A cat forum. CatBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CatBanter forum » Cat Newsgroups » Cat health & behaviour
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

The stigma of owning a cat.



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old December 24th 07, 08:15 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Lesley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,700
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On 24 Dec, 07:47, bookie wrote:

anyway, al those people who claim they are allergic to cats YOU ARE
TALKING ********,


Not strictly true a friend of mine nearly died because cat hair gave
her asthma so badly she stopped breathing luckily in the ambulance

However making eyes stream and sting is not in the same league- a guy
I know was allergic to cat dander but his fiancee was a cat lover so
he took anithistamines and said "The cost of loving her is I have to
get used to cats"

Now they have 7 and his allergies are a lot better through he still
has to keep them out of the bedroom

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs
  #22  
Old December 24th 07, 11:07 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
bookie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,049
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On Dec 24, 3:43*pm, Lesley wrote:
On 23 Dec, 08:41, "Sheelagh\"o\"" wrote:

People who don't have cat's of their own, simply *Do not wish to
understand*, over here. It is a terrible shame, but it is the truth.


I had completely forgotten the worse one
(probably because it's a painful memory)...I used to play in a game on
a Wednesday and one week I turned up and had the following
conversation with the DM;

DM "I don't know if I should let you play- you missed the last two
weeks"

Me "The week before last I told you I had to work late"

DM "Yes that's okay but what's your excuse for last week?"

Me: "I had to take one of my cats to the vet"

DM "And what time was that?"

Me: "Six thirty"

DM "So you could have still made the game we don't start until 8.00"

Me: (voice quavering) "But I had to have her put to sleep, we were
both very upset"

DM "Okay I'll let you back in the game but under probation, I don't
know if you're really that dedicated to the game, I wouldn't have let
something as trivial as a dead cat make me miss a game"

I am forever grateful to a friend and his dear wife who simply took
one of my shoulders each turned me round and walked me away from the
guy or else I would be typing from prison. I've never seen red like it
before or since. This charming speciment went pale when he saw my face
after he said that and then to add insult to injury he went round
telling people I was "mental". That, however rebounded when he told
this other guy whose game he really wanted to be in that "She went
mental over a dead cat" and got the reply that when he had his cat put
to sleep he couldn't face the World for a week and stayed at home so
"she's really good to come out and she certainly doesn't need a moron
like you slagging her off"

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


what a complete **** that chap was, what 'game' do you mean?

i woudl have given him the full force of my wrath with both barrels,
nasty little turd

hopefully he got just what he deserved later on in life, that is
exactly the kind of nasty thoughtless and vicious comment that i think
we have all been subjected to at some point or other and just goes to
show how pointless most of the human race really is and why cats are
so much better company

that bloke would not be walking if he had said that to me.

grrrr...
bookie
  #23  
Old December 24th 07, 11:19 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
bookie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,049
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On Dec 24, 7:15*pm, Lesley wrote:
On 24 Dec, 07:47, bookie wrote:

anyway, al those people who claim they are allergic to cats YOU ARE
TALKING ********,


Not strictly true a friend of mine nearly died because cat hair gave
her asthma so badly she stopped breathing luckily in the ambulance

However making eyes stream and sting is not in the same league- a guy
I know was allergic to cat dander but his fiancee was a cat lover so
he took anithistamines and said "The cost of loving her is I have to
get used to cats"

Now they have 7 and his allergies are a lot better through he still
has to keep them out of the bedroom

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


'allergies' are caused by proteins in the cats saliva which set off
one's immune system to overreact, thinking that the invading alien
proteins are somehow harmfull and thus the usual symptoms of running
eyes, itching, sneezing etc are triggered off. asthma is something
else entirely and would not be sorted by antihistamines. i do applaud
your friend who took them though, after a while he may have got used
to the proteins and his immune system might have calmed down, is he
stil taking the medication? might find he does not need it anymore.

anyway, reason i am soooo peeved by people and their alleged allergies
is that i am looking for a new home and whenever i mention to
potential housemates that i would want to bring my cats to live there
too (well obviously i am going nowhere without them, unthinkable!)
some precious a-hole comes out with "oh but i am allergic!!!" which is
really starting to **** me off something chronic. the instances of cat
allergy amongst tenants in shared houses is unbelievably high, so high
that i do not believe them, and usually comes after sillly questions
like "but won't she chase off all the birds from the garden?" or "but
won't she pee everywhere?" or "but she will bite us won't
she?" (jessie has no teeth!!!!) or any other questions designed to
produce an answer which will lead them to say "ooooh no then we can't
let you bring a cat with you".

i'm all worked up now i have to go and cuddle a cat, it's just not
fair with it being christmas now and all that

bookie
  #24  
Old December 25th 07, 05:50 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Lesley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,700
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On 24 Dec, 14:07, bookie wrote:

what a complete **** that chap was, what 'game' do you mean?

