I grew up with cats and only two dogs. But, like, dozens of cats over a lifetime. I like both cats and dogs, but I’ve just come to understand that cats suit my personality more than dogs. Dogs can be so needy and crazy and it really is like having a kid sometimes. But a cat is a cat. Needy for a minute, and then a giant a–hole for the rest of the day. Maybe I’m taking this too personally, because my current housemate is an overgrown black kitten who loves to bite me as I’m falling asleep, and wails when I try to work. All cats are not the same – I’ve known plenty of a–hole cats, and lots of sweet-tempered kitties, and lots of hunters and huntresses who prefer to spend their days outside, being little lions or panthers or jaguars. But to Cardi B, all cats are from the devil. Oh Cardi…
One of my biggest fears are cats …like my grandma said they from the devil .
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) August 2, 2019
Unless you have a cat allergy, how can you be AFRAID of cats? Cats spend most of their time minding their own business. I mean, they’re a–holes, obviously, but you don’t have to be AFRAID of them. How are they from the devil? You know what animal is from the devil? Geckos. F–king bats. NOT CATS.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Them’s fightin’ words.
I’ve always thought she was an idiot, this just solidifies it.
+1
🐈 Kitty flood her social media!!! Cat pics and videos all day long!!!
Annaloo, That would be really cruel if she has a phobia to them. We might not agree with how she framed her fear of cats, but when someone expresses fear about something specific, it’s cruel to bombard them with images of the thing they fear, whether we can relate to fear of that thing or not. Fear is fear.
As someone with a phobia, I find it patronizing and offensive when people who have no knowledge of how the phobia developed try to delegitimize my fear. Sometimes, their well-meaning attempt to “cure” me of my fear–by telling me all the ways the thing I fear is awesome– is simply an assault on my mental health and wellbeing.
I wouldn’t engage on her w/social media, but Cardi didn’t say, “I have a phobia of cats”, she quoted her Grandmother about a prejudice. I’m sorry, but it’s not a cultural thing- my grandmother is from the Caribbean Islands, I grew up in a US barrio, and wouldn’t quote -anyone- denigrating a vulnerable animal. I think we’re giving her a pass, but cruelty starts w generalizations, and I find it concerning.
@austengirl1975 she is a public person and should restrain from such comments, as there might be some crazy dude following her who might start injuring cats, because they’re the devil. No matter her phobias she has a responsability of the message she sents
Oddly, I had the exact opposite feeling. I decided she cannot be all bad if she hates cats.
Interesting. Why would hating any animal be a good thing?
Amen to that @dota LOL
@minx : Not everybody has to like cats. I know I don’t, I mean I would never hurt an animal, but for me it rimes with hair everywhere, smelly litter and no vacation without finding someone to take care if it.
@zan – so you feel the same about dogs since the same could be said about them (except for the litter part)?
I hear you there! Cats kill so many native animals. In Australia recent research says that it is cats that have been responsible for 97% of extinction of native animals. People just let their cats roam about and laugh about them killing birds and so forth. It’s not funny. If you care at all about the environment you would have you cat permanently inside or have a cat proof fence.
@minx, multiple reasons. Forced to be around wayyy too many cats growing up combined with what @Selena had to say, scratched up car paint from neighbors cats and so on. Watching them constantly kill anything that moves outside no matter how well fed they are. For me they are just awful things but I do not get mad when other people do not have the same feelings about them.
So cats kill 97% of native species, but human advanceent is responsible for only 3%. Uh. No. I can’t stand pseudo science. Cant’.
@PointingScreaming you need to read the science then. This is a very recent longtitudinal study. Most of the recent extinctions have been small animals and birds. The research, published in the new book, Cats in Australia: Companion and Killer, revealed each feral cat in the bush would kill about 740 animals per year.
Meanwhile, a domesticated cat would kill about 75 animals annually.
In total, the book’s authors said cats would kill more than 3 million mammals, 2 million reptiles and 1 million birds every day. Feral cats are a direct result of pet owners ignoring where their cats are. Far from pseudo science, just because you don’t want to believe it/haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Read it yourself.
Ya f*ck that! I am Crazy Cat Lady all the way. I LIVE for my cats.
Crazy Cat Ladies, unit!
Adding my name to the Crazy Cat Lady list!!
You know that lady who is 107, single and happy? I am pretty sure she has a cat or two.
Crazy Cat Lady here, too. She can shut up about her fear, as it endangers animals. Abuse of cats will only increase with her dumb “from the devil” line.
I’m afraid of ignorant, reckless entertainers with a platform.
I adore cats!! I grew up with a menagerie of animals, Mina birds, a pet rat that was a research test subject, and dogs. I lost my pet Maine coon, adopted from our local shelter as an adult, to cancer. He had the greatest personality. He was extremely friendly to everyone. The woman across the street and a neighbor would walk their dogs and he would join everyone as they walked their dogs. His name was Spencer, after Spencer Tracy. He would sleep on my chest and sleep in the nook of my leg that I would support my leg on as I slept. He was enormous though, 26lbs. All of our pets have been adopted from shelters or found on the street.
I think it depends on a persons personality, but to declare that cats are from the devil is ridiculous/outrageous. So you aren’t a cat person, but others are.
+1
Former Attorney General John Ashcroft was afraid of cats because he believed they were signs of witches. By today’s standards for an AG, that is almost cute.
Sorry, Snopes said that was false.
@PointingScreaming, in Australia cats kill 2 billion wild animals per year. While I would like to see the research for the 97% claim, the numbers I did find are insane and preventable. WP article on the US, it is many times higher for everything:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/outdoor-cats-kill-between-14-billion-and-37-billion-birds-a-year-study-says/2013/01/31/2504f744-6bbe-11e2-ada0-5ca5fa7ebe79_story.html?utm_term=.ea56fcd3876d
Yup, it’s all the cat’s fault for the slaughter of Australian wildlife. If only those cats had not immigrated to Australia, invading its shores, breeding like crazy, running around like animals, destroying everything. Those dastardly little beasts had planned the invasion of Australia for years in their kitty war room before they finally made it to the shores in their little cat pirate ships. Their cunning plan to destroy Australia is almost complete. Truly evil little beasts….
Seriously.
She needs cat therapy.
I wish she wouldn’t perpetuate stereotypes on cats like that. If you prefer other animals, just leave it at that. There is no such thing as an *evil* animal, jfc she sounds so dumb. I’m a little salty bc one of my kitties is very sick right now with a very slim chance of recovery. There is so much love behind his perfect green eyes, damndamndamn!!!
Oh I’m so sorry. That’s always rough. Take care.
Oh nooo, I hope the kitty gets better! It’s so difficult when they get sick, I had to say goodbye to my fella in early 2016 (he went into kidney failure) and I still miss him today…we were together for almost 15 years; some nights I still dream that he’s sleeping next to my pillow.
Cats are not “evil” or of the devil or any of that ridiculousness. It’s wrong and it’s so unfair to all of the lovely cats out there who just want to have a forever home and be loved.
So very sorry. Sending hugs.
I’m so sorry. Sending best wishes your way.
All of this and I’m so, so sorry about your kitty, Bengal!
All the hugs for you.
Sending all the love your way. I spent many years caring for a sick senior kitty, and it was hands down one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I cried almost daily for a month after she passed (it’ll be a year this August 29th).
Every single morning without fail our kitten who’s almost a year old now throws herself onto the bed and headbutts me as my alarm goes off. She is the most loving, sweet cat I’ve ever encountered – but even then, I’ve never had a mean cat. One of ours was a rescue partially feral but his mom got hit by a car when he was only a couple of weeks old – and even that cat who had generations of cats before him who lived in a dairy barn was never mean – just very nervous. And it makes me so angry when people say something like that about cats as if dogs are just somehow SO superior.
If I am upset watching something sad, or having a bad day, or grieving my cats will flock to my side 8/10 times faster than our dog will.
Thanks for the love, guys. I didn’t mean to highjack this thread. My little man is surrounded with love. My bff (who isn’t a pet person) visited with him over the weekend. He calls him his ‘cat boyfriend’, lol…we’ll be okay. Reading this site is comforting ❤
@Erinn, I’m sorry for your loss.
