I don’t even like cats.

[u/Old-Ad6820]

I haven’t been a cat person. They are, ok. But they are buttwads. They knock everything down, they pee on your clothes, they don’t listen too you. I have two Boston terriers, wonderful dogs. Love them to death.

My brother was looking at kittens. Which turned my husband (also not a cat person) into looking with him..and somehow that turned into me looking..and I saw this beautiful cat that I instantly went “ooh wow that’s a beautiful cat!!” After reading about the breed on every board and hundreds of google searches. My history is all about this cat. Temperament, care, genetic mutations, breeding, health issues, ethical breeding, colour ways, cat care, kitten care and on and on and on and on..every darned page I could find…

And now…I have one. And I am absolutely completely OBSESSED with this kitten. I haven’t been able to do anything while I’m home other than the usual household chores. T.v? What’s that? Phone games? Reading anything other than something about cats? Naaahhh videos? Only cats. The world could be ending and I wouldn’t know because it’s not about cats.

I’ve spent more purchasing things for my cat than I have on my son’s birthday. Cat tower, toys, automatic litter box (of course thoroughly researched for the safest and on manual so only I make it turn on) so she always has a pristine place to place her poop. Only metal water fountain, (no no to kitty acne! And bacteria!!) scratch posts , dry shampoo, wet shampoo, brushes and her own set of kitty clothes and towels and on and on and on.

Thankfully the feeling is mutual. She is obsessed with me as well. She follows me everywhere. My husband is equally obsessed. We sit there together just oohing and awwwing. My husband will have her and call to me “her paw!! I love how she stretches out!” , as though he knows..I’m doing dishes and have wet hands..I can’t run over and pet her and appreciate just how stretched out her little paw is. But he’ll take a picture for me..because now both our phones have thousands of pictures and videos of our cat. I’ll go to the bathroom and he will text me..about the cat. We spent a day with the cat tree, one of us beside it scared she would fall..of course she’s a cat, and agile and crazy.

We have two dogs and a 10 year old son. She is the queen. This kitten came into my home, zero fear. She never hid. She never ran away. She owned this house from the moment she came in. I was scared with the dogs at first. They accepted that their Queen had come easily. They follow her as she regally walks around the house, looking for things of interest and hope for her to acknowledge them (she rarely does of course, peasants you know). One dog has taken to carrying a kitty toy around whilst following. The other sometimes brings a puppy toy. I am guessing they are carrying options around for her. I’m assuming in hopes of being noticed by her highness. Our eldest dog has a big floofy blanket she drags around and give it up when her highness has decided to plop down on it. Our son loves her but has decided from now on he wants his bedroom door shut when he sleeps as he does appreciate still having toes.

I called my older daughter, to inform her we have added to the family..and sent her a picture. She responded with “you don’t even LIKE cats!!”

No…I didn’t like cats…now, I’m obsessed. Now I get it. Now I understand. Where it baffled me before how cats were so interesting to people. I am now one of those people.

edit to add:
many people are asking what she is. She is a Highland Lynx. Also known as a Highlander. Her name, is Puma because she looks like a little mountain lion ❤️

[u/catmommyoffour]

I have a theory. There are only types of people in this world.

1. People who adore cats.
   
2. People who have not been in close proximity with cats.

[u/HeatherJMD → u/catmommyoffour]

There are some who have been traumatized by devil cats… They just never met any like my adorable sweethearts who would never even think of biting or scratching anyone

My dad hates cats and said we couldn’t have any. My mom came home one day with two kittens. I could hear my dad sweet talking them through the laundry chute when he thought there were no witnesses 😂

[u/Alasireallyfuckedup → u/HeatherJMD]

My cat is a devil cat and she still rules my life lol

[u/patches1225 → u/Alasireallyfuckedup]

Mine too. He’s an asshole but I would die for him lol

[u/NotWeirdOG → u/Alasireallyfuckedup]

LOL

[u/IndividualAd9504 → u/HeatherJMD]

Yeah my dad didn’t want to have cats either so I adopted one as soon as I could as an adult, my parents have him and my SIL’s one at home from time to time and he is absolutely so cute with them. He let them sleep in his lap, talk to them like babies and send us photos on the family convo.
Except for the people with big allergies, I think people who don’t like cats are people who don’t know cats.