The game was Advanced Dungeons and Dragons- you do sometimes get
pillocks with no social skills playing them then again in my current
club our commitee of four can boast six cats between three of us (and
the other one's allergic to cats!). Our chairman Hugh, recently found
a kitten in the middle of the road at midnight and took her home
swearing he couldn't afford another cat, he lasted a few hours before
it went to "If she's not claimed I'll probably keep her", then about
24 hours after he found her "She's called Bandit" then within 48 hours
his flatmate had changed from "We can't have another cat" to "I
suppose you're going to keep her and I can live with that"

That was about 7 weeks ago, guess where a kitten called Bandit lives
now?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs
  #25  
Old December 25th 07, 06:06 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Lesley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,700
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On 24 Dec, 14:19, bookie wrote:
or any other questions designed to
produce an answer which will lead them to say "ooooh no then we can't
let you bring a cat with you".



If they don't want a cat all they have to do when you phone to ask
about the flat is politely say something like "No pets sorry" they can
even dress it up as "the landlord won't allow it"
I always think people who say "I don;t like cats" have either not yet
met the right cat (happened to a friend of mine who said "They're okay
but not for me"- I think because his ex-wife was mad about cats and
he's got a lot of bad memories about that time. Then one day he was
sitting in his living room and a cat walked in, looked round and
settled down-just like that and now he's looking for a new place to
live and can't move into somewhere that won't take Fuzzbutt....) or
there is just something wrong with their personality I feel sorry for
them obviously they will never settle down for a night's sleep and
have a warm purring bundle of joy snuggled next to them or find
themselves laughing at something the cat just did and is currently
giving the "I meant to do that" look (which makes it even funnier) or
just staring in amazement at how something that small can jump that
far or well....everyone here can fill in their special moments when
they realise how extra wonderful their cats are to them

Okay these people will never clean litter trays or wipe up after a
furball (I've actually heard that as an excuse for not having a cat
from a woman with two children- sorry? You could change a nappy but
it's beyond you to grab a bit of kitchen towel and wipe up a furball?
I can't stand human's being sick, I nearly join in but all I think
when a cat throws up is "Are you okay?")

Mind you the strangest reason I have heard for not liking cats has now
been told to me by three ladies from the West Indies so perhaps it's a
cultural thing and that is that cats are creatures of Satan and you
can tell because "At night you can see Satan shining out from their
eyes"

I tried explaining why a cats eye shines in the dark but they wouldn;t
have it all I got was a story from one of them about her cousin who
was about to go for a drive and a cat walked across his path and they
all said, he shouldn't make the journey because the "devil cat" has
cursed him and he laughed and drove off....and ,of course, there was a
terrible accident they found his brain 6 feet from the car...I think
she's quoting an urban legend but she insisted it happened to a cousin
of hers

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs



  #26  
Old December 27th 07, 06:15 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
birdsong
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

Hi there,

So sorry to hear what you are going through.

I had a similar experience with friends in college after the loss of a
pet. After seeing how many people did not understand my tears that day
when I explained I lost a pet, I decided from that moment on that
anyone who didn't "get it" was then told, "I'm sorry, I lost a dear
friend today." They understood. I never had to tell them the species
of my friend.

Perhaps you can do the same...a friend or family member is in the
hospital. Anyone who hans't loved a cat will never quite "get it." For
those of us who have, we can't see it any other way but that it is a
true friend and family member.

Hope your cat will be okay. You must be so worried.

Donna in CT
  #27  
Old December 30th 07, 10:24 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
IBen Getiner[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 61
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On Dec 20, 11:46�am, "David McCracken"
wrote:
Hi everyone:

I haven't posted in this forum in a long while, but have always found it
full of great people with much knowledge and love for cats. �So I
immediately thought of this newsgroup when I wanted to share this
perspective about cat ownership.

One of my two 10-year-old cats suddenly became ill over the last weekend and
she's been in the hospital for the last few days. �The vet says her immune
system is attacking her red blood cells and platelets, so they've put her on
steroids and IV fluids. �They've stabilized her enough that I'm about to
pick her up in about a half hour. �She stopped eating once she got to the
vet, so their hope is that she'll start back up once she returns home and
gets back to her routine. �Otherwise, she may be returning to the vet and
spending the holidays there.

