Lessons from Cats for Surviving Fascism

Knock things over, use cuteness as a weapon, reject restrictive collars, and always remember to set aside time for a nap are a few of the helpful tips that cats provide for the battle against fascism in this partly earnest, partly comedic guide. Canadian social media personality Reynolds (Welcome to the Stupidpocalypse), also known as Brittlestar, pinpoints felines as “the original disruptors” who have a lot to offer in terms of preventing the growth of authoritarianism. The book covers the ways cats’ behaviors, whether antagonizing “authority... with deliberate, calculated chaos,” refusing to “question their place in the world,” or generally acting “bold, unbothered, and maybe even a little cocky,” are antithetical to fascists’ need for power, control, and submission. With references to MAGA hats and a Mar-a-Lago chandelier, Reynolds isn’t shy about exactly which authoritarian he’s talking about, though this can clash with some of his generic, 1984-ish definitions of authoritarianism—fascists “want the world to be dull, gray” doesn’t exactly pair with cracks about tacky golden sneakers. While the humor is boisterous (“Vanish like a cat who’s just heard you open the travel carrier for a trip to the vet”), after a few lessons, the joke has fully worn itself out. Still, “in a world full of declawed dissenters,” this is an imaginative appeal to be, as cats are, ungovernable. (June)