Cat Haters

freyaandzelda said:

I was talking to some work friends at work, when the conversation worked around to our low finances (we are all college students). I mentioned that I was lower on funds than usual because Freya's spay coincided with a school payment, and we then had to pay for the treatment for her infection. One guy rolled his eyes and asked how much it cost to get her put down, insinuating that I should do that to save money. I knew he was joking, but it still made me mad. He also frequently makes jabs about cats, saying that they're the worst and they don't feel any affection. He also thinks the only guys who have cats are gay, insisting one of my male friends who lives by himself with a cat is just in the closet.

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my DH had a similar attitude about cats. He thought that cats were too "feminine" to be a man's pet. Men are "supposed" to have dogs.

 The funny thing is that cats adored him. even cats that were not generally social to anyone other than their families loved him. After yet another cat forced its way into his lap and refused to budge, I just looked at him and asked, "you like cats, don't you?" He had to admit that he did.

There are a lot of feral and stray cats in the florida keys. we went there for our 10th anniversary. There were a bunch of stray cats near a restaurant we went to and when DH came out with our leftovers, they were on him like white on rice. He took the leftover grilled chicken and steak. cut it into small pieces and put the container down so they could have it. I just asked him why it was so hard to admit that he loved all animals including cats. He really didn't have an answer other than he was raised to believe that cats are a woman's pet. So silly. 

Plan said:

What an enlightened attitude. Has he seen James Bowen at book signings with his cat Bob, and the lines of hundreds of women who show up to those events? Likewise, when I take my cat for a walk on his harness, it ain't dudes coming up and talking to me. 

I also see this attitude when it comes to protecting endangered and vulnerable big cats, as if it's somehow "gay" to protect magnificent creatures, or "manly" to kill them. Sorry, there's nothing manly about employing a team of guides and spotters, a truck full of high tech gadgetry, and a high powered rifle, just to senselessly kill an endangered animal so you can mount its head on your wall and spend the next 30 years recounting tales of your hunting heroics to people who don't want to hear those stories. 

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Tiger hunting in Russia is something that I really can't say being manly at all, they put shotguns on ground with trip wire and often Tiger is injured and does not die from that.

There is not many left and probably Siberian Tiger will not survive more than 10 years, because of such cowardly murderers. Indeed manly is something completely different thing, but some are confused and think killing such endangered animal would be manly, can't understand them who think that way, for me they appear like something tiny and scared, maybe scared of not being recognized as male.
Same is with those that make those gay comments, I think they are just insecure little boys that try to appear 'manly' without really understanding what manly is.

Manly is when male has good self esteem and is not insecure, whatever that male does is manly, because he is content and knows that he is a male, adult man, not a little boy.

Sad thing is that many are grown to be insecure, not having clear identity and constant need of stating for example manliness makes they feel more secure even it manifests their insecurity. It is not necessarily their fault, they just have not taught any better, but of course their actions and words are still as stupid and troublesome.

Some education might be needed, to make them realize few things from life, but in many cases it is pretty much impossible.

It's funny because the guy he was calling gay is actually secure enough in his sexuality to not even care- his two roommates are gay (they're dating each other), so he gets it a lot, but the person who stated that he must be in the closet is unaware of his living situation.

Myself, I've never disliked cats. I was always miserable when I wasn't allowed to pet or snuggle one when I was younger because of my allergies, and naturally cats just loved me. It's like they know.

freyaandzelda said:

It's funny because the guy he was calling gay is actually secure enough in his sexuality to not even care- his two roommates are gay (they're dating each other), so he gets it a lot, but the person who stated that he must be in the closet is unaware of his living situation.

Myself, I've never disliked cats. I was always miserable when I wasn't allowed to pet or snuggle one when I was younger because of my allergies, and naturally cats just loved me. It's like they know.

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It is perhaps kind of logical, insecure guy surely senses that other guy is more secure and perhaps it is attempt to get secure guy out of balance as insecure guy feels being under threat. Barking dog syndrome perhaps?

Secure guy is content and that kind of shows, it sometimes have weird effect on insecure guys. After all humans are just animals, it happens with cats too, they have picking order and sometimes it is tested.

