Why do people HATE cats?

lily4

As the title suggests I'm wondering why people hate cats?

As a cat owner I'm genuinely surprised at the amount of people who hate cats/ are freaked out by them/ think their sneaky etc...

I recently was chatting to a colleague about her dogs, looking at her photos of them, admired them, asked lots of questions about them, I was genuinely interested in them as they are clearly her pride and joy and I'm quite an animal lover.
Once I mentioned I had a cat the immediate reaction was 'I HATE cats, all my family hate cats'....

I think it could be historical/cultural thing when cats were associated with witchcraft and also because cats are made for hunting they move silently and so are seen as 'sneaky'.

Similarity I don't understand why people think cats are less loyal than dogs - if a cat is well cared for and it's owners make an effort to bond with the cat they are just as loyal as dogs - they just show their affection differently.

OK rant over!!

ryan84

it drives me mad how people say they hate cats when they have had very little to do with them. A friend of mine has admitted to intentionally hitting cats with his car( one of mine died from being run over so this does not go down well with me)

He also states that cats are useless around the place and that at least dogs will get rid of rats etc.. He was shocked to hear about how many mice and birds our feral cats kill! He never knew they did that.

Another one of my friends stayed at my house for a few days when she was in town for work. Now I am clearly an animal lover and always talk about my cat. Any time he walked into the room she mentioned how much she hates cats! and how horrible they were around the place. Needless to say when she asked to stay at my house again last week I said no!

I don't hate cats - genuinely. (and I think the witchcraft theory is one without any basis! ;o) )

However I do detest when owners let their cats go stray - whereupon they climb into my garden and proceed to defecate all over my flower beds, destroying hundreds of euros worth off plants (over a seven year stretch, I am NOT exaggerating). They then wander off back to their masters, leaving me with the mess and the damage.

The further issue with the cats leaving their feces all over my garden is the danger it represents to my sixteen month old son. He delights in being outside, and while he is always (obviously) under our supervision, the danger of him contracting toxoplasmosis because of these cats is not something I should have to deal with.

Further to this (and there was another thread on it recently), is the quite frankly baffling attitude of cat owners justifying how the damage their cats do should not only be tolerated, but accepted is beyond me - going so far as to compare cats to dogs, children, noise, etc! Pure ignorance.

ryan84

Mine stays indoors at all times, since my last one was killed by a car in a very quiet estate. my sister visited recently and thought it was hilarious that I act like such and big animal lover but was being so cruel to him by keeping him in. She couldnt see that I was maybe thinking of his welfare. When I get my own house he will have a caged outdoor area.

If someones dog used my garden as a toilet I would be annoyed. Same goes for someones cat.

lily4

@DrussRua - Yes I completely understand your point of view with regard to free roaming cats but I think that is an issue of responsible cat ownership, which is an important issue and rightly an annoyance for many people, but I think a different issue to what I am referring to, which is an automatic hatred of cats.

The witchcraft theory only came to me recently when I was reading how cats were regarded suspiciously during medieval times .... just a theory .. A lot of people seem to get creeped out by cats

@Ryan - a friend of mine came into my house recently and hissed at my cat - scared the wits out of her and was surprised when I told her my cat is timid and that she had scared her !

paddyandy

To know them is to love them i'd have 10 +- if i had the space.They are so self contained and need very little.And they are not cold hearted like people think.

lily4

lily4 wrote: »

@DrussRua - Yes I completely understand your point of view with regard to free roaming cats but I think that is an issue of responsible cat ownership, which is an important issue and rightly an annoyance for many people, but I think a different issue to what I am referring to, which is an automatic hatred of cats.

The witchcraft theory only came to me recently when I was reading how cats were regarded suspiciously during medieval times .... just a theory .. A lot of people seem to get creeped out by cats

Fair enough, as I stated, for my part I don't hate cats, or even dislike them - my issue is (as you've pointed out) with responsible ownership of the animals.

