RW>  DB> Obviously you don't watch any of the nature programs on the 
Learning 
 RW>  DB> Channel or Discovery.  I believe it is called "Natural Selection!"  
 RW> :)
 RW> BR>    But cruelty is a practice reserved to humans.  Animals
 RW> BR> kill to eat, do not  maim simply to cause pain, and
 RW> BR> generally behave in what could be termed a  'reasonable' (or
 RW> BR> consistent with their behavioral ruleset) manner.  People, 
 RW> BR> however, do all sorts of aberrant things simply because they
 RW> BR> can. 
 RW> Then please answer a couple of questions:
 RW> Why does one of my cats go out catch mice or moles
 RW> bring them in, play with them until they are dead then
 RW> leaves them?
   It's being a cat and practicing its craft.  There is no 'reason' attached 
to the actions of an unreasoning animal. Cruelty presupposes conscious 
thought,
 reason, and malice - none of which are indigenous to dogs and cats.
 RW> Why will a dog get into a chicken coop/pen and kill
 RW> each and everyone but eat none of them?
   Dogs get excited at doing things, and tend to continue to do them.  Again, 
human reason fails - they're just being dogs, not being cruel.
 RW> Why will a dog chase and bite horses and/or cattle?
   Dogs were bred for centuries for strains that would exhibit this behavior, 
and it's been reinforced.  They're being dogs, not being cruel.  Cruelty is 
reserved to humans, because it requires thought and malice.
 RW> Sorry, I've seen too many things that animals do to say
 RW> they are incapable of cruelty. 
   I remain firm in the believe that animals are animals, and lack the needed 
sentience to exhibit cruelty, which includes malice.
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