With guys it is that they don't even realize that happening, they don't understand what they are doing in that sense, can't say if it happens with girls too as I don't have experience of being a girl, but as we all are animals in a way I think there is similar things and that can manifest also as hatred towards cats or anything so called stronger likes.

When that fails, they turn their attention to kind of weaker subjects, which may be then harming cats for example.

That is why I think that it is bit dangerous too.

Cats follow certain behavioral patterns, also many humans do, if human tries he or she can overcome that pattern, that is not so possible for cats, if we think that as a thing that separates humans from animals, there is quite small number that are really that different from animals after all, it is not necessarily bad thing.


I was taught very strict gender roles, also mother was and still is animal hater, but I have outgrown from all of that, but for most of my life I was not much of cat person, it didn't help that I was bitten and scratched by a cat and a lynx when little kid, but people with open mind can adapt and learn new life, so I bake, cook, now even sew and do like cats while being more manly that I have probably ever been as I do also logging, firewood, stone crushing, machinery repairs and all that, wider life I would say.


My cats tend to be quite affectionate these days, I have cat allergy that has developed and they surely seem to know it as they want to rub their head against my chin so much, so maybe there is some truth in that they do know it.

JTbo said:

Tiger hunting in Russia is something that I really can't say being manly at all, they put shotguns on ground with trip wire and often Tiger is injured and does not die from that.

There is not many left and probably Siberian Tiger will not survive more than 10 years, because of such cowardly murderers. Indeed manly is something completely different thing, but some are confused and think killing such endangered animal would be manly, can't understand them who think that way, for me they appear like something tiny and scared, maybe scared of not being recognized as male.
Same is with those that make those gay comments, I think they are just insecure little boys that try to appear 'manly' without really understanding what manly is.

Manly is when male has good self esteem and is not insecure, whatever that male does is manly, because he is content and knows that he is a male, adult man, not a little boy.

Sad thing is that many are grown to be insecure, not having clear identity and constant need of stating for example manliness makes they feel more secure even it manifests their insecurity. It is not necessarily their fault, they just have not taught any better, but of course their actions and words are still as stupid and troublesome.

Some education might be needed, to make them realize few things from life, but in many cases it is pretty much impossible.

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Yeah, good luck with that. I've had conversations about the Cecil the Lion killing with people I normally judge to be reasonable, and the responses range from "I don't care" to "That's Darwinism." Except no, it's not Darwinism, it's destructive idiocy. Self-described "hunters" aren't killing animals out of some biological imperative; they're not doing it to guard territory, to edge out another apex predator, or to eat. They're doing it for reasons of ego, so they can mount the poor animals' heads on walls and take photographs of themselves standing over dead animals, smiling like psychopaths. Seriously, what kind of mental deficiency enables people to get joy out of killing animals and standing proudly over their dead bodies?

And yeah, sadly, there are only some 4,000 tigers left in the wild. Four thousand! And people are still killing them. What is wrong with us as a species that we cannot appreciate such amazing creatures? What is wrong with us as a species when it seems like most people are completely indifferent to the suffering and welfare of animals, in this case an endangered, keystone species?

freyaandzelda said:

It's funny because the guy he was calling gay is actually secure enough in his sexuality to not even care- his two roommates are gay (they're dating each other), so he gets it a lot, but the person who stated that he must be in the closet is unaware of his living situation.

Myself, I've never disliked cats. I was always miserable when I wasn't allowed to pet or snuggle one when I was younger because of my allergies, and naturally cats just loved me. It's like they know.

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That's always the way, isn't it? The guys who are comfortable with themselves aren't bothered by childish insults or being called gay. It's the guys who have serious self-esteem issues, and/or identity confusion, who are absolutely terrified of doing anything that could be even remotely interpreted as "gay."

In any case, I'm not sure how their logic works: How does caring for a beloved pet = gay? As a dude I'm not ashamed to admit I love my cat, and adopting him was one of the best things I've ever done. Every single day, I'm grateful I have him, and I'm grateful that my cat returns the love and trust. For me, it's therapeutic. If there are guys who don't adopt because they're worried about looking "gay," I feel sorry for them, because they're missing out.

Nebula said:

 
Another friend of mine brags continually about how many feral cat kills he has made.

