Why do some people hate cats so much?

[ducklite]

My husband wasn't a cat "hater," but didn't particularly love them. Until...

He shares a house in NJ (he's there half the month for work) and his housemate has a cat. Actually two cats, but the one cat ignores DH. The other cat though, K.A.T. as DH calls her, took a shine to DH right away. He wasn't swayed. He shooed her away, but she persisted. Slowly she brought him around, and now he really enjoys her company. She sleeps on his bed, sometimes under the covers with him. She lays across his lap/shoulders/neck while he watches tv or works on the computer. She lays in the suitcase pouting as he's packing, and at times makes a nuisance of herself. SHe has completely endeared herself to DH over the past year or so.

That said, when I brought up the idea of getting a cat, he shot me down. But at least now he's over his complete aversion to the species.

He doesn't even have a fit when he finds the cat that ignores him on his car in the sun anymore.

Anne

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

Cant stand the creatures!

I've never met a cat I liked - what cat lovers say about them being independant and self sufficeint is the main thing I dislike! This means they go from their owners garden into mine to cr*p in the flowerbeds (and if you complain to the neighbours they say they can't do anything as the cat is 'free') They also hunt birds for fun! As a bird lover who likes to tempt song birds into my garden by feeding them, I regularly see the local cats sitting in the shadows waiting for the birds to land. Then they catch them, kill them and take them home to their owners as a 'gift'! They are well fed at home so don't need to do this!

Add in all the stuff about walking on counter tops etc (my sister's MIL actually FEEDS hers on the counter!), and the fact that they will only have anything to do with you on THEIR termsand I honestly can't see what anyone would find likable!

Give me my dog any day of the week!

 

[goofygirl]

Contrary to popular belief, not all cats jump on the counters. Mine don't do that- I trained them early on not to do that (yes, cats CAN be trained). Also, my house does not smell. If a cat owner's house smells, its the fault of the owner, not the cat's.

 

[sPaRkLeSpAz]

They smell like.. ick.. And they love jumping on me for some reason. -.-. And they are just soooo prissy. I'm not a huge cat fan.. =/. I don't hate them, but I definately don't like them either.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I hate my neighbors' cats. Not their fault...my neighbors let them outside, and they stink up my garden. But it makes me want to wring their necks...

I also used to hate a couple of truly psycho kitties. One was named Sybil, and she was the most aggressive, vicious cat you'd ever meet. She was like a heat-seeking missile, running at you from across the room to dig teeth and claws into whatever part of you she could reach, yowling like the devil the whole way. She's dead now...and I helped (put to sleep). Never gladder to see an animal take their last breath.

The second one belonged to a friend of mine, and was much more like a stealth fighter...sneaking in under the radar, climbing up the back of a chair or onto a shelf, waiting for the opportune moment to pounce on your head and sink her teeth into your scalp. I decided I really didn't like that friend enough to go to her apartment.

By the way, I love most cats. I have 2, and they're wonderful. They can be trained to stay off counters, and they can be kept reasonably clean and stench-free most times...I think they smell better than almost every dog I've ever met. Cats rule, and dogs drool.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

just for the record...my cat has NEVER been on the tables or counters or other eating surfaces...gross.

with both my parents and DH2B parents when they had cats, they were NEVER allowed on tables or countertops and rarely were they allowed on the furniture. but when they both got dogs(small dogs, for both) they were ontop of EVERYTHING!! DH2B's parents will let their dog just sit and relax on the kitchen table, and then minutes later they'll eat off of it, without even whiping it down!

 

[ElizK]

I don't care much for cats. That's at least in part because I'm DEATHLY allergic to the little monsters. I don't even have to touch them. If there's been a cat in the room I'll either have an asthma attack or get itchy eyes and runny nose, etc (sometimes both). That can last hours past the time I've left that place and even showered. Terrible!

But I also don't like how sneaky they are, how they want your love on their terms. And don't even get me started on what the stupid neighbor's cat does in my yard. I think it's not the cat I hate... it's the owner who lets the cat roam the neighborhood.

 

[grlpwrd]

I grew up with dogs, but now I have 2 cats. They are trained to stay off counters and tables and can do "tricks." I am also teaching them to use the toilet. They are so smart!

My mom hates my cats. She thinks cat hair is disgusting... oh never mind the dust and our excess skin flakes that dust mites feed on.

I was attacked by dogs as a child while delivering newspapers. I was traumatized, but cats have been the one's who helped me regain trust in all furbabies.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

I grew up with dogs, but now I have 2 cats. They are trained to stay off counters and tables and can do "tricks." I am also teaching them to use the toilet. They are so smart!

My mom hates my cats. She thinks cat hair is disgusting... oh never mind the dust and our excess skin flakes that dust mites feed on.

