# I've often wondered about my feelings



## Katybug (Feb 20, 2014)

It took getting to be an older lady to admit that I'm not a dog fan.  Throw whatever you want at me, I am what I am.  I LOVE cats, but dogs just don't do it for me and I know I'm heavily outnumbered.  I was bitten as a child and required stitches.  I don't remember much from the age of 5, but I remember that painful evening.    Pretty sure that's the reason that I'm scared of anything resembling barking aggressiveness and am only drawn to those pups with a very demure disposition.  Am I the only one?  Probably, and I'm so jealous that I have grown into adulthood without that lovin' feeling that everyone I know has. Actually feel downright cheated, but am glad to be at a place where I can finally admit it.


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## Ina (Feb 20, 2014)

Katy, As A child, I was often bed ridden. And much of the time the only contact I had was with a cat. Her name was Question. She and I had many conversations. She lived 21 years, and I still love her. She thaught me compassion. Since then, I've had many cats, and they have all lived very long lives. But, when I had my boys, I had to teach my kitties to get along with all the puppies that came into our home. So, I studied dog obedance classes. Now we have four dogs, (Two outside & two inside), and three cats, they all get along, and we even have a love romance between a cat and a dog.  So, I get lost of kissess. :bigwink: :cart:


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## Denise1952 (Feb 20, 2014)

Katybug said:


> It took getting to be an older lady to admit that I'm not a dog fan.  Throw whatever you want at me, I am what I am.  I LOVE cats, but dogs just don't do it for me and I know I'm heavily outnumbered.  I was bitten as a child and required stitches.  I don't remember much from the age of 5, but I remember that painful evening.    Pretty sure that's the reason that I'm scared of anything resembling barking aggressiveness and am only drawn to those pups with a very demure disposition.  Am I the only one?  Probably, and I'm so jealous that I have grown into adulthood without that lovin' feeling that everyone I know has. Actually feel downright cheated, but am glad to be at a place where I can finally admit it.



I'm sorry that happened to you Katy, as for me, I probably exaggerate some about loving dogs, I did have a tiny one that kept me company for 15 years.  We are all different though, and so we have our likes, faves, dislikes.  Kitties are wonderful pets, and the beauty of a cat is they are more independent.  Dogs are pretty needy, dependent on their humans.  I don't know what it is to feel like you do about his topic, but I know I long for what others can do, or what they have going for them sometimes.  I think that is just human.  All in all, I don't want to be anyone but me though, and as good as someone else's stuff, animals, mates may sound, no one lives in this world without longing for something we don't have.  People will deny it, but I don't believe it.

I remember hearing a friend say over and over again they never once argued with their husband, no fights.  Well in my opinion, someone was sweeping their feelings under the rug.  I just don't believe that is healthy.  I like a good disagreement once in awhile, it's part of being honest.   Ok, picking up my soap-box and leaving now hugs Katy!!


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## Pappy (Feb 20, 2014)

Well, of course I've got to be different. I love little dogs and have several over the years. Dog less right now. Maybe someday.
Cats look at me like they would to claw my leg, bite me or tear off what little hair I have left.
God knows I have tried to like them, but they love to bite my hand.


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 20, 2014)

Katy, I'm glad your just coming out and saying it, there's nothing wrong with that and nobody should judge you, or place their likes and dislikes on your shoulders.  I'm sorry you were bitten by a dog as a child, that would give someone a different outlook.  I applaud you for sharing your feelings, you need make no excuses. 

In my case, I never had a dog or a cat as a child.  We lived in an apartment, and nobody in my family had any desire to have an animal in the house.  I was deathly afraid of dogs as a child, and I had no excuse, I was never bitten.  Even the smallest dogs in the neighborhood would send me running and crying. 

 There was an older lady in our building whose Chihuahua was always getting out of her apartment and running loose in the hallway.  It frightened me to death, and would aggressively bark at me while I tried to climb the 2 staircases to get to my mother's apartment.  I remember screaming and crying, only to have my mother come into the hallway to shoo me into the house, and then scold me for making such a fuss and being so scared. 

In my adult life, I've owned both dogs and cats with my husband.  We now have a dog and a cat.  Although I like both, I can definitely consider myself as a cat person.  If there's an aggressive dog around, I still am not comfortable in approaching, so some of my fear is still with me...and that may have saved me from being bitten.

