Cats, Disability, and...

Hello friends!

Happy Caturday, as they say on certain parts of the internet. Today’s musing is a bit different than usual. I want to talk about disability. And gaming.

I have a variety of mild disabilities: I wear glasses. A viral brain injury means I have to closely monitor my screen—and brain—time, and cope with chronic tinnitus. I’ve also got an autoimmune disorder which I manage through diet, medication, exercise, and rest.

In other words, I have a lot of the same disabilities that many of you may have, especially those of you dealing with the effects of Long Covid. I also know that many of you are gamers.

Other people have more extreme disabilities than I do.

You may have known the following statistic, but I didn’t: “People with disabilities are 51% more likely to be socially isolated than their non-disabled peers.”

Yeah. It’s harder to get out and about with crushing fatigue, or when forced to navigate non-accessible schools, shops, transit, theaters, meetings, or the like. And some folks need help leaving their homes at all.

But Thorn, you may ask, what does disability have to do with cats? Well, this Caturday I want to celebrate the work of The Able Gamers Foundation and announce something that can benefit both them and you!

The Able Gamers Foundation provides peer led strategies, access to inclusive and adaptive play, and connects gamers with other gamers, helping form communities. The foundation also helps game developers and gaming communities make their games and play more accessible.

Pretty cool, right? I may not be a gamer myself, but even I can see the benefits.

My novel, Haunted Witch, is currently part of an ebook StoryBundle which brings together some of my favorite authors in a pay-what-you-can bundle for up to ten cat books! Yes, CATS. Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Short Stories… A percentage of all sales will go directly to the Able Gamers Foundation, helping more people to play.

I’d appreciate you spreading the word about this project and the work of Able Gamers. Please check out the Cattitude Bundle. And if you’re a disabled person who likes to game? Check out Able Gamers.

And again, I wish you a Happy Caturday, and some fun play of your own.

best wishes - Thorn