Cardiff University - Kitten Murders

Animal lovers across Britain were outraged today after it emerged scientists were sewing up kittens’ eyes for a shocking experiment.

More than 30 kittens were used in tests funded by taxpayers to find out how the brain responds to sensory deprivation.

All of them were put down after the study. Five had their eyes sewn closed for up to a week.

Twenty-six new-born kittens were raised in darkness for up to 12 weeks.

It is important to understand sensory deprivation tbf. I'm sure the scientists didn't chose to blind kittens for fun, although I'm not sure why they had to be put down and not rehoused.

They should have sown the scientists eyes.

They should have used rats. No one likes rats except the weirdos and the hippies.

What I don't understand is yeah sure this might be needed research (although i'm pretty sure this sort of research has already been undertaken anyway so don't see the need of doing it again), however why use kittens?

I mean people are going to argue "Oh all animals are the same " blah blah but fact is it's probably not right but humans have more of a bond with animals typically used as pets than other animals and so of course there's going to be more uproar if an experiment is done on a type of animal which is well known to have a bond with humans.

So i don't understand...i mean there not exactly the closest related animals to humans in the family tree so it's almost like they went...."hmmm which is the most innocent looking animal in the list....i know cats" and just went from there.

But yeah as i said I agree with research if it's beneficial....however i don't think this experiment was beneficial enough to be worth it

What I don't understand is yeah sure this might be needed research (although i'm pretty sure this sort of research has already been undertaken anyway so don't see the need of doing it again), however why use kittens?

I mean people are going to argue "Oh all animals are the same " blah blah but fact is it's probably not right but humans have more of a bond with animals typically used as pets than other animals and so of course there's going to be more uproar if an experiment is done on a type of animal which is well known to have a bond with humans.

So i don't understand...i mean there not exactly the closest related animals to humans in the family tree so it's almost like they went...."hmmm which is the most innocent looking animal in the list....i know cats" and just went from there.

But yeah as i said I agree with research if it's beneficial....however i don't think this experiment was beneficial enough to be worth it

Cats are used in eye research because they have forward-facing eyes like humans, and are born with poor vision and ‘learn’ to see as their brain cells develop connections with the eye.

If this process falters in early childhood it leads to amblyopia, better known as lazy eye, which can lead to loss of vision, crossed eye or blindness in one eye.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177689/University-sewed-kittens-eyes-shut-taxpayer-funded-brain-experiment-just-years-ago.html#ixzz21aPsB7EM

Scientists captured optical imagery from the kittens, whose eyes do not open naturally until seven days after birth, by putting a camera in their brains.

that is so awful - why cats though?!
why not rats or mice or rabbits or whatever?!
it may need to be done (though this is probably debatable) but this to me is a step too far in scientific research.

I know this research needs to be done and may well prove extremely useful, but at the same time it's such a horrible thing. I don't understand how people can take part in it.

I know this research needs to be done and may well prove extremely useful, but at the same time it's such a horrible thing. I don't understand how people can take part in it.