In 2006, I wrote All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome with the express purpose to demystify the diagnosis in a fun, easy-to-read format.  In 2013, the diagnostic tool used by professionals in the United States (the DSM5) eliminated the term Asperger Syndrome and placed it under the generic umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Asperger Syndrome was now to be diagnosed as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Level 1.  Now that’s a mouthful!

Since then, there has been much debate and confusion about the correct terminology to be used.  Is it Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) or just the Autism Spectrum (AS)? Should we say a person with autism or an autistic person or someone who is neurodiverse?

Apart from the change in the diagnostic terms used, other changes were occurring in the autism community.  In 2006, it was generally accepted that most of those diagnosed were boys.  Now it is known that almost as many girls are on the spectrum. As All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome was written with male pronouns, this needed addressing. Fifteen years ago it was considered empathetic to say there is a little bit of Asperger’s in us all.  Now that statement is recognised as not only incorrect but insulting to those on the spectrum as it belittles the very real challenges they face daily.

So when it came time to update my book to current terminology and sensitivities, I was faced with a very difficult task to get things right, especially knowing that word usage and correctness changes regularly. 

All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum is written with the very best intentions to reflect the wishes of the autistic community in language and concepts. I know that my choices will not please everyone and that views on language will continue to evolve.  However words do matter, and sometimes we get things wrong, and that’s ok if we are gracious about respecting the views of others and are prepared to use their preferred language once we know what it is.

I pray that my readers will see past the finer details of disagreement and join with me in celebrating, and growing in understanding of, the richness and diversity of the autistic community.

Lydia, an Autistic individual documents life on the Autistic spectrum. She interviewed me about why I wrote this updated version.  Read all about our chat here. 

Here’s a taster…

Would you consider yourself to be a cat person?

I love cats. I grew up on a small farm and we always had a house cat or two that were loved and cared for, plus lots of barn cats that bred wild and kept down the mice, but definitely did not like to be cuddled. (I learnt that the hard way.) However, as I grew older I developed an allergy to cats so I have not been able to own one for a very long time – not that you can ever really ‘own’ a cat, of course 

 

My publisher, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, wrote a blog about the forward to the book.  Check online here. 

 Haley Moss is an autistic attorney, author, artist and advocate. In these words, taken from her foreword to Kathy Hoopmann’s new All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum, she explains how the book has personal meaning for her.

Me-wow! I was 13 years old when my mom brought All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome home from an autism conference. You’d expect teenagers to think they’re too old for picture books when they so desperately want to be seen as adults, but nope – the adorable cats and simple yet positive words to connect everything together made me, a lifelong dog owner and lover, feel a deep connection with cats and autism. I couldn’t describe the magic of how cats perfectly explained everything I felt and knew about myself. Kathy’s stunning depictions of autism resonated deeply with me. I was already confident and proud to be autistic, and that pride was solidified in a picture book.

Smiles from the book’s feline friends were contagious within my house; my mom and dad shared the magic of cats on the autism spectrum with me. I couldn’t stop thinking about the many ways All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome made me smile as an autistic teenager, and the book loyally sits in my joy-filled autism library well into adulthood.

I unabashedly say this is one of my favorite books of all time. In the twelve years I’ve had my copy of All Cats, it has been a trusty sidekick and teaching tool. Friends and strangers alike have all felt the heartwarming effect of this book and a shared connection to me whenever I introduced them to it. It’s the book I used to tell my high school best friend I was autistic. It’s the book I kept on my desk at my law office to make colleagues, clients, and visitors feel comfortable learning about autism. It’s a book that reminds me that being different is not a bad thing and, sometimes, people on the autism spectrum are both celebrated and misunderstood just like our feline companions.

Cats on and off the page can change hearts and minds. I never had a cat in my life outside of this book until a little over a year ago, but now, I see myself in her. I see my cat in me with our autistic traits, and I can now say all cats are definitely on the autism spectrum.

When Kathy mentioned that my all-time favorite autism book was getting an update to be more inclusive of people all across the spectrum (including us girls!), I was thrilled. When I told my parents that I was fortunate enough to have the honor of writing a foreword to one of my favorite books in the world, my mom freaked out, remembering this was the book that caught her eye so many years back and that continues to touch our hearts.

All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum is like receiving a hug from a lifelong friend you haven’t seen in a while. You will always be close with an indescribable bond. Knowing future generations of young people on the spectrum and their families will get to enjoy this book for years to come makes me think we will have a more understanding, accepting generation of cat lovers who become better friends to autistic children and adults alike.

May this book fill your day with meows, laughs, play, smiles – and some new friends and understanding during your journey. Your mileage may vary, but I am still delightfully sharing and spreading the magic of All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum – and hope you do, too.

I am very excited, and honoured, that my Danish translator, Anne Skov Jensen has written her own foreword to the Danish version, ‘Alle katte er på autismespektret’ . (You can buy the Danish version HERE)

Kathy Hoopmann wrote in 2006 the classic All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome, a book that has a very special place in my heart. It came out shortly after my son was diagnosed with autism and the book was a huge help in introducing him to autism in a positive, funny and appreciative way.

The pictures of all the cute cats, together with the short but precise description of what it’s like to be on the autism spectrum, makes it the perfect book to learn about autism in a gentle, heart warming and humorous way, regardless of whether you are on the spectrum, a parent or other family member, classmate, friend, colleague or professional in the autism field. The pictures call for both seriousness and laughter, and it also gives the reader an opportunity to talk about a difficult topic in an easy and enjoyable way.

Over the years, I have recommended the book to a lot of people and have time and time again experienced that both children and adults on the spectrum and their families have shown the same enthusiasm for it. That is really the best recommendation a book can get. I am so incredibly happy that I have been given the opportunity to translate this new edition into Danish.

Much has happened in the field of autism since 2006, and Kathy has gently and with great care updated the book and adapted it to the societal development, which naturally affects our understanding of and approach to autism. One of the important changes is that the book is now gender neutral, as it has been increasingly recognized that autism is not gendered. The language has also been adapted to today’s social understanding and recognition of diversity. In my translation, I have had a lot of focus on the fact that this is also reflected in the Danish version.

Now that I have known Kathy’s Cat Book for many years and have put many hours of work into translating the new edition, the question is: Have I grown tired of reading it?

The answer is a resounding NO!

Every time I read in it, it still gives me a sense of being heard, met and understood as an autistic individual, and I’m certain that others will feel the same way. And I will never get tired of looking at all the beautiful and cute cats.

I am really looking forward to using the book in my work as an autism advocate and give it my warmest recommendations.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the book. I hope you will love it as much as I do.