The Prince’s Field Guide to Neurotic & Neurodiverse Mammals

Is My Cat Autistic (Insensitive) or Narcissistic (Pathologically Hypersensitive)?

Pathological narcissists and malignant ones, in particular, rarely admit to being narcissistic. Why? Any pejorative label will likely be perceived as a deep insult and can traumatically injure their egos.

I share this tongue-in-cheek article for neurotic feline aficionados everywhere. I penned it a few years ago following a conversation with Temple Grandin.

Autistics and narcissists among the humankind have much in common regarding their relative lack of empathy. Both these neurotic and  neurodiverse individuals can sympathize, but I offer that they both have difficulty sympathizing or empathizing. Narcissists are hypersensitive and autistics are insensitive (by definition).

“Narcissism” is not necessarily a pejorative descriptor, it is simply a style of relating. While sentient animals can be altruistic, they are also inherently narcissistic. Your dog, for example, is a narcissist. He or she lives for your undivided attention. Challenging this notion may inform you about how “narcissistic” and/ or “codependent” you may be?!

Disclaimer: While I currently serve in an executive leadership position for a behavioral health advocacy nonprofit referral organization, I’m not a licensed clinician or forensic social scientist.  Rather, I am an evolutionary psychologist and biologist. My personal interactions with individuals on various neurodiverse and psychodiverse spectra have been fascinating.

I myself, was once thought to be on the autism spectrum. Undoubtedly, I have a ‘healthy plus’ amount of narcissism. Look at how well I promote myself below…