Recently I've had occasion to revisit my rage about the "girl with cats = spinster" stereotype. I finished some chick lit a few weeks ago that enraged me beyond my usual rage of this issue. Why? Because the lead character, in a depression after a bad break-up, keeps threatening everyone she'll get a cat. Eventually her family has an intervention - so she won't get a cat. I'm continually perplexed about this stupid, stupid stereotype. I agree that there are cat ladies - but there are cat ladies who have husbands. Are they cat men?
The reason this seems so nonsensical to me is that I imagine that these people think the woman is "filling a void" or replacing a boyfriend with an animal. And I just want to shake my head...what? Anyone who has ever had an animal knows that while it is a wonderful, enriching experience...your cat is still just a pet. You don't "transfer" your love on to a pet or love a pet instead of a human. That's just silly. My cats don't fill the void** supposedly created by my lack of a partner. They fill a part of my heart meant specifically for them - the "pet" portion of my heart.
I admit that my pet portion is disproportionately big. That can probably be attributed to my crazy Grandma (who was a pretty cool Grandma to a little kid) and her two dogs: Misty (lab shepherd mutt) and Princess (german shepherd). Almost definitely they/she influenced my adoration for animals. And I don't regret that for a second.
It just makes me crazy that I am sort of a walking joke (not meant in the meanest way) because I am a single woman who loves my cats.
And personally, I think those women with the tiny dogs in sweaters that they carry around are far scarier than cat owners. Treating your dog like it's your baby clearly shows a disconnect - that IS truly no longer your pet.
**Note: I absolutely, 100% do NOT have a void in my life because I am single. I agree that there is an empty slot somewhere (just where...I'm not sure) where it would be great to have a partner. But it's not a void. It's more like...an empty car seat. It's nice to have a passenger, but if you don't it's not a gaping chasm in your car. It's just an empty seat - sure the passenger can change the feeling of the whole trip (in good ways and bad) but they aren't a necessity.
Wow...with rantings like that you'll never get married.
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