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Your "friend" exhibits signs of a sociopath. Cruelty to animals, manipulating others without remorse, the ability to sense vulnerabilities in others and use them for personal gain or pleasure, etc. I wouldn't describe someone like that as my friend. I'd refer to them as "this guy I know" or "this co-worker". 

I have legit reasons to hate dogs, from being attacked numerous times. But I don't hate dogs. I'm just afraid of ones I don't know. And actually my bff's dog attacked me twice out of nowhere. That dog had some real issues. Possibly this is where some cat haters are coming from, fear. But I think most are probably just a@@-h&#%s. I feel like if you don't love cats (or dogs), you have no soul. I don't need to waste my time on people like that because clearly we won't see eye to eye on much.

Plan said:

And yeah, sadly, there are only some 4,000 tigers left in the wild. Four thousand! And people are still killing them. What is wrong with us as a species that we cannot appreciate such amazing creatures? What is wrong with us as a species when it seems like most people are completely indifferent to the suffering and welfare of animals, in this case an endangered, keystone species?

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I think most were done by persons that take only few parts, I think it was Chinese medicine being major market, tiger bone powder viagra or something like that.

Then habitat getting too small as human population grows is also issue, but even bit of thinking by those hunters should reveal to them that they are killing whole species.

There is only 380 to 450 adult Siberian Tigers left, conservation efforts are working, but it might be too late for them, genetic diversity is quite low and those that kill them make big impact on that, not all tigers find each other and not all reproduce often because of that, also ~400 individuals genetic pool would be really low, but I think it was less than 100 individuals whom genetic pool has been reproducing lately, take out 10 of those and effect is quite big.

Humans were almost extinct at one point in history, maybe it caused us all to be bit wrong in a way, some are more some are less wrong :-\

There are so many people that want to order other people for example, some kind of control sickness, maybe indeed some say those things like killing ferals in order to manipulate cat lover, for me such is nearly impossible to comprehend as I don't wish to have any kind of control over anyone, but some indeed want power over others, whole societies are in a way based on such which I tend to think as sickness.

JTbo said:

There are so many people that want to order other people for example, some kind of control sickness, maybe indeed some say those things like killing ferals in order to manipulate cat lover, for me such is nearly impossible to comprehend as I don't wish to have any kind of control over anyone, but some indeed want power over others, whole societies are in a way based on such which I tend to think as sickness.

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Ain't that the truth. We'd be better off as a society if we all stopped trying to tell other people what to do, how to live, etc.

About the Chinese folk medicine, I've heard the same things. And they also eat cats in China and Vietnam, where they're listed on menus as "little tiger."

CatMinionJess said:

 
Your "friend" exhibits signs of a sociopath. Cruelty to animals, manipulating others without remorse, the ability to sense vulnerabilities in others and use them for personal gain or pleasure, etc. I wouldn't describe someone like that as my friend. I'd refer to them as "this guy I know" or "this co-worker". 

I have legit reasons to hate dogs, from being attacked numerous times. But I don't hate dogs. I'm just afraid of ones I don't know. And actually my bff's dog attacked me twice out of nowhere. That dog had some real issues. Possibly this is where some cat haters are coming from, fear. But I think most are probably just a@@-h&#%s. I feel like if you don't love cats (or dogs), you have no soul. I don't need to waste my time on people like that because clearly we won't see eye to eye on much.

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Killing animals is actually an early indicator that a person is headed toward harming human life. That's partially the reason why police get involved in those cases, and why the SPCA is allowed to have a law enforcement division with the power to file charges against people accused of animal abuse.

Not sure if you guys remember, but a few years back there was some lunatic who filmed himself killing cats, including one video where he wears a Santa hat and fed a little kitten to a python. He eventually went on to kill some random guy he met on Craigslist. The police were criticized for receiving complaints about the suspect when he was "just" killing cats, and not doing anything about it.

CatMinionJess said:

Your "friend" exhibits signs of a sociopath. Cruelty to animals, manipulating others without remorse, the ability to sense vulnerabilities in others and use them for personal gain or pleasure, etc. I wouldn't describe someone like that as my friend. I'd refer to them as "this guy I know" or "this co-worker". 

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I was thinking the same thing. A friend is not going to brag about killing cats to a cat lover (or to any 'normal' person capable of empathy). This person is purposely saying these things to upset and to hurt, and is probably getting a twisted sense of pleasure and gratification from manipulating these emotions. Sounds like classic sociopath behavior and definitely someone to avoid.

