Mu Or Yan On The Cat's Perception Of Human Self-Deception

Your story in today’s Awl, “Meow Meow,” is both an inscrutable feline narrative and, I think, a kind of commentary on how humans have to place themselves at the center of the action in every tale. Where did the idea for the story come from?

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It’s interesting that the story takes such a different tone when it is looked at from the cat’s point of view. What do you think that says about the limited scope of bipedal reportage?

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Some people have pointed out that when Margot recounts the story she suggests that Robert’s cats might not have existed at all. He might have just made them up–

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Yes, of course, that brings up an excellent point about erasure.

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So you categorically reject the suggestion that “Meow Meow” might simply be something Robert wrote to convey the impression that he really is a cat owner.

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I guess we’ll just have to leave people guessing then.

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The reaction to “Meow Meow” was swift and, it’s fair to say, divided. I’m sure you’ve noticed how responses on social media have broken down along traditional lines. There’s even a Twitter account that aggregates dismissive and confusing comments dogs are posting in response to the story called “Dogs React To Meow Meow.” Anything you want to say to the dogs out there to clear things up?

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Fair enough. Okay, I have to ask: Are you Mu or Yan?

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Fascinating. Thank you very much.

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Alex Balk is The Awl’s editor for animal fiction and the host of its marsupial personal narrative Podcast.