return to top

Betty's Blog

On being disabled and feline...

My human told me that today is Blogging Against Disablism Day. I thought I'd join in. After all... it's something I know a bit about.

I'm almost certainly dyspraxic. Of course, I don't know for sure because there is no diagnostic test for cats. I'm not sure if that's disablism or speciesism. Anyway, other cats perceive me as weak because I'm always losing my balance and falling off stuff. So they pick on me. And that's not fair! It's disablism I tell you.

I used to hang out outside all the time when I lived in Shrewsbury, because there were loads of other cats and a dog about. So I stayed outside so they couldn't pick on me. But now I have a whole flat to myself (well, except for the human, and humans don't count) so I won't go outside. In fact, when the human leaves the back door open on hot days I hide under the sofa in case another animal decides to march in here like they own the place.

It's not just because of my dyspraxia that I face disablism. I have food allergies too. I can't eat chicken or turkey because they give me explosive diarrhoea. So what happens when I go to nan and grandad's house? They eat chicken. In front of me. That's just cruel. I don't taunt them about being wheelchair users, so why would they do this to me?

My human is someone else who should know better, being disabled herself. If I'm standing on her and I lose my balance, I dig my claws in in an attempt to stop myself from falling. Who wouldn't? But she always shouts "ow!" and frightens me. I think that's disablist too. If I didn't have problems with my sense of balance, I wouldn't dig my claws in. So shouting because of it is mean. Again, I don't pick on her for being disabled.

Disablism - not just a human phenomenon.

Annoyingly this blog doesn't have a comments feature. If you've got something you want to say to me about this post, please leave a comment on my human's BADD post. She'll pass the message on.

I think the human is having an affair.

She came home from Universe City on Friday smelling of another cat.

How does one get covered in another cat in a lecture?

She insists it was all perfectly innocent. She went down the pub with her classmates to celebrate the end of term, and the pub cat just came and sat on her lap.

Hmmm....

I'm in a bad mood. Stomp. Strop.

The human got a new computer today. The old one worked fine, but it's something to do with the fact that she's disabled and goes to a place called "Universe City" on a Friday. I don't like her going to Universe City. She should stay at home and play with me all day. Why does she need another qualification in watching telly anyway?

Anyway, this new computer. There are cardboard boxes *everywhere*. I can't even sit on the sofa anymore. It's not right!

And the human is paying more attention to the computer than to me. I should be the centre of attention at all times, dammit! It's not like a computer is anywhere near as cute as me.

I was feeling a bit guilty about peeing in the human's bed this morning. Now however I feel totally justified. Hmph.