I've gone to a dog park for over 30 years now with my dogs, and many different kinds of dogs run loose there.  Most of them are friendly and mind their own business.  I never grew up with that "lovin' feeling" either Katy, so you're not alone.  I still fear any dogs that may act in an intimidating manner, and try to stay away from them.

My cat is my baby, he sleeps with me, and we take him camping with us...he and the dog are good friends.  I've told my husband in the past, that if he wasn't around, I'd probably just have one or two cats for company, and still visit the park for my dog fix.  He laughs and tells me that I'd probably become one of those "crazy" cat ladies, lol. :love_heart:  Here's my little guy...


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## Ina (Feb 20, 2014)

Sea, He is a proud looking kitty. :cart:


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## Ina (Feb 20, 2014)

Warri, I think if I'd have been single and childless if it had been my choice. But then, I have also loved my family anyway. Take care. :cart:


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## Davey Jones (Feb 20, 2014)

Ive been a cat person all my life for the simple reason cats are always CLEAN.  Ive always had 2 cats but whern my daughter dies several years ago se left me with 3 more cats. I now have 5 stay at home cats and the only problem is the cat litter box that needs to be taking care of every 8-10 hours BUT its better then picking up dog poop where ever you can find it in my large back yard.


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## RedRibbons (Feb 20, 2014)

Katybug said:


> It took getting to be an older lady to admit that I'm not a dog fan. Throw whatever you want at me, I am what I am. I LOVE cats, but dogs just don't do it for me and I know I'm heavily outnumbered. I was bitten as a child and required stitches. I don't remember much from the age of 5, but I remember that painful evening. Pretty sure that's the reason that I'm scared of anything resembling barking aggressiveness and am only drawn to those pups with a very demure disposition. Am I the only one? Probably, and I'm so jealous that I have grown into adulthood without that lovin' feeling that everyone I know has. Actually feel downright cheated, but am glad to be at a place where I can finally admit it.



Katy, nothing wrong with your feelings. I am a huge dog lover, and right now I have two little dogs. They are like my second kids to me. They give me so much love, and also protect me as they hear every little sound, and warn me when intruders are around. I like cats okay, but found them to be too destructive, tearing up my couch, my curtains, etc. Jumping up on kitchen counters, and tearing open everything I put up there. Nasty, litter box. If you don't clean it out every day, it smells awful. Tearing up my screen doors, etc. My little dogs don't do any of that. layful:


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## Justme (Feb 21, 2014)

I am not sentimental about animals in the slightest, but they should not be mistreated.


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## Vivjen (Feb 21, 2014)

I am not keen on dogs; never have been.

However I have an arrangement with my next-door neighbour, that he feeds my cats when I go away, and I feed his dogs when he goes away.

When he went to India to work for 2weeks, I got quite fond of them.....but just his!


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## That Guy (Feb 21, 2014)




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## Denise1952 (Feb 21, 2014)

Yeah, I have a deep love for dogs especially  There is something very special about them


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## That Guy (Feb 21, 2014)

I love all kinds of animals but there is just something fantastic about humans and dogs.


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## Rainee (Feb 22, 2014)

I just love animals. we had a hobby farm and lots of different animals.. goats.. dogs , cats. horses. a cow. , rabbits galore.. not ours but inherited lol.. chickens , ducks. galah and budgies,, now we have none.. but I wouldn`t change those memories specially with the kids when they grew up with all those animals.. such a special time.. the last pet I had was a himalayan persian cat , had him for over 15 yrs .. so sad to have him put down he was the last as I got too upset over it.. so no more I share others ! lol..


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## Jackie22 (Feb 22, 2014)

That Guy said:


>




....now who could resist that face?

Katy, I've always been a cat person too...until I got Bella, never thought I'd be one of those 'little ole women' that cooks chicken just for her dog...lol


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## Justme (Feb 22, 2014)

I could very easily!


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## Bullie76 (Feb 22, 2014)

I'm a big dog kind of guy. He's my exercise buddy as we go on on long hikes together and he is just a good friend. Small dogs.....not so much. Most of them just seem to bark too much. At least the ones I see in the neighborhood do. Cats make me sneeze so that's a no go for me.

We all have different taste.


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## Katybug (Feb 22, 2014)

Rainee said:


> I just love animals. we had a hobby farm and lots of different animals.. goats.. dogs , cats. horses. a cow. , rabbits galore.. not ours but inherited lol.. chickens , ducks. galah and budgies,, now we have none.. but I wouldn`t change those memories specially with the kids when they grew up with all those animals.. such a special time.. the last pet I had was a himalayan persian cat , had him for over 15 yrs .. so sad to have him put down he was the last as I got too upset over it.. so no more I share others ! lol..
> 
> View attachment 5328



Gorgeous kitty and I am so sorry for your loss.