Y’all all made me cry. My Bengal is now 16 and doesn’t have much time left. I am so grateful to have had a true best bud. Didn’t know how intense out love for and animal can be. Hugs to ALL of you gorgeous souls.
N, so sorry ❤️
@N and Bengal, my heart breaks for you. ❤️
Aw, BengalCat, sending you hugs and a special order of virtual kitty biscuits.
So sorry, Bengalcat. Wishing your kitty recovers and pulling for you.
So very sorry, Bengalcat. Hope your fur baby doesn’t suffer. I’ve had dogs and cats, and I love(d) them all equally. There is nothing like the unconditional love of your pet. ❤️❤️
Sending you hugs!
So sorry. I love my two young cats so, so much.
I never stop missing my kitties who’ve passed – they are unconditional love in a furry little package. Your kitty is lucky to be so loved.
Bengal, I am so, so sorry. I’ve had to nurse many a sick kitty. Hugs for you and your special furry one.
And just like that I don’t like her anymore -_-
I don’t know how anyone could have liked this vapid, vulgar, self centered, untalented, deeply materialistic, shallow piece of trash to start with. Her not liking cats (I love them, and have 4) does not at all surprise me: many very ignorant people are scared of them.
Maryna, as a white-looking Afro-Latina myself, a Cardi is no perfect representation of humanity, but I want to see women like me in the media. I’m educated and have a wink job, but that doesn’t make me better than her. I get how she came up, and I get and respect why she believes what she does, and that is why I like her. So, so many crappy people are admired in this society for things, and Cardi maybe immature in a lot of ways, but she cares about her country, and she wants to help people who grew up like she did be more engaged in our democracy.
“Piece of trash”?
Nah. You may not enjoy her music. You may be more conservative. But calling her a “piece of trash” is over the top. We really need to stop calling other people “trash.”
@Kitten
The fear of cats is also cultural. I am West African and in my part of the world cats are feared and seen as evil spirits of witches. This does not make it right though but just for you to understand a bit why some people do not like cats. I wanted to get one but my husband and entire family are firmly against it.
And what’s wrong with Witches??????????
Kaiser, thank you for posting because this thread is filled with so much love.
Wrong spot but who cares.
Thanks for sharing Linda. I know a fear/distrust of cats is a cultural thing for many people and there are interesting historical reasons behind a lot of those fears. That may be Cardi’s reason, or maybe she’s just being a sh*t-stirrer. But this thread is telling me that cat people are not to be messed with. 🙂
Cardi’s comment was two sentences long and fairly clear, but I think people are really misinterpreting it or reading things into it that aren’t there. She said she’s afraid of cats. Why is she afraid of cats? Partly because her grandmother said they were “from the devil.” She’s not saying she hates cats. She’s not saying she, personally, thinks they’re from the devil. Or are the devil. Or steal breath. Or suck souls. Or kill babies. She’s saying she was raised in a family that thought cats were spooky and thus she is afraid of cats. It’s a strange fear to lots of us who know cats are awesome, and it’s an illogical basis for a fear because it’s not true, but fears aren’t logical. And not everything we feel or believe is logical or factual. Somethings that you’re taught, especially in childhood, stick with you. Especially fearful things that are based around religion, like Hell and the Devil. It’s also cultural. Animals have been used to scare and torture and even kill POC for centuries. Someone said that in the 1920s, someone threw a cat at their grandmother and the cat attacked grandma, and then grandma feared cats. Slave owners used to send attack dogs after runaway salves. The police still use attack dogs, disproportionately against POC. There are studies showing that kind of trauma and fear can actually get baked into your genetics, so I don’t find it strange that a POC like Cardi has family members that are afraid of cats and that that fear has been passed on.
I have two black cats. I adore them and spend a lot of time with them. I raised them from kittens so we have a special bond. They come greet me at the door when I come home, they come when they’re called, they like to be pet and snuggled, they sleep in an adorable little pile with the dog. They’re amazing. So I totally get that people LOVE cats. But I think maybe people are also reading something into what she’s said that actually isn’t there. She didn’t say she hates cats. She didn’t say they’re devils on earth. She didn’t say people should avoid cats, or hurt cats, or that cats shouldn’t exist. She’s talking about her specific fear and where it came from.
I have that type of family influence & that intrinsically doesn’t work for me- I see the soul in animals, always have. I can’t abide people who are prejudiced toward anyone albeit human or cat. Sorry, I won’t give it a pass. I want to like her and filter some of what she says/does, but to promote cruelty is just foreign to my values. I will never download her music now. Nope. Let this be an education for her, we all have places we can grow.
If she had said “I’m afraid of cats” and left it at that, fine (although why even share that? Whatever) But she also said “LIKE my grandma said…..” meaning she agreed that cats were from the devil. Why even add that? And, uh, no animal is from the devil. She’s a celebrity, she has an audience.
You are from devil, Cardi. Go get more illegal butt injections
& then go away.. bye bye Cardi
…or keep talking about how she cleans her a**hole and once “stabbed” her rectum with one of those things she calls nails.
I’m sorry but I’ve always been afraid of cats. I can’t be anywhere near them ! I would never hurt one though…but damn something about them irks me.
Phobias are super understandable. So we’re cool, because your comment was coherent, subjective, and well-framed. Heh.
Ha ha thanks !
I have a friend who is really afraid of all animals. Naturally my cats can’t wait to say hello to her when she visits.
My GF is phobic of cats, and she’s passed this down to her kids. So sad. The kids are downright rude when the come to our house- not allergic, but just call our cat “weird” or whatever. Have a phobia, realize it, but don’t make it generational. Eeesh.
You’re not saying cats are “from the devil,” so, no problem.
Hey I’m actually just not a “pet” person period. I respect people who are though because I know pets can provide people with a lot of love and support. We are all different and that’s ok.
Neither is she she’s saying her grandma says that
She’s agreeing with her grandma. She knew what she was saying.
I mean, that’s fair. I’m not going to knock a phobia. Some people have had weird / bad experiences with all sorts of animals and I think that’s valid.
My husband wants to go whale watching in the next couple of weeks. I love whales in theory – but I’m TERRIFIED to go up close to them. I think they’re gorgeous animals, but just the idea of getting on a little boat and going out to their turf makes me really nervous.
Whales are so graceful and peaceful in the water. It’s inspiring to be near them. You should go!
I most likely will haha. I feel nervous even typing about it. But I mean – worst case scenario, I get drowned or eaten by a whale, and at least I’d be going out with an interesting story? haha
I’ve done it twice, and it was an amazing experience both times. I hope you decide to go!
@Erinn I just went on my first whale watch earlier this summer, out of P-town. They really don’t get that close to the whales (humpbacks), or at least mine didn’t, they’re a scientific expedition mostly and they don’t like to “chase” the whales. Also the whales don’t really like the noises boats make and don’t come that close. BUT a baby girl whale decided she wanted to know WTF these people were and she came up pretty damn close, close enough to see her features. And then she swam under the boat and popped up to say hi to the people on the other side. And it was AWESOME. I mean she was GIANT for a baby, but only like the size of a minivan. Much smaller than the boat, for sure. However, since you’re nervous, I’d recommend a shorter trip, mine was 3.5 hours. Most of that was getting to the whale feeding ground and back, but it was about a half-hour longer than I wanted to be on a boat. ANYWAY I hope you go, no shame if you don’t!
I went whale watching off the coast of Massachusetts several years ago, and I was terrified the entire time. I don’t like the Pacific Life commercials with all the whales, and it took me quite a bit of time to work myself up to seeing the whale exhibit at my local aquarium. But I would never say whales are from the devil! I’m just afraid of seeing them up-close.
They are small mammals. You eat much larger, and worse treated larger mammals.
Ugh, cram it up your netherpassage, Cardi.
Cultural Ted Talk: lots of black people are afraid of cats. It’s due to a lot of myths and scary stories about cats that unfortunately have been passed down and people still believe (like that a cat can “steal your breath”). It’s really down to ignorance and never having actually been around cats.
My grandmother had a traumatic experience with cats when she was little (she never told us what it was though) and hated them. My father who would play around with pit bulls was deathly afraid of my cat. My Mom wasn’t a huge fan of cats until she got me one for my 15th birthday – now she adores them and especially loves my cat Finn.
