Hey dog lovers!
I wrote a book about cats, and I reckon you should read it.
Before I go into all the reasons why I think dog-lovers should read my book, I have a confession to make: I live in a dog-obsessed town, and I love it!
My small seaside town is absolutely besotted with dogs. Dogs are everywhere. They are being walked along the beach, nestled at the feet of cafe-goers, riding on the back of tradies’ utes, on paddleboards, and waiting patiently for their human to return from the surf. Every street, avenue and byway has a multitude of canine residents either tucked in backyards or nestled on plush beds in loungerooms or their very own sleeping quarters.
And there are all sorts of dogs in my town. Little white fluffy ones, and sleek skinny ones, black ones, brown ones and cavoodles galore. There are dogs that bark and dogs that howl, and then there are the wildly funny ones that emit that garbled noise that is a cross between a bark and a howl.
I love that dogs are everywhere because when I am out and about, I absolutely want to pet all the dogs (with their and their human’s permission, of course). That is why my favourite dog is a Staffy (Staffordshire bull terrier), because Staffies live for pats and I am totally here for it. Also, just an aside, Staffies are the most accommodating models if you are into doggy dress-ups. And yes, I want to see your Staffy dressed as an avocado.
I love that dogs love pets from strangers, and I love that dogs bring strangers together. Dogs are the ultimate social lubricators. I have met and got to know so many of my fellow locals via their pat-seeking dogs. There is one thing that I have learned on my cat history journey: lots of people love to talk about their companion animals. And talking about dogs and cats is so much more interesting than talking about the weather or last night’s high tide.
As an extroverted introvert, I often find social situations challenging. For example, I do not have the enviable ability to walk up to a stranger and strike up a conversation, let alone one that will have the whole dog park enthralled. I am more likely to say something really awkward and slink away in shamed silence than expertly handle twenty minutes of small talk. But if you have a dog, I have questions. Lots of questions, and I seriously want to know all about your dog’s propensity for belly rubs and late-night snuggles. When I see that you have a dog, I know that we will soon be friends. Very good friends.
Ok, maybe I went a bit too far, and heaped on a bit too much creepy stalker. But on the whole, dog people tend to like and bond well with other dog people. The same could be said for cat people. I have met and formed wonderful relationships with cat people who were complete strangers before I started sharing stories about mine and other people’s cats. Cat people also tend to like dogs and are happy to converse about both, sometimes simultaneously. What I find when talking with cat people is that they do not feel the need to disclose their love for cats when I or anyone else brings up the topic of dogs.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with many dog-people.
When explaining my research to dog-lovers, many feel obliged to mark their territory. ‘Actually, I am more of a dog-person, they will say. Now, if I were handed a buck every time a dog-lover said this to me, I would be a millionaire by now.
Why the heck do dog-people have to affirm their dog-loving credentials when a whiff of a cat is mentioned?
Image: Luna the bulldog and Cecil the ginger cat have no idea that the cat/dog divide exists
I used to think that a disclosure of dog-loving was just a polite way of saying ‘I don’t like cats’. But after conversing with many dog-lovers, I am more inclined to think that what they are actually saying is ‘I love dogs, and I know how to love them, but I don’t understand what loving a cat looks like or how I would go about doing it’. For those who have never loved or been loved by a cat, the act of loving a cat can appear foreign and confounding.
Much of this othering of cats stems from stereotypes that have accrued over time. Cats are viewed as aloof, solitary, and therefore completely unlovable. Cats cannot be ‘man’s best friend’ because they are actually recalcitrant little arseholes. The truth, of course, is very different because no two cats are the same. I have met some pretty friendly and chill cats, but I have also met some that would not give me the time of day. And therein lies the rub. Whether they are super-friendly leg rubbers or cantankerous snubbers, you absolutely cannot force a cat to love you.
The love a cat provides is hard won. You have to work for a cat’s affection, and this is not a one-and-done act. With a cat, the negotiation of affection and the rules of engagement are negotiated daily. When my soul-cat Poppy came into my life, it was many months of patient, slow-moving interactions before she deigned to sleep by my side. Even now, Poppy continues to lay down her ever-shifting ground rules. Just because she snuggled with me for eight solid hours yesterday does not mean that she will sleep with me tonight. Actually, she may decide that she would like to hide for 14 hours instead.
When it comes to cat love, I think that dog-lovers are equal parts fearful and confused. Some believe that if you love a dog, you cannot love a cat, like the love that humans dispense to the animal kingdom is finite. A lot of this, also, has to do with loyalty to dogs. But, hey, it’s ok, I reckon your dog will forgive you if you decide that you like cats too. In Australia, this loyalty is also inexplicably linked to the politics of national identity. Some see cat companionship as thoroughly un-Australian because of the supposed threat domestic cats pose to our beloved native species. Furthermore, dogs, particularly working dogs, have escaped the damaging label of ‘introduced species’ because of their contributions to our farming communities and our domestic and international economy. As a proud national citizen, it is much easier to champion a love of dogs as a force for nation building than to love an animal that is allegedly destroying what makes us so unique: our natural environment.
For dog lovers, I think it is the fear of the unknown and the unknowable. I mean, will we ever truly understand the felines in our midst?
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I wrote The Cats of Australia as a gift to all cat lovers and all cats. I wanted to give a voice to a phenomenon that had been left out of our nation’s history: the love between cats and humans. I want cat lovers who read the book to feel seen and know that the love we share for cats has been shared by thousands who came before us. This love has historical, cultural and social resonance. This love between humans and cats matters. You, dear cat lover and all your precious cats, matter.
I also wrote it for those who have not loved a cat before and are fearful of what embracing cat love might mean for them as individuals and as citizens of the nation. I wrote it for dyed-in-the-wool dog lovers, too. I want the dog lovers to confront their fears and better understand how loving a cat is possible. Moreover, I want dog-lovers to consider the formidable power of cat love, not as a threat to the human-dog relationship, but as a culturally contingent, historically situated phenomenon that has shaped all of us.
We have loved dogs, and we have loved cats. Both are deserving of love, kindness and care. I hope we will continue loving cats and dogs, because now more than ever, our humanity depends on it.
The Cats of Australia is released May 26 and will be available at all good booksellers.
If you want your copy signed come along to one of my book launches. Dog lovers and cat lovers make sure you bring along pictures of your dogs and cats. I absolutely want to see them.
Dulcie’s Cottage Merimbula, Saturday May 30, 2pm
To book email aculturalhistoryofcats@gmail.com
Australian National Maritime Museum, Saturday June 6, 2pm
Book tickets here
Gleebook, hosted by Inner City Strays, June 21,
Book tickets here
Brunswick Library, Brunswick, Thursday June 25 @6:30pm
Book tickets here
Canberra and Brisbane dates to come
‘May the purrs be long and the cuddles deep’