I was attacked by dogs as a child while delivering newspapers. I was traumatized, but cats have been the one's who helped me regain trust in all furbabies.

i have more of a fear for small dogs than i do for any other animal. small dogs can be brutal! DH2B's parents have a small dog and that thing is constantly trying to attack me when i'm there!

 

[ilovepcot]

Cats can be exquisite looking creatures...I'll give them that. BUT...I'm terrified of them and I think they know it.

Okay, got some "cat people" gathered here. Tell me this...do you NEVER wash a cat with soap and water? I understand they they wash themselves, but YUCK! Their mouths take in all that foul smelling fishy food, then they turn around and "wash" themselves with that foul smelling mouth?!!! No, no, no, no no.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Cats can be exquisite looking creatures...I'll give them that. BUT...I'm terrified of them and I think they know it.

Okay, got some "cat people" gathered here. Tell me this...do you NEVER wash a cat with soap and water? I understand they they wash themselves, but YUCK! Their mouths take in all that foul smelling fishy food, then they turn around and "wash" themselves with that foul smelling mouth?!!! No, no, no, no no.

Although not the norm, some people do bathe their cats.

 

[Nancy]

Not a lover of cats and not a hater either. BUT I have 2 cats that I love, I'm just not crazy about other peoples cats. I only got them because the kids wanted them...but I get to take care of them all the time. My cats do not go on the counters or tables, they were trained not to, yes, you can train them. They have a few favorite places they liek to lay down on so we don't have cat hair everywhere, only a few places....now as for the litter box smell, I try to keep one step ahead of it, but with 2 cats, full time job and full time school it sometimes gets a bit stinky...and I hate when I walk in the house and the first thing I smell is litter box odor.

I would have no animals in the house if I had my way...not because of hate just not a huge fan of any type of animal.

Edited to add...my cats will not stink up gardens or kill birds because they are not allowed outside. They are my pets, I did not get them to let them run free outside and get hurt or killed.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

Cats can be exquisite looking creatures...I'll give them that. BUT...I'm terrified of them and I think they know it.

Okay, got some "cat people" gathered here. Tell me this...do you NEVER wash a cat with soap and water? I understand they they wash themselves, but YUCK! Their mouths take in all that foul smelling fishy food, then they turn around and "wash" themselves with that foul smelling mouth?!!! No, no, no, no no.

well you're SUPPOSED to give your cat a bath at some point. my parents did when we had cats when i was little. once a month they'd get a bath in the tub. course they hated it, but they looked and smelled nice afterwards!

 

[olena]

I don't hate cats, but I hate being around them. The inside of my throat itches, my eyes water and swell, my lungs wheeze and close up on me and my nose runs like a faucet. It's absolute misery.

 

[ilovepcot]

Although not the norm, some people do bathe their cats.

Oh look everybody...Sherry washing her pu, ah....her cat!!!!

 

[rt2dz]

I certainly don't *hate* cats, but I really, really don't like them at all. I can't stand walking into a house and smelling cat, cat pee and kitty litter. I don't like how moody they can be and I've seen some vicious scratches from them. I can't stand how they get up on all of the furniture, countertops, cars, etc. I can't stand having cat hair all over the place. They are just not my kind of animal. I can't imagine having any affection at all for them. They just aren't loveable to me. That being said, I would never wish any harm upon them. I just don't want them around me.

I am much more of a dog person.

perfectly said.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Oh look everybody...Sherry washing her pu, ah....her cat!!!!

 

[Planogirl]

I've always trained our cats to stay off of counter tops and tables and I've yet to catch any of them on these places nor have I seen hair or paw prints. I only allow them on places where dogs and people can sit.

Personally, I can't imagine actually hating any living creature. I even tolerate rodents when I have to, the nasty little things.

 

[Snarky10or11]

Oh look everybody...Sherry washing her pu, ah....her cat!!!!

That's a nice looking pu, ah...cat.

 

[MyGoofy26]

just for the record...my cat has NEVER been on the tables or counters or other eating surfaces...gross.

Mine either. I think this issue is an issue with owners who aren't teaching their cats where they can and cannot be (or simply don't care if their cats are hanging out on eating surfaces) and not the cats themselves. A cat CAN be taught not to get up on counters and tables.

We have two cats and they don't smell. A quick scoop (maybe 20 seconds of work?) of the litter box each evening keeps things under control. A couple minutes of combing or brushing keeps them from shedding like crazy (of course we have short haired cats - shedding is a much bigger issue with long haired cats as it is with long haired dogs) Our cats are affectionate, especially the youngest. He loves to curl up beside you or on your lap. They have so much personality - I think the youngest thinks he's a dog. LOL! They come running to greet you when you come home. They've very clean - always grooming so they never smell. We've had many people tell us our house doesn't smell like "cat" . . . it's all about how the owner takes care of it/them and not the cat itself.