 |
| From cat hater to cat lover |
Getting Someone Make the Transformation
Getting someone to love cats is like encouraging a strict vegetarian to devour a juicy slab of steak or enticing a blind man to oil paint with precision and finesse. Yet, animal experts believe that this is something that is not at all impossible.
Fear of the Unknown
Many of the world’s self-confessed cat haters are actually individuals who do not have a clear understanding of what cats are all about. And like anything that is unknown or is partially known, there is a kind of aversion to cats to the point that they become the targets of despise and abject disrespect. Read also: How cat ownership can benefit humans.
Perhaps one of the reasons why cats are so maligned is that they are often compared with another common pet in the household, the dog. Unfortunately, there is no sense in making the comparison because cats and dogs are two very different animals that have each unique characteristics and temperaments.
Many pet owners readily agree that dogs are more social and that they are perfect to have as companions in the home. However, that being said, many pet owners assume that one indicator of a good household pet – sociability – should also be applied to cats.
Demystifying Cats
One way to encourage a person to like cats is by sharing with him the many myths that surround cat ownership. Many of the world’s cat haters simply have the wrong perception of cats that they feel they are compelled to make a definite stand against cats in general. Read also: Cats Can Bond With Their Owners.
- Cats are very independent, with or without owners.
- Cats are naturally independent and can fend for their own. Despite being a part of a household, many cats enjoy the idea of being free to do whatever it is deemed pleasing for his nature. They do not necessarily like being told what to do or crave for human attention to a certain degree that they will die if not pampered with affection.
- Domesticated cats are more like their cousins in the wild who can literally look after themselves on their own without ever relying on other cats.Cats can be affectionate as well, albeit not as showy as dogs.
- Many people believe that cats simply are not sociable enough to warrant the same affection and attention given to dogs. This is where they are wrong; cats also show some moments of intimate affection with their owners, not just that often and flashy.Cats are natural predators, though not as vicious as those in the wild. Read also: Cat Breeds- An Insight.
One of the common reasons why many hate cats is the belief that cats are vicious creatures ready to pounce on other animals such as hapless birds and smaller members of the mammal population. Although there is some truth to this, their natural predatory instincts are numb at best because majority is bred in an environment that does not have enough predator-prey opportunities. Unlike cats in the wild that are taught right from kitten-hood to follow and learn predatory lessons from the mother cat, domesticated cats simply do not have that piece of the puzzle.
So, getting someone to actually love cats begins with making them understand the nature of cats and how these characteristics can best fit into their lifestyle. Because cats are low-maintenance pets, they do not require extensive grooming or extra pet care, they become the perfect pets for families who may have little time in their lives to actually care for a pet, much less take care of its every need.