says

    Just got back from watching the Breaking Dawn movie! It’s better than I expected! My friend just downloaded the whole movie. I want to go watch it again.

  163. says

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