A good and reasoned response from you. I expected no less.

It’s funny, my partner and I were discussing the role of the editor this evening. Yes, you are right, I am pretty easy going, but do not imagine that I will publish “anything”. I have certain criteria that I apply.

I reject commercial pieces. If I read a submission and it seems to be of a commercial bent, it does not get in. If a submission shows unpleasant and brutal images, the images have to change or it does not get in. If no attribution is given for the images, that has to change or it does not get in. If the article contains libelous content, racist or hateful content. It gets rejected. If a piece is submitted that seems to support or promote animal cruelty, it does not get in.

I do not spend a lot of time proofing for spelling and grammar. Minimal. Is that a disservice to literate writers like yourself? Perhaps, but these publications, Catness and Petness, were intended as a place where anyone could tell a story of their pet. They could post photos, poems, obits, whatever, without fear of critiques from me. This is a place where even if you do not write perfectly, you can tell your pet story.

Does that make the publication less valid? For some, but not for others. The lady that tells us in broken English about her pet dog she lost so long ago. So the English is bad, the writing imperfect, but the story is from the heart.

The unschooled man that talks about his cat that he so loves. Again, the writing is far from good, but the story comes from the heart.

I give them space because it makes me happy to hear the stories, because it gives them pleasure to tell the stories and because maybe another editor would reject them.

I am going to have to disagree with you on this particular piece. She is giving us a tale of what SHE did and how SHE feels about it. She does not suggest that we should all do what she is doing. She merely thinks we should be careful of what food we feed our cats and should seek expert advice on it. (If her piece suggested that she was feeding her cat Hemlock and that the rest of us should follow that practice, I would have to object, since I know Hemlock to be a poisonous substance.)

She rejects the internet as a source of info. That is her opinion and I think she is entitled to give it. If others choose to take it as the gold standard, well, that’s a shame, but not terminal. (IMO)

I feel that idiots are likely to take whatever information they find anywhere about anything and blindly follow it. Thoughtful types, like you, do their due dilligence and apply their findings. You are in the 2%.

If people want to blindly follow what they see as good advice, but which could stand some investigation, just like with those that refuse to get vaccinated based on what a bunch of people are saying on Facebook …my rather mean response is. Go ahead, it’s their funeral.