Is there a stigma attached with owning a cat?

eaglach

I've always liked cats and thought of getting one for years. But the truth is that I've been put off because of my perceived stigma associated with owning a cat. This is especially exacerbated because I am a man and there can be a notion that there must be something wrong with you having a cat instead of a dog!

Now that I'm older I don't really care what people think and am planning on getting one, but I still believe there is this negative connotation out there on owners of cats e.g. a bit odd (crazy cat lady!), loners, less of a man etc. Plus there is a lot of (in my opinion) undue hatred to cats for some strange reason that I could never understand.

Do you think that's still the case or is this just a thing of the past?

Godeatsboogers

There probably is a stigma but it comes mainly from people who dont understand what it's like to have cats. I didn't get a cat till I was 31, was a young stray I found, tried to find the owner no joy so I kept the cat. My brother tried to get me to get rid of him at every turn about a year after I got him hust because he hates cats, now I have 2 cats and I have a feral that I tamed that I'm looking for a home for.

tk123

People will have an opinion no matter what you do. Some don’t like cats, some only like small or big dogs, some hate dogs. Forget what they think and enjoy your pet is what I say.

limnam

eaglach wrote: »

I've always liked cats and thought of getting one for years. But the truth is that I've been put off because of my perceived stigma associated with owning a cat. This is especially exacerbated because I am a man and there can be a notion that there must be something wrong with you having a cat instead of a dog!

Now that I'm older I don't really care what people think and am planning on getting one, but I still believe there is this negative connotation out there on owners of cats e.g. a bit odd (crazy cat lady!), loners, less of a man etc. Plus there is a lot of (in my opinion) undue hatred to cats for some strange reason that I could never understand.

Do you think that's still the case or is this just a thing of the past?

Cats overtook dogs as the most "popular" pet many years ago.

As you said you don't care, so why ask.

bertiebomber

I was recently introduced to a man in his 50'd who loved his cat i was very impressed at his sensitivity and the fact that he made no apologies for having a cat. Having a companion pet these days is almost a must as humans are mostly runts with a C.
Get your cat, enjoy your cat we live in strange ****ty times and our bad treatment of animals is finally coming back to get us. 17 million caged mink being gassed today mother nature is very angry with the human species.

johnnyskeleton

Some cats are decorated war heroes:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_(cat)

No problem with owning a cat so long as it is controlled in the proper manner. Not let loose to defecation other peoples garden. Not let stray around.

PsychoPete

If you want a cat then get one, I like having a cat. All I do is feed her and she spends the day doing whatever she wants she's very little work. I've two dogs as well, they are so needy and want to constantly be beside me when I'm at home. Can barely go the sink without one of them following me

Mollyb60

I agree, a lot of people tried to put me off getting a cat. My MIL flat out refused to have anything to do with it before we got one. Said under no circumstances would she be minding the cat or looking after it while we were away because she 100% hates cats.
Fast forward 2 years and she makes excuses to come over and visit with our cat, asks for daily updates (the cat is poorly at the moment) and loves all the photos we send her of the cat.

I think there is a negative stigma in general against cats which is a pity but as long as you love your pet and do your best for them that's what's important. I couldn't imagine life without our 2.

Victor

Cats do kill wildlife and in some places strays are a problem. Be a responsible owner.

eaglach wrote: »

I've always liked cats and thought of getting one for years. But the truth is that I've been put off because of my perceived stigma associated with owning a cat. This is especially exacerbated because I am a man and there can be a notion that there must be something wrong with you having a cat instead of a dog!

Dogs are territorial and will bark at cats. The dog owner then learns from the dog.

crazy cat lady!

You need be female, need to prefer cats over people and have an unmanageably large number of cats for this.

Donegal Overlanding

Cats are wonderful. We have 3 bengals and a husky. People that dont like cats or dogs are not be trusted.

Rubberchikken

Get your car. You'll have a wonderful time with him/her. Every animal deserves a loving caring owner and a comfortable home.
Enjoy every moment.. they're well worth it.

em_cat

bertiebomber wrote: »

I was recently introduced to a man in his 50'd who loved his cat i was very impressed at his sensitivity and the fact that he made no apologies for having a cat. Having a companion pet these days is almost a must as humans are mostly runts with a C.
Get your cat, enjoy your cat we live in strange ****ty times and our bad treatment of animals is finally coming back to get us. 17 million caged mink being gassed today mother nature is very angry with the human species.

Off topic I know, but jeez the footage of all those minks was heartbreaking.

Stratvs

Go for it. If you can get a rescue there are so many needing forever homes and you will be well rewarded.