I on the other hand adore cats and always have. I’ve has cats as pets nearly my entire life. Cats are truly special creatures and I feel like every person who dislikes them hasn’t had a TRUE cat experience. Because they are awesome and…how can you hate such amazing creatures?
This is really interesting. Thanks, Valiantly Varnished.
PS- Glad you love kitties as much as I do. 🙂
That’s interesting but she’s not black.
She is Afro-Latina.
I was just coming down to say this. So many black people (that I know at least, friends & family) don’t like or are scared of cats. I was terrified of them when I was little, but now they don’t bother me as much. I’m more of a dog person tho.
To an extent there really is a cultural/familial aspect to it. I’ve heard this before.
My family just doesn’t care for cats (no phobias). And if we go into someone’s house and a cat is on the counters or the table where people eat, we don’t accept any food or drink… And some people find that offensive
Different strokes for different folks
Valiently Varnished, I was just about to post something similar. In agricultural places and in places with poverty, pets are viewed as a luxury. When I was young, many of my friends’ families had dogs for protection, but you had a cat to get mice if you had one. Most people didn’t in our hood, because you’d have to pay to feed it if it wasn’t doing it’s mouser job. And, frankly, many of the low income folks of color who I grew up with believed that pets were a luxury, and they thought White folks were nuts for treating pets like children when humans were hungry the next town over. And the attitude carries for plenty of people once they grow up and become financially stable. The “stealing baby’s breath” thing was told to me when I had my daughter. I ignored it, but had heard it all of my life from people in and out of my family.
I love my cats, and my dog, but I have the income and privilege to afford to feed and care for them. And I don’t talk about them being more important than people, but the cat I lost two years ago WAS one of the top 5 relationships of my life. I was devastated when he died. He is buried under his favorite tree in my backyard. And now I’m weeping.
Everybody have an awesome day.
Yes I agree with this but I also think certain cultural aspects make people treat animals as not important or even not as living beings
My cat Declan passed away last September and it was unexpected and devastating. He was truly a soul mate (I think we can many soul mates – human or animal) and the love of my life. I think about him every day. I was just thinking about him this morning and how much I love him and miss him. I will stop now before I start crying at my desk.
BIG hugs Christina!! ❤️❤️
Bless you, Christina.
@Valiantly
I’m sorry for your loss. Declan is a very nice name. Always thought I was weird for thinking Boris is the love of my life.
@VV, @N, and to all of you who have known and loved these little beings and made them part of your lives and felt the loss, sending love.
A lot of people don’t like animals, And many of them don’t understand that a cat is not something you “control”. Plenty of people don’t think animal feelings matter, and they were raised that people are superior beings ordained to rule the world by God, or think that humans are simply smarter and that animals are just food or for work. I know plenty of people who hate cats, but those folks, in my experience, appear impatient in other aspects of their lives, and cats are more like humans than dogs: you do t get to tell other people how to feel and what to do, and that’s how cats are. If you are an awful person, other people will avoid you, and so will a cat. People who can love a cat and interact with it without being controlling have a lifelong friend. There are many people who don’t have the patience to cultivate healthy relationships with people, much less a cat. And lots of people think “nasty and dirty!” The thing is, people who grow up with household pets tend to have stronger immune systems than people who don’t, and that’s not widely known or believed, especially since our society is leaning against science and education because of Cheeto-T and his followers. I’m not saying that everyone who hates pets is bad. I’m saying that so many people don’t have the patience or knowledge or opportunity to think anything otherwise, and they have the right to their feelings.
Valiantly, so sorry ❤️
@(THEOG)@JAN90067 😍❤️💕
“I feel like every person who dislikes them hasn’t had a TRUE cat experience”
This! All day long!
I always say people who think cats are a**holes have not met mine yet, especially my tomcat. He’s a black cat (turning grey because of age) and he’s literally the coolest cat you’ll ever meet. Not afraid of new places or people. No hissing, no biting, no scratching, no breaking things. He comes in and owns the room…hell, the whole house. And if you are there long enough, he owns your lap.
Interesting. I didn’t realize it was a cultural thing. Generally speaking, when people announce “I’m a dog person”, I know we will not be cool. Because that usually means they hate cats. I personally love dogs and cats but cats are easier to live with right now (we don’t have a good yard for dogs etc). I have always had cats, we used to have seven but over the years three passed away. I immediately judging the living hell out of cat haters. Side note, my husband disliked cats until we were married and got our own. Now he loves them. They are strictly indoors and he’s the litter box handler.
Thanks for sharing this, VV. I’m reading Trevor Noah’s book “Born a Crime” in which he talks about his childhood in South Africa (during apartheid and right after). He has a whole section on black South Africans being afraid of cats, and more importantly, why. You don’t have to like Cardi, but her words are maybe being taken too seriously. Could it be she was kinda joking about the “from the devil” part? Not to threadjack but…I highly recommend Noah’s book! He’s a great writer, does a good job of weaving descriptions of the atrocities of apartheid through the stories from his childhood.
At least she didn’t single out black cats. Usually they are the only cats considered devilish. I appreciate her being egalitarian in her hatred of felines.
That being said, cats are fabulous animals. Spiders on the other hand are Satan’s work for sure.
Sorry, I have to disagree..grew up with cats and can’t stand them..they’re just sneaky little a-holes..yuck
See LightPurple’s comment below. No offense, but the feeling was probably mutual.
*shrugs*
I’m somewhat afraid of pit bulls but that’s my problem, not the dogs’. I don’t believe in projecting my feelings, fear or distaste onto the animal..it’s not their fault.
haha I love spiders. Ever since I read Charlotte’s Web as a kid. My BF is petrified of them but whenever I see one I just pick it up carefully and let it back outside. And I’ll rarely destroy the web if it’s outside… they catch flies and mosquitoes! Love them <3
I adore spiders, too, Snazzy. We have Tiger spiders in our back yard. When the eggs hatch, I feel like a foster mother. They keep flying pests down and they don’t bother anyone, and they are beautiful. Call me a weirdo. Long hair don’t care, lol!!
Rapunzel, Our local animal shelter has said that black cats are the hardest to adopt out. Which mades me sad. I think they’re beautiful.
It’s true- they are harder to adopt out. 🙁 I like cats more than dogs. Horses scare me a little because of all the stories I’ve heard about people getting hurt or killed by them.
Spiders should be like snakes : you can find them only and just in specific environments. I can’t stand those million, two meters long legs.
Cats know when a person does not like them. And they retaliate. Cardi, you have reaped what you have sown. May a flerken visit you in your sleep.
I awoke this morning to a gentle foot massage from my loudly purring Maine coon, a most pleasant start to the day. These are the joys that await when you worship cats as you should
Maine Coons are awesome!
Oh god can we trade? Our boy Scottish Fold wakes every morning with the sun, which is 5:38 AM or so these days. He then howls and howls until we get up to feed him. We sleep with earplugs, an AC, and a turbo fan and we STILL cannot sleep through his screams!
Still, we love that little dude. 😉
Scottish Folds kill me, so cute.
Kitten, she loves to cuddle and sleep in BUT she must introduce herself whenever she walks into the bedroom. This involves loud meowing from the door to the bed where she will howl until she is invited up. Once on the bed, she will march around the perimeter, switching directions at some anointed spot, head butting and purring louder than an airplane (I’m on a Logan flight path; she drowns out the planes). Once she has had enough of this, she will bodyslam into my back, fall asleep instantly, and snore loudly. This happens two or three times a night.
I have two Folds :). I bred the lady this spring & she had two straights. I sold them both & wanted to keep them both. Gonna breed her one more time & keep one.
Lightpurple, she sounds amazing, lol. My son and I both like sleeping with our kitty so often he’ll sneak into my room when he’s going to bed (usually a few hours after me) and grab the cat from my bed and when I wake up and miss her I’ll do the same right back a couple hours later. I now sleep better with her on me or next to me.
AHAHAH I love you, LP. This was amazing.
Also kitten – I sleep with earplugs, two fans, and alexa making fan noises at night haha. Because our old cat used to howl all night for food. I think some of her problem was a touch of dementia at the end, but she also had hyperthyroidism so that cat could EAT. And it was her house before it was ours, so she knew the pecking order haha. I watcher her one night ACTUALLY press her paw into my husbands nose after walking all over him and staring at him and him not responding her her requests. (she was VERY light because of her health issues and just being a tiny girl to begin with, so he probably didn’t feel her stomping on him). But she actually pressed his nostril closed which woke him up in a panic – I had pretended to be asleep so I could see what she would do, and I felt bad for it, but I laughed loudly and for a long time.
