Unilateral Equality

A quick note about Neo - he has been spotted in the neighborhood, and is doing fine! Hasn’t come back to our barn, yet (no surprise there).

At the vet. A fun time was only had by some.

Neo is Unilateral Equality in action. 

Unilateral Equality means that your animals are sentient, just like you are, and they have feelings and desires, just like you do. Anybody who reads this blog knows we aren‘t the masters of our animals (especially if you have cats) - we are their caretakers.

That means they get to have opinions about what their life looks like. It’s our obligation to listen closely, negotiate where needed, and treat them like a being, not an object with an expected behavior.

If I listened to what I wanted for Neo, he’d be locked in our barn (which is huge), and he would become our barn cat - still living a little rough, but a beloved family member, coddled and kept warm, with good food, and what I perceive as a good life.

That’s not who he is, though. He is his own cat. He proudly wears the mantle “feral”. He’s been wandering around our neighborhood for several years and knows how to take care of himself.

To lock him in a barn would be total disrespect. We did take away his baby-making equipment, but other than that, he can come and go as he wishes, and live the life he wants to live, no matter how much I’d love to be able to pet him and treat him like a …. Pet. 

I love Neo for who he is, and Unilateral Equality says I don’t change him. I listen to what he needs, and I adjust my expectations accordingly. Sometimes it requires some compromise (being neutered - I’m sure this wasn’t high on his list of things to do), and I may never see him again on our wild cam. But I respected who he was, and I’m okay with this outcome.

This one can even speak words! Listen to your animals.

Unilateral Equality is about listening to what your animal is telling you, and then finding a way for a situation to work for you both, instead of dictating to your animal how it’s going to be.

They deserve our respect, and the more respect we give them, the more we aid the Universe in a brighter, lighter future.

FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED IN THE OUTCOME OF PROPOSITION 127 - thank you to everyone who supported this effort. Over a million voices spoke out for those who cannot speak for themselves, but it wasn't enough. I am so incredibly sad and upset. We won't quit, however. There will come a day when our wild cats will be honored and respected for who they are - a vital part of our environment.