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## Katybug (Feb 22, 2014)

Jackie22 said:


> ....now who could resist that face?
> 
> Katy, I've always been a cat person too...until I got Bella, never thought I'd be one of those 'little ole women' that cooks chicken just for her dog...lol



Oh my gosh, Bella and her precious face could probably win even me over.  Adorable, Jackie!


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## Ina (Feb 22, 2014)

Rainie, Here we have a network of people that foster animals that are too young, maybe abandoned, or might be recovering from surgery or illness. when they are ready, you give them up for adoption to a permanent home. :cart:


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## Denise1952 (Feb 22, 2014)

Rainee said:


> I just love animals. we had a hobby farm and lots of different animals.. goats.. dogs , cats. horses. a cow. , rabbits galore.. not ours but inherited lol.. chickens , ducks. galah and budgies,, now we have none.. but I wouldn`t change those memories specially with the kids when they grew up with all those animals.. such a special time.. the last pet I had was a himalayan persian cat , had him for over 15 yrs .. so sad to have him put down he was the last as I got too upset over it.. so no more I share others ! lol..
> 
> View attachment 5328


 Beautiful cat Rainee


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 22, 2014)

Rainee, you cat was beautiful, I'm sure you miss him very much.  Sad for your loss. :girl_hug:


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## GeorgiaXplant (Feb 22, 2014)

I like dogs just fine and prefer big dogs or even medium-sized dogs over tiny dogs. One of my clients has a Cavalier King Charles...oh, my! I'm such a sucker for that one. He's a master at the art of "dog eyes" and I melt every time I see him. My favorite dogs are an Australian shepherd that one client got from a rescue organization, and the other is a chocolate lab. I've "known" the lab since the client got her as a 10-week-old puppy. Sometimes I get to dog sit for the Aussie and sometimes for the lab. They're my buddies 

Thank heaven I had the backbone to say bye-bye this week to the client with the pit bull. That dog hated me, and the feeling was mutual. Besides being aggressive and just plain mean, she's ugly. Ew. I think pit bulls are mean because they're so ugly...faces that not even a mother could love!

Now...cats. I don't just like cats, I ADORE cats. If I had a bigger place to live, I'd probably be a crazy cat lady. As it is, my granny flat is barely 300 sf so there's only room for Tucker and me. He's black with white markings and got named Tucker because he has a white bib...so is always wearing his best "bib and tucker".


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## That Guy (Feb 22, 2014)

Haven't addressed the actual subject of being bitten as a child.  Can certainly understand the subsequent fear.  Afterward, animals being so sensitively in tune with our emotions will react to that projection and behave in kind.  So, it becomes an additive phobia with each and every event.  Could be overcome with a lot of work.  Sorry you haven't enjoyed the true loving nature of the human/dog connection.


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## SeaBreeze (Feb 23, 2014)

Here's my good boy Loki a couple of days ago, being a bad boy by going on the top of the file cabinet and playing with the hanging pot....then, he appears sooo innocent, minding his own business, lying on the books. :love_heart:


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## Gael (Feb 25, 2014)

Katybug said:


> It took getting to be an older lady to admit that I'm not a dog fan.  Throw whatever you want at me, I am what I am.  I LOVE cats, but dogs just don't do it for me and I know I'm heavily outnumbered.  I was bitten as a child and required stitches.  I don't remember much from the age of 5, but I remember that painful evening.    Pretty sure that's the reason that I'm scared of anything resembling barking aggressiveness and am only drawn to those pups with a very demure disposition.  Am I the only one?  Probably, and I'm so jealous that I have grown into adulthood without that lovin' feeling that everyone I know has. Actually feel downright cheated, but am glad to be at a place where I can finally admit it.



Obviously that childhood trauma would have affected you. 

If this really is an issue you could go for some help in dealing with it but there are just people with a preference for felines or canines whatever the case may be. 

Me, I am a dog person and though had no traumatic incident with cats, just prefer the dog temperment and appearance...if that helps. Just a personal preference. I wouldn't say you're missing anything per se though to carry a fear from childhood isn't good. If you think therapy could help you overcome this fear them go for it. But don't do it because a lot of people are dog lovers and you're not.


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