They are just SO smart! My Bengal sleeps at the foot of my bed every night but is ready for cuddle time as soon as I wake up. She knows my schedule, my moods, my friends. I will always have cats in my life.
Me too.
@lightpurple just a reminder that you are a delight!!! A flerken!!!!! 🤦♀️😂😉😎💕❤️🖖🏽
Yeah, she and I are never going to be friends.
When my grandmother was a young girl (in the 1920s) someone threw a cat on her. Of course the poor, scared cat clawed the crap out of her when it landed after being launched through the air. She was forevermore deathly afraid of, and despised cats. She passed that dislike along to my mother, so I was never allowed to have a cat growing up.
My domestic partner and I have two spoiled dogs and two black cats, all rescues. One of the cats is, shall we say, spirited sometimes. But we love him just the same.
Cats are assholes. But it is part of their charm.
Now that is a legitimate reason to have a fear of cats.
None of this “of the devil” nonsense she’s spouting.
Yeah, despite being asthmatic/allergic, I’ve been a cat person from day one. (Just take allegra every day and I’m good.) I have three right now. But I think that’s a legit reason to be scared of them. Cause that would be awful. Especially as a kid.
Weirdly cosigning with her. Cats are THE WORST. And the smell, ugh. I know y’all about to come up here and argue with me about how your house doesn’t smell like cats and your friend or sister or obscure relative told you they’d never know because your house smells so clean, and nope. Not true. You can always smell a cat. (And a dog, or a bird for that matter).
You sound like you hate pets in general so I will take your comment with the grain of salt it deserves.
Nope. Have had cats and dogs and fish and rabbits. Grew up on a farm with all sorts of animals and loved it. Thanks for the attempt to discredit though.
“Discredit”. Nothing you said was fact – merely opinion- so there is nothing to discredit. Whenever people refer to an innocent animal as the “worst” it makes me give them massive side eye. Because I can guarantee that it’s you- not them.
Cats are intuitive creatures. They KNOW when you dislike them. And the feeling will be reciprocated
If dogs sh*t in the house it would smell, they just do their business outside. Cats groom themselves and are fastidious. I have a dog and three cats and love all of them. Our dog provides the slavishly slobbering devotion, the cats are completely lovable but on their terms. Although we do have a ragamuffin cat that is like a dog, follows you everywhere, adores you, sits on you, etc. People have their preferences but I wouldn’t call any animal “the worst.”
LOL “You can always smell a cat”.
Oh my bad. Don’t worry, we won’t be inviting you over lol.
Missed the part where i could also say you can smell dogs, huh?
I genuinely never can smell cats, maybe it’s the litterbox you’re smelling? If the litterbox isn’t cleaned daily then it can smell. I can usually smell dogs, and rabbits/guinea pigs/mice, but I never know if I’m in a cat house unless I see a cat!
The only time I can smell cats at someone’s house is if they’re spraying on the house or on clothes or whatever. I’ve walked outside our house and smelled that a neighborhood cat had sprayed.
But we’re effective with litter changes and unless you’re right up beside it, you wouldn’t notice it.
But also I call BS on the dog smell. Not all dogs smell gross. Yes – I have been around many stinky dogs. But ours isn’t outside without us, and she has a very short repellent coat (she’s a pointer) and she doesn’t get that doggy smell that a lot of longer haired dogs can develop if they’ve gotten wet or rolled in things.
I didn’t say specific animals smell gross. I said you can always smell them. You can also smell plants and people. Things have a specific smell. That doesn’t mean they necessarily smell gross (although i do not like cat smell). Some people don’t like cats. Some people don’t like dogs. Some people don’t like people. It’s totally okay either way.
Oh yes, Erinn that makes sense that people could smell if a cat has sprayed – I’ve only had indoor/outdoor cats whilst growing up so thankfully never had one spray inside the house! I can sometimes smell dogs but not others. I don’t think a healthy cats fur should ever smell, sometimes they can smell like their catfood if it’s a strong flavour and they’ve just eaten it – just like humans will smell of garlic after eating. (Broodytrudy you may have an acute sense of smell, I have a friend who can smell everything and she can probably smell cats too).
If you can smell a cat, it is the fault of the owner, not the cat.
True!
I go in a lot of houses for my work, and often can’t tell there’s a pet there until I see it, and I have VERY strong sense of smell.
Some houses though, yeah, you can tell.
Yep I agree, LIghtpurple! cats spend hours grooming themselves and have high standards for their own litter box and hygiene. Litter these days is odour neutralising too, I feel so bad for cats who aren’t kept in a clean environment.
Yeah no. I’ve visited untold houses and apartments with cats. I need less than one hand (like, two fingers) to count the times I could smell the litter box or other animal smell. And my sense of smell is legend
ary.
I can’t smell cats in people’s houses, but I can ALWAYS smell a dog house and my god I hate it.
I find this whole thread to be filled with very sensitive people that take it as a personal affront for not liking cats or not being their biggest fans. Very weird to me that people are seemingly jumping down your throat about it.
Sorry your experience was with dirty ass people who don’t clean the litter box lol. We have a $500 self cleaning robot one and keep it on the porch.
Cats are hella clean animals unlike most! In fact sometimes I will randomly smell my cats fur because it smells so good especially when she’s been out in nature.
Cats never smell as bad as human beings on a hot day. Vile, it makes me nauseous.
Cannot stand the smell of unwashed people or people who don’t know what deodorant is or refuse to use it for whatever reason (perhaps allergies?). At least cats are clean, they are fastidious at cleaning themselves and they don’t smell of bo. If you pick up their litter box on the regular there shouldn’t be a smell. I have two cats, three litter boxes (Jackson Galaxy aka the cat daddy advised one box per cat + 1) and I use pine. I am sensitive to the smell of perfumed clay litter, it sets my allergies off like a shot.
This is the stupidest thing I’ve heard all week.
I love cats. Especially black cats and Maine coons
Had to google Maine coons, now I’ll probably look at those adorable photos all day.
Having said that I do get uncomfortable around cats, don’t know why, always felt they could read my mind.
But they are adorable to look at
I agree, I don’t hate them, but I do get uncomfortable for the same reason….I know they can see into my soul and judge me….dogs don’t do that 😀 I have a lot of respect for cats though, the Egyptians had to have worshiped the feline for a reason.
Aw girl no. I’m a crazy cat lady and can’t get behind this. Cats are so sweet and loving, if you know how to treat them and respect them. I have a soft spot for black ones in particular! My black kitty loves when I rub his belly (he’s just like a puppy, never seen a cat do this before I had him!) and if I just gently place my hand on it he wraps his paws lightly around my arm and licks my hand and purrs. Pure love!
Cats were observed playing with their prey, torturing mice before finally finishing them off, and this fed the belief that they were wicked. Anyway what happend to a singer who sacrificed chickens in her witchcraft?
Azalea Banks. Apparently, her chicken sacrifices didn’t work, because RIP to her career.
Lmaooo, thanks for the laugh.
Yes I used to think my cats tortured mice/birds also, but I learnt that the ”playing” is actually a protective strategy for the cats. A bird has a sharp beak, and mice/rats sharp teeth, so cats attempt to tire their prey out so that they’re lethargic before they go for the final ”kill shot/kill bite”. So it looks cruel but it’s the cat protecting themselves from being bitten!
True story: I used to work at an insurance company with a woman who would show up with visible (really bad) scratches and at least every other month would show up late because her cat would corner her in a room and wouldn’t let her out.
My husband was convinced i never had the “right cat experience” so we ended up with a couple. We had one that was just awful. He would perch on the edge of the bathtub, just behind the door frame where you couldn’t see him and when you walked by, he would hop out and sink his claws into your leg and attack you. We ended up having to rehome him because he kept attacking us and visitors to the point where it became dangerous.
Our third was a maine coon who might have been my favorite of the cats we had, but even then I didn’t really like him as I’ve loved other animals.
I have a similar cat trauma, I guess that’s why I’m not really comfortable with cats as I am with dogs.