Wholesale hatred of a species seems a little strange to me, though I suppose some people have an irrational hatred of spiders and will go out of their way to kill them (another thing I can't understand)!

lily4

@Druss yes I understand your frustration with regard to cats coming into your garden, I detest having to avoid dog poo on pavements and what really irks me is when people bring their dogs to the beach during the summer on hot days - inevitably results in dogs wandering around, peeing on windbreaks, taking a large interest in people's picnics etc, pooping on the beach, very annoying !

That said I'm a big fan of dogs

MissRetro

Firstly, I don't hate cats.. I'm a believer of 'no bad pet, just inexperienced or sometimes uncaring owners'.
But, I do admit to having a severe dislike to some(maybe even most) of the cats I have come across. And, this is probably due to the fact that all the cats I may have liked are probably at home in the care of their responsible owners and not straying around annoying me.
I have friends who have cats as pets and I usually like them because I meet them in their own home and they usually just come up and rub across your leg to say hello and then go back about their business.

The point to this?.. I can understand how some people can be extremely irritated by cats.

c-note

I hate the way they hold their tails up in the air showing everyone their/they're assholes.

I hate their languid gait and their incessant yawning and stretching.

I have never gotten the impression from a cat that they are happy to see me, unless they are looking for food.

I hate the smell of cats.

I do like to pet the odd cat.
I admire their agility and intelligence.
I like that they catch mice, and that's the only reason i would have one.

edit:
Also, this is what i secretly believe all cat fans to be like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTTwcCVajAc

Mo60

I believe this hatred of cats and the allowed straying by 'uncaring and irresponsible owners' is a cultural thing.
I was brought up in the east end of London. My parents had cats as did I later on. I never came across this hatred of cats that appears prevelant in this country, or the obsession about cats that are allowed to roam.
I can assure you that if a neighbour in this area of London had any issues they would soon have let you know.

anniehoo

Cats aren't predictable....thats what i ADORE about them!

They go against everything that us humans want...reciprocated and unconditional "love",which we generally get in adundance (as we perceive) from dogs.They wear their hearts on their metaphorical sleeve.

You can put years upon years of effort into "loving" some cats and they'll still go "meh!" and shack up with someone else without a second thought.

Anyhoo...:D Ask yourself, why any of us have pets?Humans have a deep seated need to nurture and be loved. Dogs give it in obvious abundance and make it very easy to love them....cats dont.

Bad day (owning a Dog)= loves you regardless (waggy tail,hugs,licks,walk in the woods to calm down-bonding); Bad day (owning a Cat)=looks at you when you walk in the door (in fairness Beanie does a yawn and stretch when he sees my car drive up),runs to food dish,might or might not acknowledge me, then cuddles an purrs an hour later when i most need it,)no expectations or demands and they wont fall over themselves to show it either.Stoic!

Im generalising all over the place here,but I find so many people (including some on this forum) are so intolerant to cats and the complete misunderstanding of what they're about. I had a dog (my bestie buddy) for 14 years and i was completely and utterly besotted, so i love dogs even more so!!!!

But, i find the intolerance and ambivalence to cats so upsetting from many people.They're a completely different species, with their own mannerisms and modus operandi and we shouldn't expect them to conform just because we want them to.;)

charlemont

Cats dont give two ****'s, I think they are an awesome animal.

Cass

lily4 wrote: »

I think it could be historical/cultural thing when cats were associated with witchcraft and also because cats are made for hunting they move silently and so are seen as 'sneaky'.

As with a couple of other posters my dislike of cats has nothing to do with whatever this is, but comes from a simple case of multiple bad experiences. Not only with the one animal either. I seem to bring out the worse in them or they have all collaberated against me.

Deleted User wrote: »

However I do detest when owners let their cats go stray - .

This really does get up my nose. I know the exact same can be said for dogs, however peoples attitudes, at least around me, are different to roaming cats than dogs. If its a dog then its a possible threat, but with a cat its "their nature". Anyway not really the issue of the thread so moving on.

paddyandy wrote: »

They are so self contained and need very little..

