Elections in Israel at all times means a lot of footage of households on the voting cubicles, mother and father with their kids, and generally dogs with their people. But what about cats? Do cats ever go to vote?
I made a decision to search out out by going to vote with my cat, Medici – full title: HaRav Medici di Cuddlebutt Reich.
Now, I can already hear the objections. Cats can’t perceive politics, cats can’t go exterior safely, cats trouble some folks – I’ve heard all of it earlier than. But Jerusalem is home to lots of of 1000’s of the furry felines, so it is smart that they’d wish to be concerned. Plus, on the mature age of seven, Medici is greater than old sufficient – and sensible sufficient – to know the intricacies of municipal politics: He simply doesn’t care (most likely as a result of he’s not allowed to vote).
That’s to not say he’s apolitical – reasonably, he’s a staunch supporter of the Sephardi haredi get together Shas, having greater than as soon as been impressed seeing an image of Arye Deri on my laptop display screen (nearly as good a purpose as any I suppose, though I need to emphasize that Medici’s political beliefs are his personal). As for going exterior, he’s a veteran indoor-outdoor cat, skilled at traversing the imply streets of Katamon.
So with that in thoughts, I put him on his leash, bought him into his cat backpack, packed some treats, and off we went.
Feline political: Voting with a cat within the Jerusalem elections
I wasn’t certain if they’d let him in at first – in any case, he didn’t have a teudat zehut (Israeli ID card), regardless of his eager knowledge and feline age. I hoped that this wouldn’t flip right into a disaster, however to my nice shock, my arrival to vote with my cat was a delight to everybody round.
I bought on line. At first Medici was hesitant and so took a brief paws, however then he bought on the feline. He was reasonably quiet at first, a lot in order that it took time for folks to note he was even there. Until he began his well-known meowing that’s, little question reflecting his anxiousness about voting (regardless that he couldn’t), and likewise little question it being a cry for democracy – brief for “de-meow-crat-ya.”
Soon, everybody cooed and swooned over his first go to to the polls as his large kitty eyes surveyed the room. Surely he was questioning if any fellow Shas supporters (who may really vote) have been in attendance.
When it was my flip to vote, I headed on into the room the place the sales space was. As I gave my ID card to the voting staff, they smiled at Medici as his meows echoed all through the room.
“Don’t tell me,” one employee mentioned: “He wants to vote for Meowor Moshe Lion.”
While not his political affiliation, it was little question a purrrfect paw-litical pun, a downright claw-ssic.
But as Medici jealously seemed on as I voted, I additionally realized that bringing a cat to the polling station may maybe make a distinction – by influencing others. I bear in mind what the person behind me in line mentioned as I went in: “Yeah, I’m voting after the cat,” he mentioned. “If [he mistakenly thought] the cat can vote, then clearly I have to vote, too.”
A victory for de-meow-crat-ya, certainly.
Natan Rothstein catributed to this text.