My uncle had acat who would hide under sofas and furniture and attack my legs. I guess the adults pretty much handled it, but as a child it was really scary. I remember sitting on their sofa with my legs up, afraid to step off it…
There is a whole genre of Youtube videos that are 911 calls from people trapped by their cats. They’re hilarious.
People forget cats are not domesticated. Their first contact with humans were Ancient Egyptians, who revered them as vessels of the dead, and so never disturbed them or tried to domesticate/train them. Cats semi-domesticated themselves because they realized the Ancient Egyptians would take care of them if they kind of behaved and weren’t threatening. Dogs did the same thing, but way further back in their evolution (by tens of thousands of years), and then people took it one step further and fully domesticated dogs and turned them into working animals. It was only about five thousand years ago that cats decided they liked the ease of having their food delivered so they stopped biting people. I love cats, but you have to remember they’re not really domesticated. You will always deal with them on their terms because they never learned ours.
As a cat person, it annoys me to no end that it is considered socially acceptable to talk about one’s fear/hatred of cats, but not dogs. When I tell someone I’m not really a dog person (in a very polite way!), they look at me like I literally kicked their puppy. But then they’ll turn around and say “oh, I hate cats” when I tell them I have cats. Seriously, I can’t.
I don’t want to get into it because I feel strangely passionate about this topic and I don’t feel like going off this morning but I agree SO much with what you say. There’s always been a stigma attached to cats and cat owners.
(I grew up with and own cats but I love dogs, too)
This is why I love Dave Franco. He is a proud cat dad and is not ashamed to love his cat publicly.
OMG, Bobby Flay went up in my estimation because he has a HUGE orange Maine Coon named Nacho who has his own instagram account and who goes everywhere with Flay. BF is a proud cat person and posts tons of pictures of Nacho, such a gorgeous cat! Google Nacho Flay and you’re in for a treat.
Case- agree. I also really hate the stereotype of the crazy cat lady. One, it’s sexist af, and two, it’s not crazy to like cats.
Turning 40 this year, and I’m single, and I’m getting the “let’s get you a bunch of cats” jokes. It’s so dumb.
It’s totally sexist. My boyfriend proudly displays his love of cats and shows anyone who will look SO MANY pictures of our cats (we have three, and the third one was his fault). Our black and white girl looooooooooves my boyfriend, and if he’s home she wants to be physically on him, purring and licking and head-butting.
There are so many myths and lies about cats, ie, the old “sucking the baby’s breath” nonsense. Dogs are universally adored, cats not as much. I think of our dog as comparable to a baby or toddler—adorable, showy, needy, a lot of work but worth it. And our cats are like teenagers and adult kids—sassy, independent, but ultimately there for you. And cats are great if you’re sick and just don’t want to bother with pet maintenance…they are no burden.
ITA. You get stank eye if you so much as say “I’m more of a cat person”, but people are all bitchy about cats and it’s fine. I just don’t get it. For the record, I do like dogs, but would be fine never having one as a pet, whereas I could never see myself without a kitty in the house.
@Case:
Totally agree with you.
Another annoying example: a woman has 15 dogs. People are always “Awww, he/she love animals”.
Someone has three cats. The (usual) reaction: “Ugh, crazy cat lady alert. Must be a spinster”.
It enrages me.
Growing up I loved dogs and was obsessed with Lady and the Tramp. The scene with the Siamese cats (which I now recognize as hugely problematic!!) broke my heart. I would cry every time I saw them destroy the house and blame it on Lady. It made me despise cats for sometime (fortunately as a child I only associated that behavior with cats – the overt racism was lost on me). I came around as an adult and now I love them. I think I prefer them to dogs.
Dear Cardi.
It’s possible to make a point without resorting to slagging an entire species.
Signed: Another pet person who totally respects the non-pet-fan crowd
and would never insinuate that they were face down in Devil Propaganda Kool-aid.
❤️
I’ve had more than 8 cats and 5 dogs through my life but I’ve seen so many reactions to this (not refering to here especifically) that flat out scare me. Like, people writing short essays about how Cardi’s tweet is actually a form of animal cruelty and going OFF on her and I’m like… seriously, ya’ll need to f*cking chill and log off the internet for a while.
There’s so many forms of animal cruelty actually happening out there, going off on a celeb who said she didn’t like cats isn’t helping any matters. I know, I know. “Ugh, I can worry about 2 things at the same time!”. You know the thing is I positively ask you to NOT do anything about this because you sound stupid and crazy and you make all fighters for animal rights look stupid and crazy.
This is so disappointing when people spread hate and distrust of cats, especially when they have such a huge public forum. There are so many cats left in shelters and I feel like stuff like this keeps them from being adopted more.
It’s especially true for black cats with all those garbage opinions about them. My black cat is literally the sweetest cat I’ve ever had in my life, and when I adopted him the person at the shelter said he spent the first 6 months of his life almost always in a cage because no one would consider adopting him.
If anybody is on the fence about getting a cat, please know they bring so much happiness to your life. I laugh 10x a day at the stuff my 2 cats do and they are incredible for reducing stress. You also get to wake up every day knowing you helped save a cat from a much harder life.
We have four rescue cats. One of them is black, too. The ones who where in the shelter the longest were the two white cats, though. For five whole years (!) nobody would even consider adopting them so we agreed to foster to get them out of the cage at least (we became their forever home quite soon). They were terrified of people by then. When we took them in they hid behind the couch for a month and it took more than half a year before we could touch them. Now they follow us everywhere. One of them even gets super excited when she realises it’s bedtime. She literally sprints to the bedroom, jumps on the bed and waits there meowing. It’s hilarious.
Also, when you adopt one cat from the shelter, you save two: your cat, and the next cat who takes its place. ❤️
I did not know I was a cat person until I was 40 and my youngest rescued a kitten. It’s all been downhill from there. 🤦♀️
My eldest had rescued a sweet gal when I was about 31, who he calls Feather (because she’s soft as a), and we have a respectful and symbiotic relationship- she’s a hunter and my son’s BFF so we’re good. I provide care, she’s an indoor/outdoor, uses bathroom outside, it was all good.
Then youngest son finds his cat love, preggo, from the neighbors, but I don’t know bc I’m not really a cat lady, tho I love Feather. I’m not really paying attention to the cat (whom he calls Shellie and I call her PumaShellie bc she is a mountain cat doppelgänger), I’m still not indoctrinated to the cult which is feline love, I’m still loving on my sweet old lady pup more. Then PumaShellie gives birth and I’m now the proud pet of a cat I love like my best friend, a beautiful gray gal I’ve raised from birth, called Kitty Mouse.
She’s 1 year old. I love her so much it’s ridiculous. She is stunningly beautiful! She has fluffy, soft gray hair and green eyes and the sweetest disposition. If I call out, “where’s my kitty mouse?” She comes running! Every single night, without fail or reminders, she rushes to follow me upstairs to my room, and makes a tradition out of climbing onto my chest and cuddling me for a few minutes until so thoughtfully moving onto the top of the tv (one of her spots) so i can look at my phone and pass out! She is so vocal and she is so cute and yesterday she found the hummingbird feeder outside the kitchen window and I could not get over how cute -and of course quiet- she was staring out the window. There’s a screen and she was just watching! I’m a willing servant to her and I love it. I LOVE it. I’ve never known another being whose trust I’ve earned like Kitty Mouse since my children- my dog is amazing and everything and so wonderful, though I didn’t raise her from birth she’s still my sweetie and I am in love with her fully but i wonder why I love my Kitty Mouse so dang much and I think it’s maybe bc she’s one of my ‘babies’??? Ahhhh I never knew I could love a cat and definitely not like this so I’m SHOOK! lol. #catlove4eva #longlivekittymouse
Also I’m really sorry to hear of your sick kittens and I’m sending all the cat health strength good vibes I can your way 💕❤️🖖🏽
So now I’m 44 and I’m looking back at myself, cat biased bc my dad was one who said cats could steal your breath and attack babies, and thinking, you goof chicken!!! You missed out on so many years of cat best friendery! Thank Heaven I’m on that train now! And I’m bringing my sweet old lady Maltese pup. She’s best friends with the cats! It’s so cute when they chase the jingle balls round the house and all play fetch? I can’t stand it!