Edit: or maybe it is classic psychopathic behavior? I thought that was an outdated term, but found this brief article which explains the difference:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wicked-deeds/201401/how-tell-sociopath-psychopath

Interesting stuff.

One sure thing is that anyone saying such things (especially if not lying!) must have some problems that he would need help with.

Sociopaths and psychopaths are not so by their own will, they are not like that by their choice but because something is wrong so that has caused them to become sick and with help they might have chance to live more full life.

It is easy to hate person because of acts or words, but if person is sick and is like so because of sickness and not because of own choice, wouldn't it be bad to treat person poor way?

There is of course many sick persons and one can't be excepted to be friends with those, especially when they can be potentially even dangerous, but it would be so nice that there would be way to inform someone that might get some help on those persons.

Sadly even we are living in incredible wealth compared to time just 70 years ago, not much wealth is not used to get rid of these issues, mostly it is used to limit harm to gathering wealth instead helping individuals to have better life.

My guess is that almost all haters are having some kind of issue with their mental health, issues are not rare at all, most probably have some at one point of life, but haters probably have more of issues than most and hating is just how issues manifest themselves.

Sometimes issues come from lack of education or wrong education, sick behavioral models are passed down from parents etc.

There is lot of sea between not liking and hating, so those that just don't like should not be put into hater group, imo.
People have preferences, other like blue, some prefers red, but healthy persons without medical issues don't aim to hurt feelings of other persons.

For me petting a cat feels dark blue (dark blue is warm color for me), hurting feelings of other persons feels like sharp icy needles which has this dark fall feeling in it . I might not be able to tell always what is appropriate, but even I think I can tell what I do not think being a good thing.

I've never trusted anyone that said they hated cats. In my mind if they hated cats then they probably hated women too (as I've always related to cats ). I had a boyfriend who's dad loved to tell me horrible stories of things he did to cats; well he was an abusive father & husband too!
I found a magnet that i had up for many years as a single person that read, "He asked me to choose between him or the cats... I miss HIM sometimes"

My wonderful husband of almost 19 years has been nothing but loving and supportive as an animal lover himself. He didn't have much experience with cats before me but he NEVER hated or even "disliked" cats. He's been my partner in rescue, fostering and footing the financial burden for all of my volunteer work with our Humane Society. He loves OUR pets, both cats and dogs, and knows they are my passion!

Never trust someone that hates cats!!

My BF is not a cat person. I knew that before we got together. But he knows how much I love mine and how important they are to me .

For example: When I lost Ghost, he was right there with me looking for him because he knew how bad I was hurting. He walked and called him just as much as I did. When I found his body on the side of the road, he was right there holding me while I cried and really helped me.

When Zander showed up he was not really happy and could have gotten rid of her without even telling me, but he did knowing that I would want to keep her. When we were going through her problems with her nose he was just as concerned as I was about her health and well being.

My Sammy will sit beside him and he will pet him ( I can sometimes see a little smile).

He may not be a cat person and use to tell me they were useless animals, but I do believe that he finally sees how they are just as important to our family as his dog. He was never really around cats except the barn cats they had and those weren't family pets. He and his dog is getting better about my cats and I  am very happy about that.

People who don't like cats have never been adopted by one. - me

Natalie_ca said:

 
She doesn't like animals of any kind, she's terrified of every single one.  She's ok looking at them if they are behind bars like in a zoo, but if they are loose and "can get to" her, she freaks out.

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Tell her to read the book Zoo by James Patterson, that will scare the heck out of her or she should watch the same show from the book on TV.  I love all animals and this show even scared me but it's great, lol.  She sounds like a real jerk being so afraid of a little cat.

Music Cat said:

 
I also see a lot of people who say their cat jumps on them after a long vacation and people who say their cats come when called and follow them around the house and are even very obedient. This cat hater obviously never owned a cat or never gave cats a chance to prove how compassionate and loyal they are.

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Last month I went on a 10-day vacation to the Outer Banks, which was the first time I've really been away from my cat for more than a long weekend. (I adopted him last year when he was a kitten.) It was also the first time my cat was totally alone, with just a friend coming by once a day to feed him and play with him.

