Universal Design: A Pet Cat?

Parents of young children sometimes find themselves facing the pet cat question. They never had a cat, they never wanted a cat, but now their child is begging for one. In private, the parents discuss the pros and cons. Well, the cat needs to be fed, taken to the vet and the litter box has to be cleaned. We’ll have to think about relatives who are allergic to cats and we’ll have some added planning for the cat when we take vacations. On the other hand, the cat will make our child so happy and perhaps offer valuable lessons about caring and compassion.

The pet cat discussion is a little like universal design. You didn’t really plan on it but a new reality has it showing up as something to discuss. There are pro’s and cons of course. It adds another layer to planning and building, there is an added cost even though it’s small and you might have a hard time getting others to agree. On the other hand, universal design will make our society better and perhaps offer valuable lessons about caring and compassion.



Konrad Kaletsch, CAPS
August 31, 2009
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