You will need to think do I want an adult / kitten, a solitary or maybe a pair. Cats are normally fine on their own but the work in having 2 isn't really that much more and gives them company if the house is empty during the day. It also allows them time to plot your eventual capitulation into having 5 !

bladespin

Our house, btw, the little black fella on the right is mine (when he wants to be), big hairy biker that I am and all of that, great pets, nothing against dogs but prefer cats.

RandomViewer

em_cat wrote: »

Off topic I know, but jeez the footage of all those minks was heartbreaking.

Remember visiting a mink farm with a relative when I was about 10,delivering straw. Still remember the smell 40 years later

em_cat

OP, I wouldn’t worry, companion pets are shown to be a huge benefit to people that live alone and as an example, my mum married my stepfather when I was very very young and she always said that she knew he was the one when she found out he was owned by a cat

Addle

We have a cat. It’s a dear pet who knows how to play us. It also keeps our home rodent free (if you need an excuse).
I think there is a bit of a stigma to having a cat, but negativity, I find, usually comes from people who don’t have pets, and I think some of them could do with looking after something other than themselves.

Day Lewin

"Is there a stigma attached with owning a cat? "

Certainly not!

All the finest people have cats. Except James Bond villains, and even they have excellent style. Cats rule.

Tar.Aldarion

Is there one? I don't know, nor care. I have a cat, am a man and my cat can be seen chasing dogs in my local park for the last 8 years haha.

Hey_Listen

From a guy/family with a cat - highly recommend. They are clean, easy to look after, pretty much automatically toilet trained, full of character. You will be their servant and they will give you many years of happiness. You will appreciate the simple things in life with a cat. Sleeping, eating, cleaning, using the toilet, meditating, thinking, looking like you are thinking. And looking at things with disdain.

You'll need to consider vet bills, good quality food (mixture of wet and dry, otherwise they might get a UTI); whether to keep then indoors or outdoors; for outdoors put collar and bell on them from a young age to keep the bird kill down (look up RSPB for way to reduce bird kills); they might keep vermin down which is a huge plus; amazon/dealz good for good quality/cheap collars and bells; if your cat isn't afraid of crossing roads or you're near a busy road maybe a good idea to keep them indoors; you'll need to consider who'll look after them when you go on holidays (a cat sitter is a good idea - i.e. a friend, as they don't like change/catteries so much); a decent outdoor enclosre is probably a good option to keep them safe; don't cut or extract their nails. That's just extreamly cruel. Just do some research before you get one.

yuridwyer

Day Lewin wrote: »

"Is there a stigma attached with owning a cat? "

Certainly not!

All the finest people have cats. Except James Bond villains, and even they have excellent style. Cats rule.

Great post! Even Bond villains have redeeming features.

Graces7

why just one? When I moved from Cornwall to Orkney, in a Mini, I had 12. They called me the " cat wife," and respected that.

And the same out here where I have six. Great ratters they are. And big compared to the inbred island cats.. Folk are in awe!

I never had any negativity at all … Partly that was as I bred Siamese a while

Cats are wonderful company. And if you get two rescues they will play together. ( mine are all rescues)

skooterblue2

eaglach wrote: »

But the truth is that I've been put off because of my perceived stigma associated with owning a cat.
Do you think that's still the case or is this just a thing of the past?

The only problem is when you have more cats than days in the week you can name.

Graces7

Actually when I think more widely than my own house.. This deeply remote island has the same view of cats as they did in Orkney. ie that they are barely above the vermin they are there to kill; and if the vermin were not there then the cats would not be.

So my arrival with 12 treasured cats .. yes cat lady fitted perfectly. "The exact dialect expression was " the catty wife .

When I arrived at the pier with my three cats... The first reaction was the sheer size /weight of them.. and now they and I are respected as they catch rats... No one here knows about Tonto .... lol.. clearly they haven't missed him!

I think thus that any stigma was that cats were not valued and were scorned. So by association..

Stratvs

We've had cats now for 20 years. The first was a rescue tabby kitten and she lived to past 16. She spent many hours on a chair in the office with me. Initially when someone was coming in I'd say let me move the cat but gradually as clients got to know her they'd usually say leave her be she's grand and in the end I'd not even mention her. Interestingly as people came in she'd sometimes look up then go back to plotting world domination but for a small few, the minute they'd come in she'd shoot off out. I often wonder what she knew that I didn't !

Less than 2 yrs after she died in the snow March 2018 a young adult tabby turned up at our door. No chip, no collar but spayed and eartipped. Unsuccessful in finding her humans she settled in with us and is sitting across from me now in the office. She has so many mannerisms of the other one it's uncanny.

Graces7

Such a warming thread for a wet dark day. Thank you!

