I recognize that not everybody does this, but as somebody who owns a pet (my wife and I both have cats), I take the responsibility of ownership very seriously.

I recognize that not everybody does this, but as somebody who owns a pet (my wife and I both have cats), I take the responsibility of ownership very seriously. My cat doesn't have a lot of agency in her own life, so I try to get healthy food that she appears to enjoy, I play with her and try to provide the stimulation she wants, and I try to provide an environment that keeps her happy even if she isn't able to leave it. If she's not feeling well, I take her to the vet and get the care she needs as opposed to the care that is cheap. And at some point, she'll get sick and I'll have to make the choice about her quality of life being low enough that it's better for her to pass. There are ways to be responsible about pet ownership for animals like dogs and cats. It doesn't need to be this horrific experience you've painted it as.