Not "MANLY" to like cats!

Originally Posted by mikenealis

I have cats, I don't eat meat, I don't drink, I don't sleep around, I like to cook.
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Um, Mike, will you marry me?! I prefer men that like cats, don't eat meat, drink, sleep around and like to cook! I don't really care what society thinks of my ideal guy...it makes me happy!

Haha, just kidding, but you sound a lot like my boyfriend, who is quite comfortable with himself, masculine or feminine.

There is nothing wrong with guys liking cats. Some of the baddest acting mixed martial artist I know have two or three cats. I love cats and especially love big cats. But no guy should feel strange or feel is being to feminent for liking cats. Kings and rulers from many years ago had cats for pets.

What a ridiculous person coming out with something like that! I think she must have quite a few insecurities if she's worried her son is unmanly for liking cats!
Sheesh! Reminds me of my friend Anna's neighbour. Anna was showing his son her new piano and he went home all excited and wanting to learn piano. Well his dad put an end to that with "no son of mine is ever gonna to learn piano!"
Double whammy for my cat loving piano playing husband!

I hate that sterotype, and I hear it all the time. People think of me as a "mans man" and when I tell them I love cats I always get "Really?" accompanied with a strange look.
Cats are lethal predators, dogs are mindless scavagers. I don't have anything against dogs and I'm sure I don't have to list the qualities of a cat that make it a superior companion here, but if you ask me it's definitely a matter of personality not masculinity.

Some of the most manly and rough acting guys I ever met in my life have cats. See nothing wrong with a guy liking cats. Cats are the most superior killers and hunters there is on land. If you ask 10 scientists what is the most feared land predator in the world. 8 out of 10 will say the "Tiger". Which is a cat. I personally may get into Big Cat taming. I would love to be around Tigers.

A man is someone who accepts the consequences for his actions even when they are stacked against him
A man is someone who loves honors and cherishes God, Family, and his fellow man.
A man is someone who looks upon the smallest most defensless creatures/people and uses his might to make their life better and safer.
plus more... and most importantly REAL MEN LOVE CATS!

Standing 6'4" and 250 pounds of exfootball farm raised country boy would be happy to tell your MIL that nothings stops me faster than a small kitten or cat in need. well except the little wife
I love dogs but nothing touches my heart like the companionship cats bring. I want a secure independant animal, not some animal that wants to follow the pack and be completely lost when you close the door.

But methinks nothing will get past MIL's painted glass illusions of her opinions.

when i first met my husband he had 2 cats,and lets say hes very manly

Mom told my dad (when dating) that if he married her, it was a package deal. He would get a wife, a daughter (my sis) and a cat. Not long after getting married, my mom was given a kitten. It wasn't long until mom's cat became Dad's cat! It followed him everywhere and could be seen with him in his workshop or working in the yard.

And Dad was 6' and former football player.

I read the article in Cat Fancy. It was a good one.

Bravo for you Joecool, for daring to go against the stereotype of what a male "should be", at such a young age.
Society needs more young men like you.

Originally Posted by joecool

That's such an unfair stereotype

. I am 13, and it is a hard world for a guy who is obsessed(yes obsessed) with cats. I read a really good article in cat fancy about it, though. It was called "breaking the man barrier".

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My husband loves our cats and even talks baby talk to them with all his guy friends here watching the game!!! Yesterday he had four friends come over to watch football and each one of them had a cat on their lap. They all have even picked which one is their favorite!

Originally Posted by SpaceCatSpiff

Cats are lethal predators, dogs are mindless scavagers.

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I now have a new response to, "You like cats? Why?"

Also, I find it interesting that people are qualifying their own, or their mates' manliness by saying he/they played football.

My Dad doesn't like cats but it's not because he's too `manly' - he just doesn't `get' the whole animal thing, dogs, cats, whatever. Just not him.

But he's certainly not cruel to them and wouldn't do anything nasty to them. And I must say, once or twice when he doesn't think there's anyone watching he will give Cairo a scritch or two. It's very cute. When there's other people around he's more likely to announce loudly, `Shut up, cat! You're annoying! You're fat and lazy!' and then he'll snuggle her when he thinks he can't be seen.....

