"Cats Are Like Me": Cats and Autism, Part II

Today is Autism Awareness Day and the beginning of Autism Awareness Month.

Long-time readers of this blog will remember that autism awareness was the subject of the very first post on The House Where the Black Cat Lives two (!) years ago.

I remain passionate about this topic, because like cat rescue and spaying and neutering, I know something about it. My 10-year-old niece lives with autism.

Increasingly, cats (and dogs and horses) are being used as therapy animals for children with autism. Today, I stumbled across this lovely story about how cats helped the author's son learn to communicate.

The part that made my eyes well up was when he said, "Cats are like me." I feel that way myself which makes me wonder if I, too, was touched, if ever so slightly, by the brush of autism.

Now if you read the story of the House Where The Black Cat Lives over on the right side of this page, you'll figure out that cats are unlikely to be my niece "N"'s therapy animal of choice. (Actual cats that is. She still loves drawing pictures of them.)

That said "cat" was among her early words, at a time when she was almost completely non-verbal. But that was before the infamous "black cat" incident. She is, however, fascinated by all things canine. And I have witnessed her blossom in the presence of a horse, grooming, mounting and riding it with a near-religious reverence.

N is coming to visit later in the month. Perhaps she and the cats will have a breakthrough. Perhaps not.

At the very least, I'll probably get a new drawing of the cats for my refrigerator.

Felony Laws for Animal Cruelty Needed in Mississippi NOW

Did you know that Mississippi is one of only four states in the Union where cruelty toward a cat or a dog is not considered a felony? *

Appalling isn't it? That's right, in this state, people have starved and/or beaten pets to death, poured hot grease on feral cats and doused dogs with lighter fluid and burned them alive and gotten off with a fine of $1,000 (or less) and/or a six month jail term -- which was usually commuted to community service-- for a misdemeanor. That is, if they were punished at all.

Never mind that animal cruelty is a predictor and indicator of violent crime, domestic abuse and child abuse.

It's not that the citizens of Mississippi don't care about animal cruelty. Time and again, stories of horrific cat and dog abuse make the news, and there is always an outcry for a felony law. Petitions circulate. Legislation is introduced. And then it hits a wall.

Why? Mostly because of powerful Mississippi Farm Bureau lobbyists. Mississippi Farm Bureau opposes tougher laws against aggravated, intentional cruelty to dogs and cats. They claim that a felony cruelty law protecting dogs and cats could somehow impact farming, but livestock are already protected by a first offense felony cruelty law.

Just this week, a conference committee report was released that will weaken current laws in regards to acts of simple animal cruelty.

But never say die. Earlier this month in New Jersey, the case of a starved, left-for- dead pit bull made national headlines and spawned "Patrick's Law," a huge grassroots effort to provide stiffer penalties for animal abusers. Patrick's Law is also shedding additional light -- and putting pressure-- on states, including Mississippi, where no felony laws exist.

Seize the moment. Our cats and dogs have no choice but to be silent. We can speak for them. Learn more about Mississippi's laws for animal cruelty and what you can do to help here now.

* The others are Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota.