Painting or the Cat

OK, I asked my wife and she said she would save the painting. If it were my favorite
cat at home, I'd like to think I would save RICO the cat, but I'm not sure that is true.

If the little guy got sick (again), I wouldn't shell out $ 500 for the vet. He did get
a couple hundred dollars of treatment, but that was around Christmas time a couple of
years ago and the kids were younger.

What anyone who ever owned a cat knows is that cats need not be carried. They're quite capable of clinging, hard, onto anything they want.

So the hypothetical fireman in the hypothetical fire can get the hypothetical cat to cling to his hypothetical coat, leaving his hypothetical hands free to carry the hypothetical painting.

I stress the various hypotheticals becasue a real cat would probabbly be too busy scratching the painting to shreds anyway :P

About the age of the cat, that isn't provided, so assume you don't know, but it looks like a healthy young cat.

About Steve Wynn, that was funny, but the painting he ripped was a Picasso. He also has a Rembrandt, which went for a record high Rembrandt price. source.

About getting to keep the painting, you can't. That is why I specified that you're a firefighter. I assumed you're on the job, and I assume they don't get to keep objects they save while on duty.

For those who voted for the cat, why? There is no shortage of cats in the world. Wouldn't the painting bring more joy to humanity than one more cat?

Quote: Nareed

I stress the various hypotheticals becasue a real cat would probabbly be too busy scratching the painting to shreds anyway :P

That's gotta be the funniest/truest remark in this thread so far!

Personally, I'd save the painting. A couple of reasons:

1.) Paintings have a much longer life than a cat.
2.) Since I'm the firefighter, I'd probably have to chase the cat with a 50lbs of gear on whereby risking my own life in the process. Painting is probably easier to catch/carry.
3.) Painting is worthmore and is priceless. Cats are ubiquitous and worth less. (although you might argue if its your cat)
4.) I'm allergic to cats.

But if put on the spot, I might not rationalize all of this. And aren't firefighters suppose to protect life as part of their list of top priorities before they protect property? Maybe that cat does have an extra life afterall???

Quote: DJTeddyBear

That's gotta be the funniest/truest remark in this thread so far!

Having briefly owned a cat, and having knowna few other cat owners, I can state that you can buy a scratching post and train your cat all you can stand, she will still pick one spot of carpet or furniture to shred.

Quote: Wizard

For those who voted for the cat, why? There is no shortage of cats in the world. Wouldn't the painting bring more joy to humanity than one more cat?

Cat lovers. Go figure.

Seriously, while a painting may be more valuable than a cat (what if it is your child's cat?), you can't feel compassion for a painting. The painting will burn quitely while the cat will wail (and a cat's wail is one of the most godawful sounds you'll ever hear). The painting won't suffer and the cat will. That can be reason enough for a lot of people.

Oh, in addition the painting's owner may or may not get over the loss. The cat certainly won't.

In reality the cat would be hiding and too terrified to be approached safely by anyone.

The fireman would prefer to save the painting since the cat might scratch the union newsletter in the fireman's pocket, but the fireman knows there is a photographer outside and its better to be seen rescuing the cat even they later back up the ladder truck right over him.

Rembrandt? Probably been studied and photographed to death anyway and innumerable copies exist ... besides the painting is probably a fake anyway. And darn few firemen would know what a Rembrandt is anyway. The Rembrandt is undoubtedly insured, but the cat ain't.

If I vote correctly on this issue, is there a prize awarded? How much can I hock the prize for and then go wager on Banker?

I actually carried two cats out of a fire (caused by lightning). They were fine until I got outside (this was in Texas,btw), where it was around 60 degrees and pouring buckets of rain. Fire, no problem. Rain, we're now going to claw the f*** out of you, mister. I threw them in the back of my car so they wouldn't disappear. They were indoor cats.

There was no painting to rescue.

Quote: FleaStiff

And darn few firemen would know what a Rembrandt is anyway.

Now if this particular Rembrandt were done in florescent colors on velvet, THEN it could readily be recognized as something of sufficient value to warrant rescue.