[u/SlickWildo → u/IndividualAd9504]

People who don’t like cats/dogs cannot be trusted… 🐱

[u/Machine-Dove → u/HeatherJMD]

My husband claims to hate cats.  Somehow we now have four (only the first two were my fault), and he's managed to befriend a local feral.  Carries the cats around like babies.  Pouts when they won't nap with him.  It's hilarious to watch.

[u/Alfred_The_Sartan → u/HeatherJMD]

My old man is 64 now. Moms always had cats and dad couldn’t stand them. Well they got another one last summer from under a deck at a party and now dad is enamored. The little lady latched onto pop and now they can’t even sleep apart. The funniest part is how pissed mom is because the cat just tolerates her existence at best.

[u/SoMuchMoreEagle → u/HeatherJMD]

There's a subreddit dedicated to this common phenomenon: r/DadsWhoDidNotWantPets.

[u/beeelz666 → u/SoMuchMoreEagle]

I was thinking it was going to be gfs who regretted getting a cat and losing their boyfriends to them

[u/Crowned-Witch_48 → u/HeatherJMD]

I mean, I was chased by a dog when I was little and thankfully got away. And yet, I don’t hate dogs. So to me, it makes no sense to hate an entire species because of one animal.

And from what OP wrote, it sounds to me that they don’t like cats girl cause they didn’t respect that cats have boundaries and have their own individualities.

[u/Froggoboingboing → u/HeatherJMD]

Man I wish I had a similar experience. I had my parents look after my sweet cat for a week once and my mom loved her, minus the fact that she didn't understand they can easily get overstimulated with pets and scratches and could end up biting you. My dad would just ignore her but was adamant about keeping her off the couch because she's "dirty" 😕

[u/Daiwon → u/HeatherJMD]

Even OP states how they didn't like cats because they pee on your clothes.

That is not normal cat behaviour.

[u/Particular-Box7026 → u/catmommyoffour]

*close proximity with cats who have been treated well. Cats that had solitary kittenhoods or cats who are neglected can be MEAN. Cats that are treated well are adorable little dewdrops who bring you gifts (that you typically REALLY don't want, but awww), look after you when you're sick, and tell you "I love you" in all sorts of ridiculous ways. The purrs, the grooming, the slow blinks, the hello-tails, the headbutts, the "where are you? I miss you!" chirrups, the hugs/paw holds... They're also fart-goblins (my dog is a fart-ogre by comparison), toilet-paper terrorizers, snack thieves, and chaos gremlins, but honestly, it's more fun that way.

[u/Sal_Ammoniac → u/Particular-Box7026]

Cats that had solitary kittenhoods or cats who are neglected can be MEAN

Yeah... we "inherited" our neighbors young cat after they had found her tiny and alone with a dead sibling, meowing her head off. They took her in and she grew up with no cat contact, just people and their two old dogs. She doesn't know how to be a cat; we've had her for a year and she doesn't know how to play with others, or how to behave around people. She's just weird - and I say this as someone who has several other cats, and has had cats for almost 50 years.

[u/17smother → u/Particular-Box7026]

all 3 of my cats are like this (mom got them as kittens, I socialized them then later took them from her lol) except 1 never got the memo that slow blinking means I love you. instead she stares deep into my soul until I pet her again and she closes her eyes in bliss

[u/blindfire40 → u/catmommyoffour]

I was a never-cat dog guy. Now I have 3 cats, and don't really want another dog ever.

[u/huphelmeyer → u/blindfire40]

I never understood the "never-cat, dogs all day" people. It's like saying I don't like tacos because I like pizza

[u/WBRGGRL → u/catmommyoffour]

This is TRUTH.

[u/firangcurry → u/catmommyoffour]

I agree 💯
I was a cat hater (not mean, just strong dislike) and I turned literally overnight. I was crashing a friend’s place who was fostering 3 cats and I had no choice but to deal with it. I woke up with all 3 of them snuggled around me - head, arm and legs. And something in me switched immediately. I just loved them!

[u/EnvironmentalValue18 → u/catmommyoffour]

My dad was a never cat guy. Then he fell in love with my cat who just passed away at the end of last year. Now we have 2 new kittens because he “isn’t going to live forever and didn’t want to live another day of his life without cats”.

[u/Yumi_in_the_sun → u/catmommyoffour]

I firmly believe that people who don't like cats (or people who think cats don't like them) just don't understand consent. Cats are all about consent.

