Cat People
We're all cat people, like it or not.
Welcome to Cat People! This is a newsletter about cats: feline behavior science, how to apply it to our feline relationships, and the ways in which humans (all humans) are inextricably interlinked with cats.
Anyone who has spent more than 3 minutes scrolling through short-form content knows how engrossing cats can be. Pound for pound, they’ve got the best comedic timing in the domesticated animal kingdom. Their behavior is just inscrutable enough to be completely captivating. They’re adorable, hilarious, baffling, annoying as hell. Those of us who love them are obsessed. Those of us who can’t stand them are often equally obsessed.
Did you know that there’s a lot we’re still learning about cats? Even though felis catus has been living with humans since 7500 B.C.E., we’ve invested very little time in learning about them scientifically. But in the last few decades, there’s been a surge in research on cat behavior, and we now have a much more sophisticated understanding of how they operate. And we’re learning more literally every day.
I was resistant to starting this newsletter because I am horrifically inconsistent and terrified of writing to no one. Plus, tone. Tone! It’s hard to write about cats in a way that is accessible and not alienating. Cat lovers tend to have a level of passion that others can find obnoxious. There’s also something that happens to those of us who spend a lot of time learning about pet behavior - suddenly we become scolds who spout facts and advice at anyone who is too nice to tell us to stuff a sock in it. It’s enough to turn off even the most sympathetic layperson. No one wants to love their pet the wrong way, even though most of us (myself included) often do. The last thing I want to do is write about cats in a way that makes people roll their eyes, or cringe, or feel inadequate.
I also hold a deep, residual fear of the term Cat Lady. These days, my job is cats, but I’m still terrified of it. “I’m not like other cat ladies,” I frantically insist as I make cats my entire life. Internalized misogyny is a hog! Cat ladies are antisocial, one-dimensional, incapable of having a normal conversation. I am incapable of having a normal conversation, but that’s because I’m an obsessive, not because I’m antisocial. In fact, I work with cats and their humans because I love people.
When I started doing cat rescue in New York City, one of the first things I learned is that animal welfare is human welfare, and vice versa. Several of the first cases I encountered were owner-surrenders, where owners were facing horrific crises like eviction and medical emergencies and needed to find new homes for their animals. Many of the friendly cats that rescuers find on the street are out there for similar reasons - their families ran into challenges that made abandonment seem like the best available option. Every feral cat on the street is there because New York City has left rescue to private citizens and organizations, a policy choice that hits low-income neighborhoods the hardest. (Looks like a shift is on its way, though it can’t come soon enough.)
The lives of pet cats have shifted along with ours as well. A hundred and fifty years ago, there weren’t very many “indoor only” cats in the United States. But as human societies have urbanized, and the nature of human work has evolved, so have the worlds that our cats inhabit. Per a study done in 2021, 81% of cats in the United States and Canada are indoor only. Pet cats have gone from living mostly outside and hunting all day, to hanging out in our houses, keeping themselves entertained in whatever ways they can.
Because we’ve domesticated them (or rather, because they self-domesticated), humans and cats are stuck with each other.
My hope with this newsletter is to share scientific research and information about cat behavior in a way that can help you better understand the cats in your life. I also hope to turn a critical eye to the way cats are depicted in culture: in writing, movies, TikToks, wherever else we happen to see them.
If you’re a Cat Person - what else would you like to read about?
Cat fact:
A mouse contains about 30-40 calories. Yum!
What I’m watching / reading:
Fellow dorks will notice that I’ve taken the name and imagery for this newsletter from the 1942 classic Cat People, directed by Jacques Tourneur. In my non-cat life, I’m the proud co-mommy of Brooklyn Horror Society, and love working horror movies into everything I do. Is this a newsletter about latent lesbianism? Unfortunately, no. The poster is just rad as hell and I liked the name Cat People. You should watch it, though, because it’s gorgeous.
Recently enjoyed this blog post from ethologist Karolina Westlund: Why you should behave as if animals have feelings even if you don’t believe that they do
Recently began reading Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte for a book club, and holy moly it’s a trip. Not for the faint of heart, but if you can stand some cringe, I recommend it.
All the promo stuff
If you want to deepen your understanding of cats and how they operate, I’ve got a cute little online course! It’s quick, it’s fun, there are lots of handouts, I made fun slide decks. Check it out:
Experiencing a behavior challenge with your cat? I’m a feline behavior consultant, and I’d love to help you out. You can learn more here: