Fuck Originality

Don't get me wrong.  Originality is a fine concept and I encourage it.

But what the fuck is with this "Originality Olympics" thing going on with Anthro art?  

It seems to me like I am now, out of the loop because I have characters that are feline, and that apparently is "taboo" now since cats are common critters in the furryverse.  

You know why most of my characters are cats?  Here's why.  BECAUSE I REALLY REALLY FUCKING LIKE CATS!  They're my favorite animal.  EVER!  I am 100% born and bred cat person.  I mean I like dogs, and lizards, and goldfish and racoons.  But damn it, cats are on a PEDESTAL here.  They're the only animals that ever really spark my interest.

I also have cat characters, because cats are part of the story I've been worknig on since HIGH SCHOOL.  There are 3 known races (so far) in it.  Cats, Humans, and Halens.  I might have a few other races I might introduce, but cats are one of the main 3.  I have their subculture and mannerisms and characteristics down to the point where I could write a fucntional RPG out of it.  

I think my whole point with all of this, is that I am working on consistancy here.  It isn't that I don't like to draw other animals.  It's just that with the limited time I have drawing these days, I need to focus on keeping what I have CONSISTANT!  

As for my designs...  Redrock is, and will always be a red abysynian housecat.  Her hair may change, her clothes may change, and maybe her personality will change, but she is a character that would NEVER work as anything other than a red abysynian housecat.  Ever.  Same goes for Jessie James  and Bruce and Kip and Roadie and everyone else. I'm not going to conform to the masses because people have problems with furries.

And I might add...  I've been drawing cartoon animals LONG before I had the internet and found out that other people were also drawing cartoon animals and had a label for it.  So kindly shut your pie holes.