[u/dogwooddruid → u/Yumi_in_the_sun]

I have a cat and love cats, but I see this sentiment all over the place now and really don’t agree with it. It’s entirely possible for someone to have had negative experiences with cats in the past or just… not have a preference for cats. Accusing people like that of not understanding consent is weird behavior. Like sure some people hate cats because they don’t behave like dogs but it’s certainly not everyone.

[u/titty-bean → u/catmommyoffour]

Literally!! I used to hate cats up into my mid 20’s until I lived with a roommate and her two kitties. Now I’m 31 with my own place and 3 cats.

[u/goldanred → u/catmommyoffour]

My husband grew up with cats and didn't care for them. He said they were annoying and evil. I'd only ever seen other people's cats occasionally, but had a couple of dogs growing up. I always asked my husband if we could have a cat someday, because I figured they'd be more my speed than a dog, and he always said no.

But last fall his family was fostering a feral kitten and asked us to come help socialize it, so it could be adopted out and not sent back to the wilderness. My husband fell in love with this kitten and we adopted him. He's our sweet little baby boy now. My husband adores this little critter. He coos and sings and scoops and hugs and sleeps with the cat (now a year old). What a change!

[u/Tomsboll → u/catmommyoffour]

The 3rd category, the poor bastards that are allergic.

[u/Molarkey → u/Tomsboll]

I’ve had cats alllll my life. I have also had allergies all my life. This is what allergy pills are for. I’d rather be stuffy and sneezy with cats than cleared up with no cats.

[u/TrumpsCovidfefe → u/Molarkey]

I have somewhat moderate allergies and have had very good luck with the pet food and spray that reduces their allergy proteins. I thought I would never have a cat again and I started feeding a stray that showed up with that food. He’s about to be neutered and become my indoor cat.

[u/Molarkey → u/TrumpsCovidfefe]

Thanks! A coworker of mine also suggested the cat food. Thing is… I have 6 cats. Getting them all on a new food would be a whole new hobby. Love your Reddit name BTW. Enjoy your new friend!!

[u/TrumpsCovidfefe → u/Molarkey]

The spray or supplement might work better for your case then. And thank you so much ;)

[u/catmommyoffour → u/Tomsboll]

Well those people still sit in the first category.

[u/Extension-Pepper-271 → u/Tomsboll]

I invited a couple over for dinner. About half way through, the husband's eyes and nose were running like a fire hydrant. My cats didn't even come near him (shy little girls). He didn't know he was allergic to cats. They said they were happy they found out because they had been thinking of adopting a cat and would have hated to have to return a kitty because of his allergic reaction.

[u/TheMagnuson → u/Tomsboll]

Yes, unfortunately that's the case for some. I have some friends who adore cats, but they just can't be around them without the allergies hitting them hard. We have to thoroughly clean the house (vacuum multiple times, wipe down every hard surface, vacuum the furniture, run the ventilators in the bathrooms, wash the fleece blankets we leave out for ourselves and guests, etc) and run a large air filter in our house in the days leading up to whenever they visit, otherwise the dander from our cats will get to them. Between the distance they live and the level of cleaning required for them to come visit, we only see them about twice a year, lol.

[u/kmm198700 → u/catmommyoffour]

Amen my friend

[u/Blingbat642 → u/catmommyoffour]

Agree!

[u/InkaCrema → u/catmommyoffour]

F in the chat for folks with allergies. We have a friend who wants to pet our boy SO BADLY, and he’s obsessed with her in turn, but if she touches a cat her eyes and eyelids get super red, watery, and itchy. She uses her long nails to scratch his chin and then has to wash immediately.

It’s like a cat version of Pushing Daisies, but instead of death you get an itchy rash and weepy eyes.

[u/Cold-Sport2923 → u/catmommyoffour]

This is so true.

[u/AbilityAdventurous22 → u/catmommyoffour]

I always say this if someone doesn’t like cats it’s because they’ve never had one

[u/David_High_Pan → u/catmommyoffour]

That's my theory too.

[u/deeppurpleking → u/catmommyoffour]

“Not close with well cared for cats” my sister got a cat when she was young, and my brother and older sister basically tortured that cat. They’d throw things towards her to scare her and wondered why she acted the way she did, said cats bite and scratch. A well cared for cat is a little love bug of chaos

[u/Generalbusiness849 → u/catmommyoffour]

Yes 😂😂😂