We have lots of feral cats in our neighborhood and we’ve taken 3 in to the feral cat project now since rescuing our first gal, they number and provide spay neuter svcs for the feral cats and then you can bring them back to their spot, they track them afterwards, which is cool. Now my son freezes cat food into ice cube trays and sets them out in the spots the local cats frequent cuz he’s worried about them in the heat. I’m a full on cat lady now and am down for it. L
You and your son are awesome for helping the feral colony! TNR does work.
Dead to me!
My girl cat is very sweet but keeps herself busy most of the time. The boy needs attention 24/7. He’s needier than most dogs. If you add a spot of white to your cat Kaiser, she looks just like my girl!
Cats are awesome, and anyone “afraid” of them just hasn’t ever spent time with one.
I’ll edit that to say MOST people afraid of them. Some had bad experiences growing up, and that’s understandable.
Best advice from my father in law: Never trust someone who doesn’t love all animals.
Co-sign!
@Oy vey
That’s a very western perspective. In some parts of the world animals as pets are not really a thing.
The comment was not about pets, it was about “all animals.”
Yes, exactly! I cannot trust or bond with a person who cannot bond with animals. It takes a special, caring person to open their hearts and homes to animals, a genuine selflessness. Those are my people.
Well, that’s her opinion. To me kitties are one of the few good things in this world. I’ll always have a furry companion.
I’m nervous around German Shepherds because I was almost attacked by one when I was 5. Turned the corner on a mound of snow and was face to face with him. But I don’t hate Shepherds. I hate our irresponsible neighbors who didn’t properly train their dogs or get a high enough fence.
Our cat population just mushroomed from 2 to 5 in the last six months. Two old girls with health problems (one is a Katrina orphan, the other a local foundling), two kittens after my sister rescued their pregnant feral mom, and a big male who showed up on our porch this winter. Started to feed him when I realized he was put in -15F. Think we found his humans, but they didn’t want him back. They never bothered to fix him, so he was an annoying unneutered male. Got him fixed and found out that he is FIV+. We call him the Love Sponge. He is the world’s snuggliest lap cat and he’s adopted the kittens — grooms them and comes running when they cry.
My wallet is empty, but my heart is full.
So sweet! You are a wonderful person for taking such good care of them all.
Aw. She sounds like the water boy with that devil comment. Cats can seem mean if you don’t understand them. They’re very threatened by eye contact. My normally super affectionate gray tabby cat used to bite me when I got home. I would greet the dogs, lots of petting and holding my face to theirs which they love, and then greet the cat with talking and pets and she would bite my hand. Google told me a lot of cats don’t like eye contact when you first get home. So I ignore her now and she watches me greet the dogs, follows me around as I put things away, and comes up to me a few minutes later for a greeting. She’s loves us all to the moon and back and we feel the same about her!
“Cats can seem mean if you don’t understand them.”
True. Often people think cats are psycho when they attack your hand after you’ve been petting them for half an hour but in reality they usually give clear signals to stop before they scratch or bite.
One of my cats just falls over when I get home and demands a belly rub.
I get what she’s saying…and I get where she’s coming from…but that’s based on my culture growing up…and probably based on her’s too….
However, the things that were taught to me about cats being “bad”…are the EXACT reason why me and mines have ALWAYS had cats….especially Black Cats….and my Mama has ALWAYS had one…because…as she often says…
“Every Witch Needs A Good Cat”….
Love it.
I love cats but sadly don’t own one, yet! However there is a couple of neighbourhood cats that like to come around my garden and act like its theirs. The other day, when it was really hot outside, I had left the garden door open and walked in the living room and there was one of them lounging on the floor enjoying the coolness. It ran out when it saw me and then a few secs later poked its head in the door and gave me a ‘Whats the problem, I was just cooling off’ glare. LOL. Sometimes it will sit on the window and stare at me, not sure what its intentions are as it always runs off when I try to approach it.
Yeah, cats are from the devil, if you live in th 1600’s and you are scared your neighbors are witches who have cursed your crops. Otherwise cars are from the SPCA or Petsmart.
😂😂😂
I mean, I love my cats, but they are totally beasts unearthed from the lowest pits of damnation. I can’t really argue with her there. That is, in fact, why I like them. They do not give a sh*t about anything.
I like cats, but we cant have one because people like my mom are super allergic (she cant be in a house if a cat lives there.)
But, these comments are cracking me up. I thought with over 100 comments that there must be some drama in here. Nope, just cat people defending their love of cats!! LOL.
It’s just that crying housewife meme in here. 😂
I was reading up on the Egyptian cat goddess Bast / Bastet the other night. Humans were first domesticated by cats in Egypt and were revered for protecting the grain. There was a death penalty for harming a cat! I read this & was impressed & thought, “Appropriate!”
This makes me so sad. Cats are amazingly wonderful creatures. I like dogs too, but am more of a cat person. It’s all due to my husband. When I met him, he had the most beautiful, fluffy, darling kitty — she had the biggest green eyes and was awesome. We have four cats now, and if we had a bigger place, I know my husband would come home with more kitties — he is a full-on cat man 100%. I adore my kitties. Our youngest one we found under our building, and he grew into the most beautiful orange beastie — his tail is magnificent , long and uber fluffy. We have one black cat, who is so smart, so sweet, so loving, and is obsessed with my husband. Then our two girls, who are sisters and have personalities like yin and yang, and they tussle and play and then snuggle together with their heads “cheek to cheek” — it’s so cute.
Attitudes like Cardi B makes it harder for cats to get adopted and makes it “okay” for people to abuse them. I’m very disappointed.
One thing I also hate, is that in movies and TV – cats are always the “bad guy.” For instance, I love Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but was watching an old episode where Rosa was making fun of hoarders, and she said something to the effect it wasn’t as “funny as finding a bunch of flat cats.” Why? Why is that funny? Would anyone think it’s funny if someone said they found a bunch of dead, flat dogs ? No, people would scream bloody murder. But cats? Sure, lets cheer when they are dead. It pisses me off every time.
Men who love cats are the best.
NOT BATS!
I love all cats-especially my two who are the most gorgeous, intelligent, foofy beings on the planet.
I believe cats might be the most superior life form on this planet because, unlike dogs who adore humans unconditionally (I love dogs too), cats use and manipulate us so charmingly while letting us know how despicable we are as a species.
They’re all like “yeah, pet me that way, I made you my b**ch, but I know what your whole species is about with ruining the planet and each other, scritch me under the chin while I communicate (purring is the method used) to the Big Cat Head in the Sky as we work out the deets on our feline global takeover.”
I’m not such a fan of cats because I’ve had some bad experiences. I loved them as a child but I had to protect a child when I was a teenager from being mauled and that was traumatic. Having said that, I’ve known some lovely cats. They just seem to be the exception. Generally most people I know with a cat are in the kind of relationship that would be considered emotionally/physically abusive if it was human…
Also it creeps me out that they infect you with parasites which can cause schizophrenia and that those same parasites cause you to want to be around cats more. The mind control aspect means I would never own one. Too odd.
However I have had many other pets and I do love animals in general I should say, and would never treat one badly.
To be fair, a dog can lick you, and you can end up in a coma with all your limbs amputated. I’ve read multiple stories about this happening in the last year – 2 or 3 different people have had to amputate limbs because the germs that are just in dog mouths got into a cut or something and by horrible luck they’ve ended up without parts of their limbs because of it turning to gangrene. And this isn’t like the people were far away from a modern hospital off the grid or something.
I’m going to assume you’re talking about toxoplasmosis? Which you can also get from eating poorly cooked foods that contain cysts as well. They think up to half the worlds population has it – without symptoms. Though, I’ve never heard any link to schizophrenia before. Wiki tells me that not enough studies have been done, though there is a possible correlation between childhood cat ownership and schizophrenia- but correlation does not equal causation.
I mean – owning any pet comes with a small risk, and personally, I’m not concerned about losing a limb from my dog, or developing schizophrenia because I’ve owned cats my whole life. But I can understand the concern you would have.
Someone else already said this but I will echo the fact that it is not all unusual for POC, especially Black women, to have an irrational fear of cats. I have several people in my family & friend group over the age of 50 who are legitimately terrified of being around them and will not visit your home if you are a cat owner. Cardi’s statement may sound ridiculous to some but I guarantee that many of her fans from similar backgrounds totally got it.
