By NIKHITA PARANDEKAR
In honor of Halloween, let’s take a break from serious
topics and talk about cats (I feel like Halloween has to be honored in
some way, because we have big exams and won’t be celebrating it with the
rest of Cornell). Black cats with their backs arched are as much a
symbol of Halloween as witches and cauldrons and jack-o-lanterns. This
is a little unfortunate for the cats, because it reinforces their
negative reputation — shelters often find black cats the hardest to
adopt out. If you go to your local shelter around this time of year you
will probably find a plethora of adorable little black kittens.
So, why do the cats have a negative reputation? There are
the superstitions that tie them to witchcraft and bad luck dating back
to the Middle Ages. Interestingly, according to the internet,
black cats specifically are supposedly signs of good luck in the United
Kingdom, but all of the British people I know say that this isn’t true
(I took an informal poll) — real life proof that you shouldn’t trust
everything you read on the internet.
All of that being said, the only people I’ve met who
actually believe in these superstitions are generally older and socially
conservative (to stereotype dramatically, sorry). But the negative
perception of cats still persists in this supposedly progressive, young
generation that I am a part of. Cats are seen as aloof loners, and
people who own cats are often perceived as being lonely themselves. And
don’t even think about being a female with more than one cat — you’re
automatically writing yourself into a future of being a crazy cat lady
with a hairy, smelly house and an obsessive love for your animals. This
baffles me a little because while loving cats is crazy, loving dogs just
as much is not.
So this is in defense of cats, for all you Millennials out
there who claim to shun stereotypes but still write off the little
felines. Last year, I found myself pet-less, which seems sacrilegious
for a vet student. I had wanted a dog for as long as I can remember, but
my family traveled a lot and it had never worked out. Then, I was
finally in a place to make my own decisions and could have adopted the
dog of my dreams. Instead? I got cats. And here’s why. My current
lifestyle does not lend itself well to routine. I would say the same of
everyone I know in my generation, regardless of what they’re doing with
their lives. We work late, are out at odd hours and travel on weekends.
The relationship I want with a dog is one where I can either take him
places with me or be home enough to keep him company and find a way to
let him lead an active lifestyle. Cats are simply easier. As long as I’m
home at some point to feed them and clean up after them, they’re happy
with as much or as little time as I’m able to give. When I’m home,
they’re affectionate (note, not aloof) and playful and make me laugh,
which are generally the best reasons for keeping pets. I can keep their
routine pretty steady by being home at roughly the same time every day,
but if I’m not they’re not going to eat my shoes or pee on the rug.
The next time you meet a cat, instead of assuming it
doesn’t care about you, try to become friends with it. Feel your blood
pressure go down. Don’t assume that its owner wants you to give him
everything cat themed you ever find. Cats are the most popular pet in
the country for many of the reasons that I’ve stated, and as each
successive generation seems to lead a more chaotic lifestyle this trend
is probably going to continue. There’s a reason that the internet is at
least 50 percent cats, and it’s not because their people are crazy. It’s
time for their reputation to catch up to reality.
So maybe for Halloween this year, if you’re in the right
place in your life, you’ll go to the shelter and adopt a cat. Get a little black one —
you won’t regret it.
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