You hit the nail on the head for me anyway.

anniehoo wrote: »

They go against everything that us humans want...reciprocated and unconditional "love",which we generally get in adundance (as we perceive) from dogs.They wear their hearts on their metaphorical sleeve.

You can put years upon years of effort into "loving" some cats and they'll still go "meh!" and shack up with someone else without a second thought.

Couple this with the previous quote and you are at the heart of it for me. My dogs, throughout theyears have all shown the appreciation, happiness to see me, etc, etc. I cannot stand the indifference of cats. If they were people they would be lonely, independant, recluses with no friends and happy to be that way. Xenophobes if you will.

Thing is for as many people that dislike/hate cats there are as many or almost, that like them. I doubt i would change their minds to hate them no more than they would change my mind to like them.

mikemac

Found two stray kittens on the farm, don't know where they came from. I never saw the mother.

They were weak and one died the next day. The other was wormed, check up by the vet, feed and let sleep and nursed back to health.

And when she got a few months older she shacked up with the neighbors, even has a new name now

My dog would never ever do this. Cats just don't give a fook

I don't hate them but I don't like them.
Happy to look after a stray but I won't be homing any cats from owners

keithb93

I hate cats. There I was pouring a glass of water and some random cat nearly jumped in my sink through the window. Needless to say I closed it. I dont wish any ill faith against them but they are just not as loyal as dogs. Have you ever heard of a cat stop eating or sleeping when its owner dies besides moving onto a new one?

planetX

keithb93 wrote: »

Have you ever heard of a cat stop eating or sleeping when its owner dies besides moving onto a new one?

why do people look for that kind of sycophantic quality in a pet? I want a companion, not a minion.
And it's not true that cats don't give a ****, they just hide it better. It depends if they grew up with a loving owner, or living in a barn with a bit of food thrown at them now and then. They are the most fantastic company and ask for so little. Unlike the manic dog which is driving me to despair...... to sit by the fire with a purring cat on your lap is heaven.

Bullseye1

I've never been a cat person until I adopted a kitten. He is a house cat so he is always hanging around me looking for attention. He likes to play and especially fetch which he does better than any dog I've had. I guess it depends on the cats environment. But generally cats are just more independent than dogs and have not been as domesticated to the same level as dogs who show a lot more dependence towards us.

Bullseye1

I agree. It's unhealthy for people to seek this type of relationship with their pet.

planetX wrote: »

why do people look for that kind of sycophantic quality in a pet? I want a companion, not a minion.
And it's not true that cats don't give a ****, they just hide it better. It depends if they grew up with a loving owner, or living in a barn with a bit of food thrown at them now and then. They are the most fantastic company and ask for so little. Unlike the manic dog which is driving me to despair...... to sit by the fire with a purring cat on your lap is heaven.

mayobumblebee

I have three cats and i have to say they are very affectionate they are very shy i find around new people well bar one. This may be why most who don't own them think they are unfriendly because as as soon as you go into a dog house you are greeted by dog on your lap and licking you or loudly barking where as cats may either leave or just look at ya and go back to sleeping.

But if its just me and the fella or even if someone is round for good few hours, we get headbutts, cats rolling around on floor in front of us belly up looking for petting and the best is a happy cat purring away on the lap beside a fire.
I have on more than one occasion had to feed the cats before going to town as they follow me the mile to town meowing all the way.

they do show affection very differently than dogs.

Shanao

Jeez, we must have gotten very lucky with our cats. We've got eight in the house at the moment; four of our own and four foster kittens (though i have a sneaking suspicion that two aren't leaving) and they are every bit as affectionate and loyal as our dogs. We went away for a weekend there a few weeks ago and the person who came in to feed them got really worried because none of them would eat until we came back. When we did get back, I had to put up with the four adults sleeping in the bed for the following week because they would scratch the door down if we didn't leave them in. They've settled down again since but there's two in particular that have bonded with me, while the other two have bonded with the OH. And if I dont say hello to them when I get home, the two sulk for about two days and 'wont talk to me'. Its not all about food for our cats, they genuinely are loyal to us. Now they love anyone else who comes into the house and will climb all over them for attention but after a few seconds of it, it's back to us again.