I hate cats. I wouldn’t hurt one. I’ve nursed a couple sick ones. I had a few when I was a kid. We had one when I was an adult and they just aren’t my jam and I’m laughing at all the cat lovers acting like they can’t fathom how anyone would feel that way.
I adore my dog and am the kind of person who always has to have one. But if someone said they hated dogs, I would understand.
I don’t like the unpredictability of cats, how they just decide they are done being pet in one spot and fuck you up or how some wait quietly in the hallway and mess you up on your way to the bathroom at 2am.
Cats give me anxiety.
I find dogs soothing.
I just do.
Cats give signals before attacking you, you have to read them.
What signal does one miss walking from the bedroom to the hallway at 3am, ma’am?
Or when you’re standing at the stove cooking dinner and your ankles suddenly look threatening to them?
But people have similar, totally legit to them reasons to not like dogs, lizards, horses, snakes, chinchillas, and human children.
Well, they could do this because of boredom, stress, pain, the feeling of being hates anyway… Petting hands are not attacked without signs. If you look at the cat you can see them. They are subtle but they are there.
Btw, I was badly bit in the face by a dog when I was a kid. Still love them because I learned how to read them.
The only mean species on this planet are human beings.
Sure, Jan.
Cats have stress and displacement behaviors just like dogs. While a dog might lick his lips as an initial sign of stress, cats might just change the position of the ears. I would also add that cats are often far more ignored than dogs, no training, no enrichment, no playtime, or vet visits, which makes them more likely to “act out” in ways that dogs don’t since most people train their dogs and provide outlets for their behaviors. We know that some breeds of dogs need to “stay busy” (I’m looking at you, Border Collies), but the same is actually true of cats, particularly cats within one or two generations of being “street cats.” We label these guys aggressive, when they are often just fucking bored. I love cats, but they are high maintenance 🤷♀️
This. People don’t treat their cats the same as they do their dogs. I knew a woman with a cat and dog. She pampered her dog to the hilts, and would regularly disparage her cat and treat it like shit. That cat could do NOTHING right. But if you asked her, she would SWEAR that she didn’t.
We have a cat in our family. And yes, he’s THE BEST! He’s got a sturdy personality. No, he’s not all up in our grills and needy, but when we go out, homeboy is jumping at the door when we come back home. Rubbing up against us. Meowing his hellos.
He has his routine, which includes checking in on mom each night when she takes her bath….just to ensure no drowning situation is happening. He chills on the side of the bath and chats. Then, he settles in to his spot on the couch when we all convene for our two hours of TV each night (right between mom and dad) — and yes, sometimes we pick shows he likes (Thank you Netflix for all your Lion shows!) And yep, we have a half hour of designated play time each night.
But no, he is not about to sit on anyone’s lap. Neither am I.
I think his behavior is a result of how we treat him….like a family member, with fears and concerns and needs, just like the rest of us.
I’ve noticed people either love or hate cats.
Dogs don’t seem to elicit such strong feelings of hatred, which is strange, bc dogs can be so destructive. I’ve been having problems with a dog taking packages off my porch and shredding them. Always in my yard tearing stuff up. Thankfully they’re not mean.
That’s a sh*tty dog owner. Dogs must be on leashes whenever outside other than in their own fenced yard.
at least cats as pets stay in their homes. people bring their dogs everywhere now and seem to think we should all be thrilled fido’s at the grocery store or the book store. so sick of it – i love dogs, but the entitlement of dog owners makes me not like them as much.
I like going to this one park not far from my house…it has a nice walking trail. It is NOT a dog park yet dog owners keep allowing their dogs to run around with no leash ! There are signs EVERYWHERE around the park saying your dogs must be on a leash but no one listens. When a dog approaches and I don’t look pleased the owner always says “don’t worry they’re friendly!”. That’s NOT the point and nope not all dogs are friendly. I don’t want your dog licking my leg sorry ! Abide by the rules or take your dog to a dog park and let it roam free there.
I’m not a cat person, more of a dog person. However, my neighbor has three cats that roam the neighborhood and I appreciate them because they are currently keeping the rats away. Except I haven’t seen the cats in a while so I hope nothing happened to them.
I have one cat who will stay in bed with me all night and day and not get out of bed until I do. She will meow when I’m sad and stick by my side if I’m in pain. My other cat, who is really still a kitten, literally will play fetch with you. She is probably the friendliest cat I’ve ever had and adopted her simply because she jumped in my arms at the adoption center. They are so different personality wise but I love them so much. definitely not the devil
I will never have a cat as a pet (I grew up with all sorts of cats, some of course very sweet and others that would jump onto my pants leg and claw their way down, among other attacks), but l will interact with them or take care of them for friends. I rescued a cat in a box on railroad tracks when I was a teen, too.
I can smell when cats live someplace and the feeling of their litter on my feet that gets tracked around by those adorable toe beans makes me so grossed out. I also get grossed out when I see them on counters, etc.
With that said, I am also not a dog person BUT I love rodentia, which I know gross people out and have the rep of being disease carriers. To each their own.
As a die hard cat lady (a hill I WILL die on) I LOVEEEE rats and really, 99% of rodents in general. I would love to own one, but I wouldn’t dare with two cats and a dog. But they’re just SO absolutely sweet and intelligent – I’m always quick to defend them if I hear anyone saying they’re gross haha.
And I get the litter thing – those toe beans can really track that around, and it’s horrible. They’re making better and better litter mats nowadays though, and for that I am thankful.
I am a cat person but love most animals. Cats, dogs, rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, bats, armadillos… I even let spiders and centipedes roam my apartment unharmed (unless it’s a huge wolf spider. That would give my husband a heart attack, so I catch them and put them outside). Roaches, flies, and mosquitoes, though…they die.
My mother has a phobia about cats. Our house has always been a dog house yet when me and a cat fell in love with each other, found out I was allergic. I still love cats and just suck it up
Love my big old flopper cat. He’s downright sweet, only ah ahole when he wants to play at 2 am
I don’t like cats, either, but for me, bagels are from the devil (too damn caloric and too damn good).
My momma taught me not to suffer mental midgets who demonize innocent animals, though such fools aren’t evil, they are simply too stupid to pay any mind to.
My sister is terrified of cats. When mine even goes near her, she stands on a chair like it’s a diseased rat and freaks out. “Eww! Get it away from me!!!”
I love cats. We just spent 2 years trying to convince a feral that she should move in with us. Finally she did and she brings so much whimsical fun and love every day.
Well she’s done it now. Cats KNOW things. They talk. They conspire. She has just put herself on their hit (hiss?) list for all of time. She is exactly the type of person my usually very shy (with strangers) kitties would attempt to smother with love and hair. Bite beads and feathers off her costumes, Curl up in her bag. Molest her shoes. Sleep on her face. The more anti-cat someone is the more they wil force themselves on you. My hubby was very anti-cat when we met. On our first date I left him alone in the living room while I finished getting ready. I came out to discover my very timid little girl kitty had curled up on his lap while he sat there stiffly with a slight look of horror on his face. He now loves our cats as much as I do. But had he not come around I think they would have arranged an “accident”. Maybe a tumble down the stairs. He told me once he wasn’t sure about proposing because he didn’t want to live with my cats. I informed him, love me….love my pussies. And I meant it. Careful Cardi B, they are coming for you.
I don’t fault anyone for their phobias, I just wish people weren’t so damn glib about them. The “evil cat” stereotype has real world consequences. I worked in a shelter in the deep south for years and at least ten people every year would drop their cats off because they were pregnant and believed the cat would “steal their babies breath.” That belief was so ingrained that there was no reasoning with ANY of those people, even though I damn well tried.
Same thing when people perpetuate that pit bulls have “lock jaws” or once a dog has “tasted blood,” it’s a “killer for life.” It’s fine to be afraid of something, but it’s not fine to perpetuate false information in order to defend that fear.
@TitusPullo:
“The “evil cat” stereotype has real world consequences.”
And said consequences are horrifying — to the point I have to avoid sites like Youtube because there is always a link to some video showing cats starving (but not being helped), being outright tortured (and made fun of in the comments section), mauled by dogs till they die, being covered in concrete and MANY, MANY other things.
So I avoid logging in or I will become even more depressed.
