All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum

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Kathy Hoopmann's newest edition of All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum will bring lots of smiles and autism awareness information to readers of every age. Parents described the special role of the cat for the child with the following sample of quotations: “When the specified child is upset, the cat will sit by or in the lap of the specified child.”“The only time we get to hear our autistic child spontaneously speak is when he is interacting with this cat.”“He is non-verbal and doesn’t sign for much, but he does sign for his kitty numerous times each day!”“My son just likes to look at the cats and talk to them.”“He will sit and read to the cats although you can’t understand what he is saying.”“The specified cat helped my child say new words.” All-new cats take a playful look at the world of autism, and these fun feline friends will strike a chord with all those who are familiar with typical autistic traits, bringing to life common characteristics such as sensory sensitivities, social issues and communication difficulties. Kathy has an ingenious way of blending the characteristics of beloved kitty cats to showcase the nuances and diversity of people on the autism spectrum. The richness of the pictures within this book, captures the essence and spirit of autistic people through the eyes of our purry, furry friends, that many autistics share a love for, and a commonality in the charm, inquisitive nature and love they have to give to the world All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome takes a playful look at Asperger Syndrome (AS), drawing inspiration from the feline world in a way that will strike a chord with all those who are familiar with AS. Touching, humorous and insightful, this book evokes the difficulties and joys of raising a child who is different and leaves the reader with a sense of the dignity, individuality, and potential of people with AS. This engaging book is an ideal, gentle introduction to the world of AS. Delightful colour photographs of cats bring to life familiar characteristics such as, for example, sensitive hearing. All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum by Kathy Hoopmann – eBook Details

Cats in households with an ASD child appeared to be affectionate and minimally aggressive with the ASD child. However, the cat’s level of affection seems higher among cats living with children developing typically as compared with those with severe or less severe ASD. Limitations of the Research Most parents of ASD children reported affectionate behavior to the children by the cat. The positive interactions of cats with ASD children revealed that cats can provide an avenue of positive relationships. When there were limitations in the relationships, these usually appeared to be from the cats’ unwillingness to be affectionate rather than the child being disinterested.Zasloff L. Measuring attachment to companion animals: a dog is not a cat is not a bird. Appl Anim Behav Sci (1996) 47(1–2):43–8. doi:10.1016/0168-1591(95)01009-2 Kathy Hoopmann's books, using animals to explain aspects of SEND, have pride of place on my shelf. In fact I have two copies of each, so that I always have a spare to loan out. Each person who borrows one ends up buying their own copy as they are a must-have for anyone interested in the areas covered. This revision of All Cats Have Aspergers, has been sensitively updated to include developments in understanding of autism. The gender neutral language now recognises that autism is not a 'male' condition and the differences of everyone on the spectrum is beautifully illustrated with tangles of colour. The photos are as endearing as ever, making this a sensitive approach for any SENCO, parent or child who is trying to explain or understand the high functioning autistic condition. Two copies of All Cats are on the Autism Spectrum now sit next to the rest of my collection. Castelli P, Hart LA, Zasloff RL. Companion cats and the social support systems of men with AIDS. Psychol Rep (2001) 89(1):177–87. doi:10.2466/PR0.89.5.177-187 Kathy has an ingenious way of blending the characteristics of beloved kitty cats to showcase the nuances and diversity of people on the autism spectrum. The richness of the pictures within this book, captures the essence and spirit of autistic people through the eyes of our purry, furry friends, that many autistics share a love for, and a commonality in the charm, inquisitive nature and love they have to give to the world.’

Some of the photographs are also funny. If you can’t laugh, you’re going to go mad; it is an antidote to dark times. This book provides exactly that. You can look at beautiful cats' pictures and at the same time learn about Asperger Syndrome! Genius!He's often fussy about what he eats." For years I bought Nalley's Walla Walla Onion Chili. It's still the only kind of chili he likes. Here's a delightful book explaining the traits of Asperger's Syndrome, with short, simple text over illustrative and cute pics of kittens and cats. It's obviously aimed at children but it wouldn't be a bad first place to start learning as an adult and it only takes a few minutes to read cover to cover. The idea probably came from the quote "Cats are autistic dogs," which is quite apt...

All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome takes a playful look at Asperger Syndrome (AS), drawing inspiration from the feline world in a way that will strike a chord with all those who are familiar with AS. Burrows KE, Adams CL, Spiers J. Sentinels of safety: service dogs ensure safety and enhance freedom and well-being for families with autistic children. Qual Health Res (2008) 18(12):1642–9. doi:10.1177/1049732308327088 To clarify the characteristics of a cat that make it a desirable companion for a young child, we designed a 39-item web-based survey in SurveyMonkey directed toward families having an adult cat and a child diagnosed with ASD. The survey included the stated requirement that participants had to have a child within the age range of 3–12 years and a cat at least 1 year of age. We distributed the web-link and solicited participation via listservs and groups serving families that have children with ASD. The survey did not require details on the child’s diagnosis. This survey was available for responding May 2013 through June 2014. Bennett PC, Rutter NJ, Woodhead JK, Howell TJ. Assessment of domestic cat personality, as perceived by 416 owners, suggests six dimensions. Behav Processes (2017) 141(Pt 3):273–83. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2017.02.020The UC Davis Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved a written informed consent waiver because of the anonymity of participating parents since no identifying information was requested in the survey. Participants were informed that they were participating in a research survey, and by completing the survey, they were consenting to the use of their responses in a study analysis. Participants were required to be 18 years of age or older to submit the survey. I am really looking forward to using the book in my work as an autism advocate and give it my warmest recommendations. Fritz CL, Farver TB, Hart LA, Kass PH. Companion animals and the psychological health of Alzheimer patients’ caregivers. Psychol Rep (1996) 78(2):467–81. doi:10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.467 Compared to all the other books I have read, this is the one that made me feel good about my diagnosis. To be explained away by a label can be dehumanising – because we are more than just medical advice or science. It also does not cover up challenges as being a ‘super power’. Autism is not a fairytale. And I feel this way of thinking does more harm than good.