Sexual Politics of Pets

“You’re not just buying a cat;
it’s a medical device that replaces shots and pills,”
said Megan Young, chief executive of Allerca.
“At the same time, this is a living animal,
so the well-being of our product comes before our customers.
This is not some high-priced handbag that you put back on the shelf if it doesn’t match.”

Cat Lovers Lining up for No-Sneeze Kitties
by Elisabeth Rosenthal, NY Times, October 6, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/science/06cat.html?em&ex=1160712000&en=5a22ee18f017cf58&ei=5070

In light of our conversation in class on the Sexual Politics of Meat, I thought this phenomenon of hypoallergenic cats, a.k.a. lifestyle pets, is revealing in regards to the ways in which we treat animals even when we don't eat them. For $4,000 one can now buy a cat that is bred "so that its glands do not produce the protein responsible for most human cat allergies."

Perhaps the most complicated sentiment from the article is an Allerca pet-owner's comments on her new cat Joshua, Ms. Chytrowsky, who says she is normally quite allergic, had no symptoms even though she allowed Joshua to sleep in her bed. “I fell in love with him,” she said. “He is a real stud — well, he is a stud, really.”