Single Cat People Epidemic

Elisa A. Escalante/ LCSW/ 7-30-2024

Recently I noticed the viral TikTok videos of people posting their cats or themselves with their cats in response to J.D. Vance’s rant. I’m not one to dive into politics. But following this incident, I decided to do a little bit of social media research. I created a Facebook poll along with story posts on IG and FB inquiring for DM’s and feedback. I also made a permanent Tiktok post asking single cat people if they are happy or miserable and encouraged them to comment their experiences. I wanted to research qualitative and quantitative findings regarding this new single person cat epidemic. Are people miserable when they live solo with their cats? Are people pretty happy with it? Are they neutral? What does the general public have to say about this? Hearing from regular people is just as important as hearing the opinions of politicians, if not more. Below I will share what little bit of research I was able to conduct in the past week. In the interest of all participants, I will keep everything anonymous.

The Methods:

Facebook Poll: I chose a private Facebook group. Facebook Group Name: ‘A group where we talk about everything’

Group participants were asked to select if they are A: A single cat person that loves life B: A single cat person that’s miserable or C: In a relationship. I left the poll options open so that participants could add more. So now, I will share the add On’s that people elected to use. D: Dogs are better E: Widowed cat person now miserable without my other half (Damn…) F: Married, no children, but love my 2 cats (They could have just said they are in a relationship, technically they meet criteria for C) G: Happily taken cat person (Again they meet criteria C) H: Multigenerational home with 4 cats, happiness is on a day by day basis I: Married childfree cat person (Criteria C yet again, but hey people love to talk about their specific situations, so I get it) J: Happiest ever! Single, no kids, cat and dog person (This does meet criteria for A, they are single and happy with a cat, and a dog. So, still happily single with a cat, technically) K: A ❤ emoji along with 2 cats… (I imagine this meets criteria for the A category if I’m deciphering the picture correctly!) L: 2 Cat emojis > Politicians (That’s just stating facts….) M: R ehe Cat (I believe this person must have had a stroke while typing) N: And the cats in the ladle at the peking Moon…. (They might have been high…. )

A- 23% (30 Votes) ” A single cat person that loves life” // B- 1% 2 Votes A single cat person that’s miserable // C- 13% (18 Votes) In a relationship This is my initial Poll. Now let’s lump together the Add ons:

A (Along with Groups J & K) J- 1 vote K- 1 Vote Option A= 32 Votes in Grand total: Single Cat people that Love Life

B(Along with our poor widow that is grieving and has her cat) – Add one vote to our two B Votes Option B= 2 Votes in Grand Total: Single Cat people that are Miserable

C(Along with Groups F, G, and I) Add X% of all people polled that are ‘In a relationship” AKA NOT SINGLE Group F- 3 Votes Group G- 12 Votes Group I- 2 Votes. Option C = 35 Votes in Grand Total: People in relationships; most with dogs and cats, some without

The Math aint mathin? It’s also because I had to leave a few things out due to some poll selections not answering my original research question. I am not a mathematician, but it is only ethical that I disclose what was left out. I left out poll results/ votes that I found would skew the research due to no relevance to the research question. 23 Votes: People that were confused by my research question. 13 Votes: People that voted to ‘rephrase’ the question. 18 Votes: Dogs are Better. (This is opinion based and does not answer my question) 2 Votes: Illiterate or nonsensical poll options that had no relevance. That’s a Grand Total of 54 Votes that I could not put into my research poll findings. 69 Votes were used. Which essentially means this poll is half Bull shit.

My findings & conclusions on the Quantitative data: I have poor grammar or sentence structuring… potentially. Many did not understand the poll or question. Or perhaps, the average person is now illiterate. Also, the conclusions indicate that the majority of people that have cats, whether they are single or in a relationship, are generally happy. So, cat’s make people happy. Single or not. Which means, single cat people are not necessarily unhappy. It would be a mistake to assume a single cat person is unhappy. I did not vote in this poll btw. I am a single cat person, that is a mix of many emotions. I would have potentially skewed the results as well.

TikTok, Instagram and/ or Facebook Qualitative Findings: I posted a mix of stories & permanent posts to inquire about people’s ‘single cat life’ happy or not happy? I received both public comments and private Direct messages online. Qualitative findings will be shared in quotes. The specific Question: Is anyone really significantly unhappy and devastated about their single cat lady and cat man life right now?

Tiktok feedback in quotes:

“Nope. Accepting my circumstances and accepting maybe I won’t find ‘the one’. Gotta keep working on myself before I allow anything like that again.” (Cis Male)

“You have one cat, not 86 cats” (A friend reminding me that I have only one cat, so i’m not a crazy cat lady. Thanks buddy!) (Cis Lady)

“I’m not single, but I do have cats” (Her BF probably doesn’t make her happy… she needs the cats too) (Lady…. gender identity & sexual orientation unknown. I just made an assumption and went with it….. oops.)

“Being in relationships is what’s sad. I like being a single cat lady.” (Lady)

“I’m single but waiting to retire to get some cats so they’re not home alone all the time.” (Literally a person that’s thinking about cats upon retirement more than vacations or anything else!) (Gender & sexual orientation unknown)

“No we aren’t” (Lady)

Instagram feedback in quotes

“I won’t do relationships. I feel at this point in time in my 30’s relations for me are over. I just depend on me and only me. I have a dog that plays Non stop.” (Cis Male)

“I choose cats because they do not lie in order to cuddle with you.” (Cis lady)

“I’m just healing from a hell of a marriage. So it’s just me getting my shit together and my sweet little kitten. Im finding comfortability being alone.” (Cis man)

Facebook Feedback quotes taken from my Poll above! (Because yes, these people didn’t just vote, many commented under the poll. The qualitative findings are just as relevant)

“I’m unhappy because I don’t have a cat”

“Not single, still a cat person. happy because I have a cat, unhappy because I can barely afford to live in the current economy.” (It can be concluded that cats make us very happy…. even when we are broke AF)

“I am a single cat person. My life is in shambles and not in a good place, but I am happy to be single. A partner would make it more stressful; I don’t need that.”

“Why what? Do you mean why am I happy? I do whatever makes me happy; then I come home and see my cat!”

“I have 6 cats and after being dumped via snapchat by someone allergic, I’m sticking to cats to snuggle with at night.” (Girl you might have too many cats….)

“I am newly separated with 15 cats in my house. 6 of them are 3 weeks old and their scary feral Momma” (Wut??!!!!)

“I love cats, but my career is with dogs. I’m in a relationship now but was single and happy as a clam for 7 years before. And the whole government can go suck it’s own butt.”

My conclusions with the qualitative social media findings: Many people are HAPPY as hell living single with their cats. Or, they are grieving in a healthier way, with the emotional support that cats have to offer. Now, there might be a few people out there that are single because they have too many cats. But, if they would rather have cats than people, it’s really a non-issue. Relationships and/ or marriage is not completely dead. But even many of the married people have cats. Cats will often fulfill the needs that your dusty spouse cannot fulfill. And yessss, dogs are adorable too.

Suggestion after my Research: Adopt More Cats. And don’t be afraid of single life.

Ironically, my cat almost sabotaged this entire research blog by stepping on the keyboard! But, he’s too cute and I can’t be angry. My goal is to adopt a kitten hopefully by the end of the year! 🐈 That should keep Lynx entertained.