What I really want to discuss is what I've had to endure over the past few
days with friends and co-workers as I deal with my pet's health crisis. �I
suppose I could be imagining much of this, so bear with me. �My general
impression is that most dog people or non-pet owners don't seem to
understand the need to, for example, stay home from work babysitting a sick
cat. �I get the feeling as though cat ownership is less valid of an excuse
to be at home vs. a sick child or even a sick dog.

Jokes typically come up when I discuss how much I've already spent on my cat
(about $700 this week). �Someone had commented that they're not even sure
they'd spend that much on their own child, let alone a cat. �I realize they
were just ribbing me about it, but you know what they say about there always
being a shred of truth behind every joke. �On some base level, I think they
were actually being sincere. �I should point out that these are otherwise
good co-workers with whom I get along fine.

I'm wondering first if this is just my imagination...if other cat owners out
there have felt the sting of this stigma. �Perhaps people just have a hard
time linking a 6 foot, 2-inch, 235-pound male to two little kitties instead
of, say, a Doberman.

Would appreciate any thoughts or experiences.

Thanks again and happy holidays.


YOU are a NUT. What 'men' like you need MORE THAN ANYTHING is to be
thrust up to the front lines over in Iraq, with a gun in your hand and
a target painted on your chest. Or better yet, they should do it to
your CHILD (assuming you're not a queer, which something tells
me....)This would REALLY help put things into their proper
perspectives! All this BULLKRAP about 'staying homes with the sick
baby' bullkrap.
Bullkrap.
  #28  
Old December 30th 07, 10:26 AM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
IBen Getiner[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 61
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On Dec 20, 11:46�am, "David McCracken"
wrote:
Hi everyone:

I haven't posted in this forum in a long while,



Your record shows NEVER

http://groups.google.com/groups/prof...GZMCIHZ5OvvJcg
  #29  
Old December 30th 07, 04:40 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
T
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 233
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

In article 9132a1a4-9a26-403f-a5aa-fe9f7cf64433
@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com, says...
On Dec 20, 11:46ï¿=3Fam, "David McCracken"
wrote:
Hi everyone:

I haven't posted in this forum in a long while,



Your record shows NEVER

http://groups.google.com/groups/prof...GZMCIHZ5OvvJcg


Got to love Google as rap sheet.

  #30  
Old December 30th 07, 07:14 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
Sheelagh>\o\
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 140
Default The stigma of owning a cat.

On Dec 30, 9:24Â*am, IBen Getiner wrote:
On Dec 20, 11:46�am, "David McCracken"





wrote:
Hi everyone:


I haven't posted in this forum in a long while, but have always found it
full of great people with much knowledge and love for cats. �So I
immediately thought of this newsgroup when I wanted to share this
perspective about cat ownership.


One of my two 10-year-old cats suddenly became ill over the last weekend and
she's been in the hospital for the last few days. �The vet says her immune
system is attacking her red blood cells and platelets, so they've put her on
steroids and IV fluids. �They've stabilized her enough that I'm about to
pick her up in about a half hour. �She stopped eating once she got to the
vet, so their hope is that she'll start back up once she returns home and
gets back to her routine. �Otherwise, she may be returning to the vet and
spending the holidays there.


What I really want to discuss is what I've had to endure over the past few
days with friends and co-workers as I deal with my pet's health crisis. �I
suppose I could be imagining much of this, so bear with me. �My general
impression is that most dog people or non-pet owners don't seem to
understand the need to, for example, stay home from work babysitting a sick
cat. �I get the feeling as though cat ownership is less valid of an excuse
to be at home vs. a sick child or even a sick dog.


Jokes typically come up when I discuss how much I've already spent on my cat
(about $700 this week). �Someone had commented that they're not even sure
they'd spend that much on their own child, let alone a cat. �I realize they
were just ribbing me about it, but you know what they say about there always
being a shred of truth behind every joke. �On some base level, I think they
were actually being sincere. �I should point out that these are otherwise
good co-workers with whom I get along fine.


I'm wondering first if this is just my imagination...if other cat owners out
there have felt the sting of this stigma. �Perhaps people just have a hard
time linking a 6 foot, 2-inch, 235-pound male to two little kitties instead
of, say, a Doberman.


Would appreciate any thoughts or experiences.


Thanks again and happy holidays.


Snipped so others don't have to tolerate you


Big words with little action.
Nothing, would please me more than seeing you lead by example......

Sheelagh"o"
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
My take on the negative stigma biological unhappiness! [email protected] Cat anecdotes 0 June 1st 05 09:01 PM
My take on the negative stigma biological unhappiness! [email protected] Cat anecdotes 0 June 1st 05 08:28 PM
Asthma and Owning Kitties (Ideas Please) TypicalGirl Cat rescue 4 September 22nd 03 06:25 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CatBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.