You know how my cat Buddy responded when I finally came home? When I walked in, he was laying down on the carpet a few feet from the door, which is where he always waits when I leave the house. He had been waiting for me there, even after 10 days! Bud padded up to me, rubbed his face against my legs, then started shaking...and puked!

I was initially worried, but he had been eating the same food he always eats, and he was otherwise okay, so eventually I concluded he was just overwhelmingly happy and excited to see me, and that's why he threw up. 

And yeah, he's the type of cat who follows me to every room in the house, insists on coming into the bathroom with me, sleeps with me every night, treats me like his personal pillow when I'm on the couch watching TV, and like I mentioned, he parks himself on the carpet near the front door and waits for me every time I leave the house. 

No one can tell me he doesn't love me!

Ignorant. Best thing to do is clear your life of such people. And not just the ones who hate cats, but the ones who hate any animal. Heck I am not particularly fond of venomous snakes such as the Copperhead, but I don't hate them. If possible I just try to relocate them to a suitable habitat away from people and pets. That being said, there is some hope for cat haters....I know several guys who "hated" cats, but ended up having to live with one for one reason or another. They are all now nearly inseparable from their furry felines.
I also have a theory about some (usually male) cat haters....I think they prefer dogs because they can dominate them. A cat will not be dominated. JMHO

LaRussa said:

 
Tell her to read the book Zoo by James Patterson, that will scare the heck out of her or she should watch the same show from the book on TV.  I love all animals and this show even scared me but it's great, lol.  She sounds like a real jerk being so afraid of a little cat.

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Some people just have phobias......

A guy I was working with a couple months ago came out of nowhere with the most hideous cat hating vitriol. Telling another coworker there's an "easy solution" to the hassle of moving with his girlfriend's old grouchy cats. Part of it is probably that he grew up on an island with endangered birds imported domesticated cats were killing, but a big part of it is just obnoxious asshole. His opinions on minorities are also incredibly tasteful. I decided I'm going to wear cat sweaters as much as possible around him. And talk about my plans to poison the dogs that **** in my yard.....

LaRussa said:

Tell her to read the book Zoo by James Patterson, that will scare the heck out of her or she should watch the same show from the book on TV.  I love all animals and this show even scared me but it's great, lol.  She sounds like a real jerk being so afraid of a little cat.

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Just finished that book! Scary...
Am now reading the 6th Extinction. Equally scary!

Nebula said:

 
I know this topic has come up before... but I am frustrated with the issue.

Lately it seems (at least in my "circle") people are so hateful to cats. Phrases like "The only good cat is a dead cat", etc. Its just awful Does anyone else deal with this?

I had somebody tonight tell me that "cats are too dumb to feel pain".... really?? 

Another friend of mine brags continually about how many feral cat kills he has made.

Really-- what is with people and the hatred toward cats Why do they get called "evil" and such. It just makes no sense.

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I feel like I "know" you just from talking with you on TCS.  You are a nice person and I'm sure this is very frustrating to you.  I have to work with cat haters, and I understand how you feel, which means I not so secretly loathe some co-workers.  However, it was someone who hates all animals in general that stepped up to the plate and really helped me through it when Blackberry was shot.  She is a wonderful friend to me.  (I should add that she isn't cruel to animals...she just has very strong feelings of hatred.)  I'm sorry this is coming across as disjointed...I am exhausted.  

I think if friends are saying things that seem deliberately meant to hurt you, knowing how you feel about cats, they aren't your friends.    

nurseangel said:

 
I feel like I "know" you just from talking with you on TCS.  You are a nice person and I'm sure this is very frustrating to you.  I have to work with cat haters, and I understand how you feel, which means I not so secretly loathe some co-workers.  However, it was someone who hates all animals in general that stepped up to the plate and really helped me through it when Blackberry was shot.  She is a wonderful friend to me.  (I should add that she isn't cruel to animals...she just has very strong feelings of hatred.)  I'm sorry this is coming across as disjointed...I am exhausted.  

I think if friends are saying things that seem deliberately meant to hurt you, knowing how you feel about cats, they aren't your friends.  

 

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That's just it. I mean these "FRIENDS" Have been there through everything.......... even sympathy when my past cat died. The wreck, everything- it's just difficult sometimes.