OK, just wanted to know how old his mum is? I ask for one reason.....If My grandmother was alive she might think the same thing.

I'm not judging, Just wondering.

Originally Posted by mikenealis

I now have a new response to, "You like cats? Why?"

Also, I find it interesting that people are qualifying their own, or their mates' manliness by saying he/they played football.

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That IS kind of bizarre....
Manliness doesn't have anything to do with playing football or being physically large and strong, IMO. "Manly" does not mean big and burly and strong. You can be a comic-book geek with a house full of cats and be manly; and you can be a big football player with a Rottweiler and be a complete wuss.
My BF adores cats. He's also very manly...but would get torn up on the football field.
And his mom loved that he liked cats so much.

I would not be with Mrs. Bikeman, nor she with me, unless I fit in with the two cats she had when we met. I knew the package with her would include cats, and I assured her that the reason the relationship looked very hopeful from my point of view was that I was already a cat person, and her cats needed to fit in with my expectations. It was just one of many factors in determining that the relationship would work. And it was a big factor.

Many years ago now; and that said, when we knew it was time a few months ago to bring another new cat into the household, she knew I would be staying around for quite a while longer if we were picking out the new kitten to adopt together. cat=committment.

If we are ever wealthy enough to have a house built, it would include many architectural enhancements that would be cat-centric.

We probably all carry either a cat gene or a dog gene for preference. Don't know what the heck that has to do with a person's gender though.

I know plenty of manly-men who love cats.

My boyfriend lives on a farm; all his cats are outdoor only --- mice catchers with plenty of room to run --- however, he likes them & thinks highly of them. And, he is respectful & loving towards mine.

And if he weren't, I'd boot him & be done with it anyway.

Anyone who says a statement like that (not manly to like cats, etc.) is being weird. Just weird! Cats are very independent, self-sufficient, TOUGH, strong and agile. Tell her that!

My man is a big guy too, a hunter, a manly-man. And one look from a set of big-green eyes from Dusty and he's smiling & petting the little furball.

Your MIL needs to have her broomstick re-strung or something.

Originally Posted by stampit3d

I think there is just something that women really love about a guy who loves cats!!!
Linda

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For sure - I am really drawn to men who are nice to animals!

oh my goodnes gracious! This has to be the silliest thing I've heard, no offense to your family member there. You just tell her that since cats are the epitomy of good taste, refinement, and sensuality that your husband is just relfecting the DNA she gave him. She'll be so flustered thinking that out, she's won't know what to do.

John and Harley cuddle all the time, it just melts my heart to see a man cuddling up with their pet. I just love it!

Originally Posted by sashacat421

oh my goodnes gracious! This has to be the silliest thing I've heard, no offense to your family member there. You just tell her that since cats are the epitomy of good taste, refinement, and sensuality that your husband is just relfecting the DNA she gave him. She'll be so flustered thinking that out, she's won't know what to do.

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If your mother in law told your husband (I'm assuming you're a woman, if not, simply switch the roles) that some action of yours wasn't "lady-like" and that you were a bad choice for a wife, would you still feel the same way? I mean no offense by this, really, but it's this kind of complacency that sets up these gender stereotypes.

Don't think I'm only talking about gender stereotypes of men, either. Men who allow objectification of women in talk might as well be participating in the talk. If my friend starts telling a story about how he yelled at a cashier who wouldn't sell him alcohol, and ended the story with, "but it's okay because he was Indian, and smelly," what does that say about me? If another of my friends says, "Damn, I love that woman's (insert body part here) I'd break her hips..." even jokingly, does this not contribute to his objectification of women, and as such, increase subjigation? Rape isn't about sex, rape is about power. Is there some other experience that you can think of that makes a woman (or man) feel more powerless than being raped?

I'm not saying it's easy to do. The hardest thing to do is look at your mother/father/husband/wife and say, "Your behavior is not appropriate, and please do not act that way around me." I've had friends say both of those things, and they laughed it off when I said that. I had to almost force them to look at me when I tried to explain to them why I didn't like how they were acting. Our friendships are a bit rocky now because of it. Either they will realize why I feel that way, or they won't talk to me anymore because of it. I'm fine with either one, though I'd rather they understand how I feel. My question to you, is do you have the courage to do the same thing?