Further, further proof that we are seriously not aware of how stupid we are - as a race.

On strolling around our local pet store place recently - in order to buy two goldfish to keep the mozzies down in our pond - I was struck with the fact that 'anima-fishing' appeared to be selling small feline IRM scan machines. On closer inspection the large, white plastic donut affair was in fact a rotating, self-cleaning cat litter tray. I stared for quite a long time, first at the price - a snip sale price of 370 euros rather than 419; then at the sheer ugliness and cumbersome-ness of the thing. 

I am a dog person: dogs' expressions, dogs' delight at your return home, the walking; the general all round feeling that you are all part of a pack. Cats . . . many people love them and find them to be wonderful companions. Our various cats in the past were mainly bird destroyers, rather than rodent destroyers; aloof, observing us as food providers and not much more. There were moments of great joy but on the whole our cat-enthusiasm wained, mainly from the point that we found 'Bronzino' our old bruiser marmalade cat had decided a great New Year's present would be a crap IN our bed . . .

pampered but useful greyhound on her favourite sofa...

So, I can speak with experience on the non-joys of cat litter trays. But then, it's no great deal . . . small plastic spade, take out the wee-clumps and poo, into a bag, into the rubbish or cat poo recycling box if you live in a particularly organised area ( don't think this exists - yet). Or you can get one with a top so the cat can crap in privacy, and or the smell is reduced.  Or don't have a cat. Or have one if you have a garden - then there's the treading in the particularly stenchy cat-effluent, and the bird-depletion problem. Yep. Goldfish or dog. Sorry, you millions of cat-adorers.

Back to the IRM machine. Why would anyone want to spend 400 euros on a bulbous piece of future landfill? I can imagine the average life of one of these things would be similar to the always-soon-to-be-extinct home printer. Then to fix it? Ha-ha. Ever heard of Built In Obsolescence? I had Quick Look online and there are many different shapes of future land-fill cat toilets. Surely the plastic consumed would be better used for actual IRM machines? We seriously need to Wake UP.