The only thing I hate about cats is the maine coon's tendency to stick his nose in my eye to wake me up:rolleyes: Pretty sure that's just limited to him though

The Sweeper

keithb93 wrote: »

Have you ever heard of a cat stop eating or sleeping when its owner dies besides moving onto a new one?

Yes I have.

SlimCi

Firstly I hate them because I am allergic to their hair. Secondly even before I was allergic I always hated them because if to be honest I am afraid of them. They bite, hiss and scrape and try to plump up your legs if they sit on you. They are too independent and not cuddly enough or loving enough for my liking. Always think they are really manipulative!!:D Also next doors 4 cats live under my shed for the last 7 or 8 years and I have caught one trying to climb in the top window of the bedroom where the baby was sleeping in the cot. And they leave dead things all over MY garden.

krissovo

I am a cat "hater", ironically I also kind of own one. Well I feed a stray who has kind of made the place its own but its useful as I am in country in a new build with plenty of mice around. It will never come in the house though and I would not upset if it decided to take off.

Hates:
They kill birds, which I happen to like around the place.

In estates cats left to roam around and crap everywhere and kill birds, I blame the owners for letting it happen and for the hatred of cats.

I am allergic to cat hair and if one scratches me I swell up so badly I normally end up in hospital

They do nothing! Dogs will show love and obedience and are "mans best friend".

thebishop

Here is a piece from a BBC website..
"However, there is a quiet massacre taking place in Britain and other countries where cats have been introduced. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) conservatively estimates that there are around 9,000,000 cats in this country and they kill in the region of 275,000,000 small animals each year. That figure of 275 million includes 55 million birds. That only works out at about 30 kills per cat per year. As many cat owners will testify, their cat may make two or three kills per day if it's a very good hunter. These numbers are astounding! It's difficult for people to visualise or otherwise comprehend just one million. The entire human population of Britain is less than 60 million and yet cats manage to kill almost that many birds in Britain alone, every year. Wow!"
And thats not including the large numbers of Butterflies and Moths and other insects killed by these pests.

lily4

Again bishop that is a call for responsible cat ownership..

XxMCRxBabyxX

Is it just me or could some of the things that people hate about cats also be attributed to dogs.

And the same the other way round. The things that people love about dogs can also be seen in cats

SlimCi

Probably, but I think to be honest that people usually fall into one or other camp through upbringing more than anything else.

Mo60

I was brought up only with cats, but when older ended up owning both cats and dogs.
Each have their attributes and each have faults. They show their affection in different ways but I enjoy the company of both.

Shanao

I've always had cats and dogs growing up and have both now as well. One of our dogs is very cat-like and one of cats acts like a dog (fetches and everything, sits on command). I feel that the things people hate about cats can be attributed to dogs, like the little ******* terriers that used to **** right outside our gate every morning. Dogs would do it all too, they just cant climb out of gardens as well as cats. Except for spitz breeds of course, especially huskies. Leaving all the irresponsible owners part out of it, why do people hate them? And do the people that hate them hate dogs as well? The 'they're too aloof and wont bend over backwards to please you' argument doesn't work for me because there are plenty of breeds of dog that are very much the same, especially the more primitive breeds.

planetX

thebishop wrote: »

Here is a piece from a BBC website..
"However, there is a quiet massacre taking place in Britain and other countries where cats have been introduced. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) conservatively estimates that there are around 9,000,000 cats in this country and they kill in the region of 275,000,000 small animals each year. That figure of 275 million includes 55 million birds. That only works out at about 30 kills per cat per year. As many cat owners will testify, their cat may make two or three kills per day if it's a very good hunter. These numbers are astounding! It's difficult for people to visualise or otherwise comprehend just one million. The entire human population of Britain is less than 60 million and yet cats manage to kill almost that many birds in Britain alone, every year. Wow!"
And thats not including the large numbers of Butterflies and Moths and other insects killed by these pests.

how many are killed by cars? and loss of habitat due to human development?
I hope you don't drive or garden....