By the way, my biggest cat is called Titus Pullo.
I love cats and dogs, but feel now I can say to Cardi that strippers are from the devil, not kitties. She annoys the hell outta me. Pun intended. 😉
You should have gone with celebrities being from the devil. Same point, but punches up.
TBH I have two sweet, cuddly cats who want nothing more than to be where I am, loving and snuggling on me, all the time. Especially my 13 year old ginger cat. My husband even said one time “I think you and Hobbes are the real couple of this household.”
Then his boss was like “I’m getting rid of my cat. Want it?” (he got it for his kids and decided to get rid of it when his wife was about to have a baby, even though she was already pregnant when they got the cat. Shithead.) So we took him in. He’s an overweight black cat (turns 1 this month and is 15 pounds) that looks a lot like Kaiser’s, and he’s….kind of an asshole. I blame part of it on his past family (while I’m glad they didn’t declaw him, they also didn’t buy him a single scratching post, so we received an 8 month overweight cat that thinks scratching furniture is normal, Plus they have like 85 kids who are all crazy so poor Batman probably has some PTSD).
Oh, poor fat kitty having to tolerate all those kids! Some cats can be wonderful with children but I think most of them prefer a household where they aren’t being mauled and dragged about by squealing, sticky fingered monsters. If we have kids over to visit my two cats become completely invisible 😜
CANCEL HER!!!!
I just did
Never understood people who hate cats. It’s almost as if they expect them to be as needy as dogs, which they aren’t. They are little obligate carnivore predators, not that far removed from their larger feline cousins. Dogs are related to wolves, but that wildness has been bred out of them. I’m not a dog owner because I don’t like to be needed, I prefer cats because they are okay with not being lovely dovey and are affectionate on their own terms. I like their independent nature.
Cats would rather lay around and lounge than get aggressive. If they do get aggressive, they strike and then run away. They will show you if they don’t like something, watch the tail. The tail will tell you how the cat is feeling. A house cat at least to my understanding has never killed a human being (can’t say the same about dogs), so why the fear?
I had mostly dogs growing up and love both dogs and cats. My father HATED cats, called them evil, and the one I had my mom had to give away because he would abuse it all the time. The reason? “His culture.” He also abused his kids…also blamed culture for the beatings. Culture is NOT an excuse to hate or abuse ANY LIVING THING! EDUCATE yourself. Like I did.
Oh, and whoever posted you won’t eat or drink anything if someone has a cat on the counter. Cats aren’t that dirty when properly cared for and as long as your friends are clean (clean the counters daily…as everyone should even if you don’t own a cat) you’ll live I promise. And YES you ARE being offensive to your friends. I would have asked you to leave my home for being disrespectful. My cats are part of the family. Insulting their hygiene is insulting me as an owner.
Also, litter boxes DON’T STINK if properly cared for. Buy the right litter, scoop it twice a day or get an electric box.
Jesus God, educate yourselves, people. If you judged humans this way the PC police would be all over you.
Thank you, well said.
@Nope:
You’re absolutely right.
I respect the intelligence and cunning abilities of cats and enjoy other people’s cats in small doses, but I’m not a “cat person.” I am mildly allergic and can almost always smell a litter box odor when people have them. I have dogs, and know that they have an odor, but it doesn’t bother me. Most of them smell like Fritos.
I’m really grossed out by unclean behaviors with animal germs, though. Cats on kitchen counters, dog dishes on kitchen counters, dog dishes in the dishwasher with human dishes, no handwashing after touching animal food bowls–blech! I have 2 dogs and I finally got my husband to stop being gross with their food and water bowls. His mom is a neat freak, yet not when it comes to dog germs intermingling with food prep for humans. Side note: her husband doesn’t wash his hands after sh!tting and they like to hold hands and pray before dinner. I was sitting next to him one time and then got up to wash my hands after pretending to pray with them. He looked at me questioningly so I said, “I know that you don’t wash your hands after you use the bathroom and I don’t want to transfer your bathroom germs to my mouth.” I guess that was offensive?
Anyway, I think that Cardi was just being glib in her blunt comment. It was stupid, but I don’t think that she’s calling for mass cat extermination.
Geckos are angels! I have three and they are sweet. Iguanas though? Satan incarnate.
Cats are awesome and mine are like family. I hate spiders so I get the phobia thing, but to say cats are from the devil is just dumb. Don’t like them, then don’t get one.
This really pisses me off. A few days ago, leaving a doctor’s office, my son said, “What’s that,” pointing to a furry something on the grass bordering the parking lot. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a fluffy cat tail, separated from its owner. No blood, no other remains. Hadn’t been clawed or torn with teeth.
I came to the conclusion that some fn subhuman tied a ligature on the poor cat’s tail until the tissue died and the tail fell off. Like, for funsies.
There’s a pathological budding serial killer in my town, torturing animals as I type. I’m wondering if I should call the police, so they’ll be on the lookout for a pattern.
I’ve read that dislike of cats can be cultural, but it’s still irrational and may perpetuate or allow horrible mistreatment to downright abuse. Cardi is in a position of pop culture influence. Her words carry weight. She needs to choose her words more carefully and think about the impact they have.
UGH.
/rant over, sorry.
Not a rant, NotSo. Sadly you speak the truth. I volunteered in rescue throughout my high school and college years. It’s brutal out there for animal abuse. And people with a platform do need to consider their words before they cross their lips.
Clementine, all this 💕💕💕 for your comment. I grew up with all kinds of small and large animals, and a host of failed tropical, and failed wild domestic (raising abandoned baby crow), as well as witnessing horrible animal brutality at the hands of an abusive parent. Beating kenneled dogs, blasting random wandering kittens with a shotgun bc they had the unmitigated gall to climb our screen door at dinner time. The kitten’s carcass was carelessly tossed in a place where I regularly played.
My experiences led me to become a member of Greenpeace in the mid 1970s. They further traumatized me by sending me literature with photos of bear trapped animals. This was at a formative period of my life.
Need I say in confirmation – it had an indelible impact, regarding animal cruelty by humans and a deep misgiving about the capacity of humans to tolerate the previously mentioned.
People who mistreat ANY animal, domestic or wild, deserve no sympathy. See the Ghandi quote artfully expressing the same sentiment/
@NotSocialButterfly:
You spoke the absolute truth. And it hurts knowing that her stupid comment will likely trigger even MORE violence towards an already stigmatized animal.
Wow. Just wow. If she does not know the power of her words given her popularity and fan base, she is a lot dumber or nastier than I thought! Cats have it bad enough with being abused and mistreated because so many, not by their own choice, live on the streets of the world. And yeh, many people dislike them, but live and let live is what I say. Now this gives some idiot fools the idea to hurt them or mistreat them based on her statements. My guess is that there’s probably a few insta or snap posts out there already.
Unfollowing her, un-fanning her (not a word, I know), not buying any more of her material.
❤️
@Clementine:
Since you’re in the process of removing this “singer” out of your life (and I love that you’ve made that decision), you might as well take a look at Chrissy Teigen (whether you follow her or not). She said something very similar about cats.
It infuriated me so much I don’t think I commented on that post.
well…cat knows..
so what you did cardi?
My two Maine Coons are hilarious, loving and so smart. I can’t imagine anyone hating such loving creatures.
I’m #teamcat: I’ve had and loved multiple kitties. But I just don’t see the big deal in what she said. There’s a lot of lip service to cultural differences, but our tolerance stops and our feathers are ruffled pretty easily. She never said we should get rid of cats or that they should be killed. People have a lot of batty ideas about the Devil, don’t see why this is different.
Yeah. As much as I love cats, hopefully the people expressing concern for the potential harm her words may possibly do to cats will keep that same energy for certain marginalized groups of people that it’s still socially acceptable to mistreat in some ways, and won’t try to Dear Muslimah the situation when certain concerns are addressed.
Her comments on hating cats makes so much sense, given how many cats kill humans each year, even mauling their own owners to death.
No wait. That’s not cats. That’s dogs. Oops.
Yep, hating on cats makes little sense to me.
When will this f*cking POS shut the f*ck up. Everything she spouts is trash, vulgar, stupid and swallowed up by the millions of idiots who worship her. Yes I’m grumpy today, I have a bad cold and simply can’t put up with bullsh*t like this.