Wouldn’t mind cats myself

Please do put a bell on it though, I really don’t like irresponsible owners who allow their cats to decimate local wildlife

Mollyb60

There's an outdoor cat in my estate called Tobias. His owners have 2 bells on his collar. He sits at the bottom of the tree that we have our bird feeder on and tries to catch birds. Poor guy has yet to catch one (thank god) because he makes such a racket any time he moves with his bells! Its always great fun watching him trying to be sneaky.

Graces7

Batrachotox wrote: »

Wouldn’t mind cats myself

Please do put a bell on it though, I really don’t like irresponsible owners who allow their cats to decimate local wildlife

Out here that would endanger the cats...….. as we have a couple of predatory foxes.. My cats ARE the local wildlife. And a bell needs a collar, and they can get tangled in a tree and choke a cat..and most of all my cats are ratters and keep the area rodent free.

You can get quick release collars which snap open if a cat gets tangled in something, bells are essential if you don't want your cat to kill wildlife like birds,rats and mice and present them on your back door step as a gift! My last cat once dragged in a large rat, still half alive! I had her for over 18 years.

Have recently adopted a kitten, almost 3 months old and she is proving a bit of a hellion but she'll settle. Sorry I didn't get two, I think she could be a cat that needs another cat to bounce off. My brother, who is in his fifties and lives alone, is adopting two kittens shortly, just waiting for them to be old enough.

biko

I am a man and have had many cats growing up and in adult life.
Get two (preferably rescue) so they have each other and don't get bored.

Graces7

Deleted User wrote: »

You can get quick release collars which snap open if a cat gets tangled in something, bells are essential if you don't want your cat to kill wildlife like birds,rats and mice and present them on your back door step as a gift! My last cat once dragged in a large rat, still half alive! I had her for over 18 years.

Have recently adopted a kitten, almost 3 months old and she is proving a bit of a hellion but she'll settle. Sorry I didn't get two, I think she could be a cat that needs another cat to bounce off. My brother, who is in his fifties and lives alone, is adopting two kittens shortly, just waiting for them to be old enough.

Killing rats is their job... and they do bring them to me. And get thanked mightily.. So no bells. Ever .Dreadful idea! Rats are filthy creatures.

And I do not feed the birds of course. That would be asking for problems.

OP maybe herein lies the stigma! Already mentioned gardens and birds...

Graces7

biko wrote: »

I am a man and have had many cats growing up and in adult life.
Get two (preferably rescue) so they have each other and don't get bored.

And they will love each other!

Graces7

Graces7 wrote: »

Killing rats is their job... and they do bring them to me. And get thanked mightily.. So no bells. Ever .Dreadful idea! Rats are filthy creatures.

And I do not feed the birds of course. That would be asking for problems.

OP maybe herein lies the stigma! Already mentioned gardens and birds...

I'd rather not have half mauled rats dragged into the house, thanks!

Graces7

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd rather not have half mauled rats dragged into the house, thanks!

Your cat is honouring you by bringing their prey home.... And better a half mauled rat than one still running around out there with all the damage and disease they are party to.

When I came here the place had bee empty years. There is an ages-old " rat run" near the house. My cats soon fixed that, although still the occasional dead one. One was the size of a well grown kitten :eek: I had had no idea they could grow to that size ...Never a mark on them.

My thanks for the reference to RSPB.

They state clearly that there is no scientific evidence to link the decrease in birds to cats. And that only a very, very small percentage of adult cats have the skill to kill a bird. Looking back I have in all my years here only seen the remains of two birds attributable to the cats. I always wondered if that was older birds that got caught?

And RSPB recommend that collar to stop cats being strangled by conventional collars and advise you get a vet to check the collar to safeguard the cat. .

bladespin

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd rather not have half mauled rats dragged into the house, thanks!

It's a pretty rare thing really, depends on a number of things, mainly where you live - town etc it's pretty much a non-issue but around a farm or rural dwelling it's more likely, also depends on the cat, some love to hunt but a great deal prefer to be waited on (lol), if you bring a kitten up in a house setting (inside etc) they're far less likely to be hunter gatherers, the collar thing would work too though I think it's a bit cruel (just me - the wife thinks different so she wins).

Above all though hunting is in their nature and you need to understand that before committing to one.

Graces7

Way back in another place I managed to rob a young cat who had caught a wren of its prey.

It was unharmed so I kept it safe overnight, then the following day when the cat was in, released it.

Ever thereafter when that cat went out on the prowl, the alarm would go up! Every bird in the neighbourhood ( I was atop a forested mountain) would start yelling...

Cat could lie still all day and they would not let up until , disgruntled, he skulked off back inside...

NB I wrote elsewhere re a safe bird table I made when I had that cat. Piece of wood. 4 cuphooks, string.. Suspend it from a tree branch . Birds can feed but the cat hates uncertain places. It drove this one crazy! He used to put one paw on and when it moved, drew back
A standard bird table is a dinner plate to a cat.