Why Cats?
Cats are a recurring motif in All Ways. A cat is even the first impetus for protagonists Andreas and York to embark on their road trip. But why?
Short answer: I like cats.
Long answer… Well, let’s get into that.
First of all, animals are often used by creators to show character traits in human (or human-like) characters. There is a term for this in screenwriting: a “pet the dog” scene. A character, even if they’re gruff on the outside, must have a heart of gold if they pet a dog! (Meanwhile, a “kick the dog” scene immediately shows that someone is evil.)
There is a reason why filmmakers use these tropes: It is commonly known that cruelty towards animals is a warning sign for violence later in life. And there is a difference between indifference towards animals and someone going out of their way to cause harm. Thus, the tropes do not alienate even those who do not like animals themselves.
Additionally, animals are used in both media and the real world as therapeutic presences. Animals do not judge based off of society’s notions of success, which can be difficult to achieve for Autistic people (i.e: a full-time job, when employers are disinclined from “taking a chance” on people with disabilities and in an economy that does not support paid sick and/or mental health leave).
Even animals that are not specifically trained to be service or emotional support provide people with training. The responsibility of having a pet helps teach people, especially children, about non-verbal communication. Your pet cannot tell you if it is hungry, so you must learn to interpret its signs. Having a creature that cannot speak for itself depend on you is at once humbling and empowering. Having a pet can be a type of preparation for having children: Pets, like young children, depend on a caregiver to both translate their needs and teach them about the boundaries that characterize harmonious living. Furthermore, most pets do not live as long as humans, and, sometimes the most important lesson they teach to young minds is how to deal with death.
But that answers the question, “Why animals?” The question being asked is, “Why cats?”
Simply put, cats are often maligned for the same reasons that Autistic people are. Dogs are pack animals, and they communicate in ways that are easier for humans, fellow pack animals, to understand. Cats, on the other hand, despite being domesticated, are still, at their core, introverts. While dogs thrive on attention, cats usually prefer to be left to their own devices. This can be misinterpreted as a cat disliking people. (Meanwhile, as cat owners know, if a cat really dislikes you, it won’t just trot away.)
It’s not that cats dislike people; it’s just that cats like to be by themselves and need space to feel comfortable. Of course, there are some individual cats that are more extroverted — my childhood cat, Gidget, was one such cat — but cats, as a whole, tend to be more reserved.
Autistic people have taken note of the comparison. Enough so that, in Autistic communities, there are in-jokes about cats “being Autistic.” Think about it: Other than the communication difficulties, cats, like Autistic people, tend to not like loud noises, get startled by changes in routine, and fixate on particular toys. Yet, I think the crux of why Autistic people identify with cats so strongly is this: Just like Autistic people, cats are not doing anything “wrong.” They don’t mean to offend or annoy with their behavior. It is just that their signals, which are clear to them, are being misunderstood.
So why cats? Animals in general reflect empathy. Cats in particular show how Autistic empathy might appear different — but it is not incorrect.
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