Don’t Knock it til You Try It
“Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.” ~Robert A. Heinlein
Unless you are cat-a-tonic, you have probably heard the replay of Vice President candidate J.D. Vance’s disparaging comments on “childless, cat ladies” and, how miserable they are.
Let’s look at the numbers: A recent analysis by Scripps News discovered 33% of voting-aged women do not have children. That's 44 million miserable people!
In the same survey, it is reported that there are 2.2 million cat-mamas under the age of 55 who are the head of their cat house.
Typically a cat mother is called a dam, and J.D. Vance doesn’t appear to give a damn about who he pisses off.
In the past, it was the responsibility of women to be the primary caregiver for her husband and children. I spent my entire life preparing meals, cleaning the house, shuttling three kids to various activities, listening to problems and complaints, going to bed late, and doing it all over the next day. Remembering how difficult it was to be a parent invites me to take a catnap. I didn’t have a fulltime career when my children were young, but I eventually became employed fulltime. Then, the demands were far too many to list. Alas, my efforts no matter how valiant were unappreciated.
The life of a childless, cat lady does not seem miserable to me.
J.D. Vance says Americans without kids do not have a real stake in the future of society. His theory is cat-egorically untrue. Many childless citizens contribute to the benefit of society as teachers, doctors, environmentalists, and politicians. On the other hand, some people raising children are just trying to survive another day.
For example, four out of ten households with children under eighteen, the moms are either the sole or primary wage earners in the family according to a Pew Research survey. As the demands on women have increased they are experiencing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. In general, once women have children they are less active, resulting in a cat-astrophic spiral in their mental and physical wellbeing. I know this to be true from personal experience.
When I was mom to three sassy teenagers, an atomic bomb could have detonated in our front yard, and I would have not known about it. Further more, at that point in motherhood, I could not have cared less. I remember nothing of historical significance from the 1980’s and 90’s.
As I read the daily blog, Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson, I ask myself, “Where was I when that happened?” The answer, I was knee deep in changing diapers, reading stories about an eight year old Ramona, tracking down teen drivers, and trying to make ends meet. I’m sure most parents are consumed with childrearing, not their real stake in the wellbeing of American society.
Lofty altruistic behavior for the good of the community will need to wait until the kids are launched.
Now, the childless cat ladies (CCLs) I know have careers, resources, and time to comprehend the national news. They can choose to volunteer, or donate, or become activists for important causes. They are not raising grandchildren, as many of my students lived with nana, or hosting adult children playing video games in their basement.
It is a well documented fact that pet owners live longer and have lower stress levels than non pet owners.
Anytime stress hormones can be replaced with the hormones that make people feel content and loved, it’s always a good thing for the whole of society. Cats positively affect us no matter what our situation is, allergies aside. All that purring, and rubbing, and kneading.
I think the CCLs are onto something.
Mr. Vance refrain from cattish remarks, pack up your judgement against CCLs, and spend some cat-hartic time bonding with a feline friend.
Relax and get used to the idea that CCLs will not be herded into your political litter box.
