The only reason this even stands out to me as a thing to think about is that I have always been very accepted by animals. I know how to be appropriate around dogs and cats. I understand their body language and their cues. I worked for the ASPCA in high school in a volunteer program at the local animal shelter and was shown by professionals how to behave with traumatized animals, how to read them, how to make them feel as comfortable as circumstances would allow given what many of them had been through. To this day I remember it being remarked how the animals took to me, how comfortable they were with me. I was a natural, they said. My mom's cat, given the opportunity and ability, would kill me. Seriously. She would shift me loose this mortal coil were it in her capacity, and I have no idea why. I was just at my mom's across the field and I'm sitting in her living room and the cat is sat on the sofa and I absently reach to pet her (I have my own pets, so it's just a natural thing to do) and she whacked me hard on the palm of my hand and gave me two good slits to now nurse. Anyone else ever have a similar situation? I swear I've never done anything to her. I'm not that kind of person. I love animals. But this cat....
Sorry to hear your troubles. You cannot win them all, eh? Fortunately, my pets are all nice enough. I have a dove and dog. The dove is really hand tame; however, as my dove is pretty much bonded to me, she does have bouts of jealousy where she will try to attack anyone else near me, but this is not a problem at all since she is easy enough to calm down. The maltese that I have is extremely friendly. Sure, he bites and bark, but those are all play. He would not hurt a fly and is not shy around strangers at all. He even gets along with my bird.
Sorry. I am the opposite. I am loved by most cats. But I can't stand dogs. 90% of them anyway. Whenever one is near, they immediately know I am the alpha- the way I conduct myself and stand my ground. I once had a large dog barreling across the street toward my young son. He was going to bite, no doubt. All I had to do was jump on the sidewalk, yell, snap, and point, and that beast went limping home. Granted, we got lucky he was at least somewhat trained, but I'd would have lost both my hands in that jaws of that creature than let my son get hurt. Any parent would, I'm sure. Cats on the other hand, are so much easier for me to like (without getting into a which is better debate- it's just my personal preference). I'm relaxed around them (not with dogs), I know how to read their cues. I can even purr just like a cat- no seriously, using the back of my throat, it freaks them out at first, but then they purr right back. I usually like to tuck them up under my chin and just chill. But alas, I don't have one, because as much as I like cats, I like them too much to subject them to 3 kids under the age of 6.
Back when I was still trying to be straight, I had a girlfriend. She had a dog - pretty big black Labrador named Dylan - and he was terrified of me. Whenever I would enter the room, he'd slink off, literally with his tail between his legs. I don't know why. I grew up with both dogs and cats. I had three long-lived cats from grade school through university, and two huge Newfoundland dogs at the same time. My friends had pets, and their pets always loved me. I've even know dozens of wild squirrels in my back yard here who would eat from my hand and even, when I was lying in the grass, sit on my chest and look me in the eye as they munched the nuts I'd given them. I've never known any animal in my entire life who didn't like me except Dylan. I don't know what his problem was. Eventually my girlfriend got rid of him somehow and got a new dog name Truffles, and Truffles loved me. Weird.
How often are you around this cat? Maybe she's not used to you yet and thinks you're trying to harm her in some way. Or maybe she just hates being petted. Some cats are like that.
The cat has known me for some years. She's my cat's older sister. When she was young, she was fine with me. She would let me hold her, pet her, take food from me. Now she actively looks to attack me. She hides under the coffee table when I go to my moms so she can try and whack me from under table. I walk the other way around to avoid her. She growls at me. Cat growl. If you have a cat, you know what I'm talking about.
I like and hate that guy at the same time. I like that he likes cats and he seems cool, but I hate that he drives a retro car and carries a guitar case just to look cool.
Does she react this way only to you? She might have had a bad experience as another poster said or maybe she's being territorial around your mother.
She's not a friendly cat at all. She's a run-&-hide cat for the most part. But only with me does she seem to aggressively look to fuck with me. She loves my mom, tolerates my dad, hides from everyone else, but with me... She eyeballs me sometimes and I swear I can hear Pinhead's voice saying, "Your suffering will be legendary, even in Hell."
Some cats are just mean-spirited. They don't need a traumatized past of 'you remind me of a bad experience I had with someone who looked like you', or a territorial 'these humans are mine, punk. Back off.' Sometimes cats just don't like certain people because to them, that person is an invasion in their normal routine. That's what you are to Pinhead. An invasion, and she likely takes delight in seeing how far she can push it by stalking you, swatting you, etc. You're like the mouse who stupidly walked into her lair, and she'll toy with you until you leave.
Maybe you smell funny to her? When I was a kid we used to spend summers in the country with friends and cousins of the same age, and two of the girls had a cat who used to attack me every night. That little misfit made me dislike cats for a long, long time. When T and I started dating, I met their family cat Rocky who just totally won me over. After Rocky, I haven't been afraid of cats and so far have gotten along with every one I've met. I still wouldn't want to own a house cat. I'm cool with it living outside or in the stables like my Mom's four cats, but not inside the house, thank you very much. I don't like cleaning their poop, and you can't really take them out on a jog, either, so in truth, personally I find cats just slightly more fun and useful than hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, mice, birds, or fish. Now dogs, dogs I love 'cause I can be their pack leader and teach them tricks.
What I can't comprehend are toy "dogs." They are disgusting creatures, not really dogs, with awful personalities and size complexes. Their high pitched barks (which are incessant) are painful to listen to, plus, they're obviously not half as intelligent as real (big) dogs, are helpless and useless, and they are not loyal or loving. Personally, I find them very ugly, too. Sure, they live longer than real dogs, but why would you want them to?
I can empathise with your frustration @Wreybies, at having a particular animal single you out, for no reason, and decide to hate you. I've never had that happen to me with a cat before, and most animals think I'm the bee's knees. But an acquaintance of mine owned a Great Dane (female) that hated me on sight. It would literally cross the street—and certainly cross the room—to get at me ...and nobody else. It was everybody else's best friend. Once they were passing in a car and I waved, and damned if the dog didn't stick it's head out the window and bark and snarl at me! So it had to have been sight, not smell. Its fixation didn't bother me personally, because I'm not intimidated by dogs, even Great Danes, but this couple and their relatives used to give me weird looks ...you know, the kind that says 'my DOG doesn't like you, so you can't be on the level, can you?' That was irritating. However, that was many dog-years ago, so I reckon I've had the last laugh. Bwahh ha haaaaaa
I just call those rats. Except I kinda like rats, but I'm yet to meet an itsy-bitsy toy dog I've liked. But those who own them would probably disagree with you about their lovability, loyalty, and intelligence.
@KaTrian Like you mentioned, dogs need a pack leader -this is why I adore dogs, like,say, German shepherds. Many owners often mistake the aggressive, dominant behavior in their little dogs as being cute and lovable, which only serves to create monsters (not saying you don't know this. Just read this myself.) This just shows that those owners who find them lovable, loyal (and intelligent) are really just confused/ fooled individuals
I prefer medium or large dogs (as near to the wild model as possible) but I don't find small dogs as irritating as I do their owners. I can understand why people in certain circumstances would want a small dog. I know lots of elderly people who can only afford to feed a small dog, and can only walk a small dog because of strength issues. These little dogs can be wonderful companions. I lived with an elderly couple for a while who owned a miniature poodle. They didn't cut the dog's hair in weird styles, they treated it like a dog, and it was a fabulous pet. Calm, friendly, alert and intelligent. I grew very fond of it, and more respectful of its breed. However, if people treat their small dogs as if they're little itsy cutesy babies ...aaargh. Overload them with toys, overfeed them with crap, dress them in clothing (!!!!!) and allow them to get away with aggressive, possessive behaviour that a large dog wouldn't? Small dogs are dogs, same as any other dog. They deserve respect and the dignity of being treated like a dog. Whenever I hear somebody say 'aw ...he (the misbehaving dog) is my BABY...' I just want to chew holes in the carpet myself.
Know what? You're entirely right! My only caveat is that I will always respect a big dog over a little dog...can't help it :\
When I was in university I lived for a term with my uncle and aunt. They had a cat they were having a problem with - he hated EVERYBODY. He never approached anyone, never accepted any petting, nothing. He was very antisocial. I made it a bit of a personal project to make friends with this cat while I was living with them. I'd grown up with cats, so I knew how to deal with them. I gave this cat his space. I let him know I was a friend (feeding him, avoiding him when he wanted me to). And there was one time when we were all gathered around the TV at night - me, my aunt, my uncle - and the cat came to me and jumped into my lap. He started purring. My aunt was astounded. "He's never done that to ANY of us EVER!" From then on, for the rest of the term, the cat would seek me out and jump into my lap. He was happy with me. Respect your animals and give them their space. Eventually, they'll come around and be friends.
Yeeaah, I've seen that. I'm no expert, of course, but I've been following how my mom has trained their laika (the dog's pretty awesome 'cause she looks like a wolf ) and gotten a fairly good idea of how to train a dog that is not an ornament you can carry around in your purse. The small dog owners that I know -- sans one (granted, Tibetan spaniels are less toyish) -- haven't bothered to really train them, probably 'cause the owners feel like they really don't need to. T and I are actually dreaming of owning a German shepherd one day, that's The One for me.
