Why is there such a pathological hatred of cats in Irish society?

Maudi

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

They catch vermin, provide comfort and have been shown to be somewhat therapeutic in cases of depression.

cant recall exactly but i was shocked to hear of the high millions of wild birds this vermin kill per year..and yes i suppose if i was ever depressed cat skin slippers would be therapeutic...

Maudi

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

They catch vermin, provide comfort and have been shown to be somewhat therapeutic in cases of depression.

cant recall exactly but i was shocked to hear of the high millions of wild birds this vermin kill per year..and yes i suppose if i was ever depressed cat skin slippers would be therapeutic...

Greentopia

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Hate that think of thing, some kids are bad minded little bastards.

Given some of the uninformed and pig ignorant naked hostility to cats on display in this thread is it any wonder some kids grow up like that with hostility and aggression towards cats? no surprises that kids copy the example of the parents.

In contrast to attitudes about cats I've found in some other European countries I've lived and travelled in there seems to be a sizeable section of Irish society who haven't progressed far beyond the small minded, wilfully ignorant and primitive bogger attitudes of their forefathers in relation to animal welfare, particularly regarding cats. I've come across it in farming areas down here quite a lot.
Just shows how far many of us still have to evolve. :rolleyes:

Reindeer

It all boils down to whether you've got parasites on the brain or not.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9560048

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Scientists are saying between 20-58% of a population may have this parasite, and nearly all cat owners will have it. Some speculate it may be attributed to cat hording, and multiple cat ownership.

So, basically, cat owner brains are full of parasites. This may explain a lot You cat-lovers got bugs on the brain!

ancapailldorcha

Where are you getting that 20-58% from? And plenty of other animals carry parasites as well, albeit less nasty ones than T. gondii.

Optimalprimerib

Never was a cat lover but one found me yesterday and more or less decided to move in. Stuck posters up and all for its owner, but fell in love with it's care-not attitude and how it playfully tries to scrape my eyes out when it thinks I'm not looking.

In fairness though I really wanted a dog but knew how needy they can be, so I am willing to give the cat a chance, unless its owners show up. I am really excited about it.

uberalles

Reindeer wrote: »

It all boils down to whether you've got parasites on the brain or not.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9560048

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii

Scientists are saying between 20-58% of a population may have this parasite, and nearly all cat owners will have it. Some speculate it may be attributed to cat hording, and multiple cat ownership.

So, basically, cat owner brains are full of parasites. This may explain a lot You cat-lovers got bugs on the brain!

Cats can feck right off after reading that

gobnaitolunacy

Cats can't read, silly.

shaunandelly

I imagine it's already been said but I can't be bothered trawling. It's because they're too good at Hurling.

KK4SAM

http://homepage.eircom.net/~kilkennyhockey/the%20cat.html

9959

Singing' the blues while the lady cats cry
"Wild stray cat you're a real gone guy
I wish I could be so carefree and wild
but I got cat class and I got cat style"

loveisdivine

I think a lot of people dislike cats because they arent needy enough. As if its independence means its nasty and sly. Basically most people only like animals that rely on them, they want to feel needed.

Run_to_da_hills

A truck crammed with five hundred cats stopped en route to restaurants in China. :eek:

Son Of A Vidic

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

They rarely catch kill vermin due to innate laziness and being overfed. They provide comfort for themselves only and have been shown to be somewhat therapeutic in cases of depression enjoy eating their owners after they pass away.

Obvious errors corrected.

Shenshen

Ok, so lots of you feel like showing that I'm correct in my observation about the irrational and patholigical dislike a large number of Irish people have towards cats, but I see little explanation for the source of the dislike being put forward?

Also, that is the 2nd or 3rd time this thread has been grave-dug. Creepy.

H3llR4iser

loveisdivine wrote: »

I think a lot of people dislike cats because they arent needy enough. As if its independence means its nasty and sly. Basically most people only like animals that rely on them, they want to feel needed.

Frankly, I think that the fact that cats don't bug you for constant attention to be their only redeeming characteristic. Other than that they are just nasty, full stop. They uncannily show up at meal time, take over places and spots around the house and pointlessly, needlessly and stupidly snap at the hand that's literally feeding them.

But to be honest, it's not cats I have my beef with - it's cat lovers. A lot of the people I know own a cat or are cat-lovers in general and almost all these people seem nice upfront, only for you to later discover them to be deceptive, selfish compulsive liars. Just like a cat, they'll only appear when there's some gain in it. They also seem to masochistically enjoy being abused by the little critter: they might be just sitting on the couch with the cat sleeping in their lap and all of a sudden it just snaps and bites or scratches them, and they laugh it off. They essentially live commandeered by the cat's needs and seem not only to like it, but to enjoy it; They treat their pet as if it was a small furry person - I honestly think there is a LOT wrong in that.

Another despicable characteristic of the average cat lover is their complete, total, utter disregard and disrespect for other people, starting with their neighbors. They will let their cats roam all day and all night (only to cry when it inevitably ends up run over by a car) brushing off complaints and notices with "you can't tell me what to do with my cat". Well, if your cat ruins half the block's gardens, I might actually want to have a word with you. Keep them indoors, it's better for them too - they're very ill equipped to survive an urban environment.

Also, the argument about cats being "clean". Sure, tomorrow morning I'll lick myself over and go to the office, I'll see how happy the others will be. Spare the "cats saliva is cleansing!" argument, doesn't work. Just accept that your kitty is actually a little ball of germs; When he/she jumps on the kitchen counter or the bed, he/she's been walking everywhere with those little paws, and most importantly, been burying and rolling their own poo with them; therefore, they're putting poo on your bed, kitchen and ultimately - food. So nice.

So if you like your cat(s), good for you. I tend to ignore them whenever they are around, I know I WILL snap back at them if they do their cat thing and bite/scratch me, and I'm a 100+ kg brute while the kitty is a 2kg furball, I would feel very bad if I hurt it. Just be a civilized person and don't try to impose your cat love on others, keep them indoors and don't pretend they are people - they aren't.

PS. I'm not Irish. Come from Italy and I can assure the situation is the same everywhere in western countries, it's not an "Irish thing".

ancapailldorcha

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

Never was a cat lover but one found me yesterday and more or less decided to move in. Stuck posters up and all for its owner, but fell in love with it's care-not attitude and how it playfully tries to scrape my eyes out when it thinks I'm not looking.

In fairness though I really wanted a dog but knew how needy they can be, so I am willing to give the cat a chance, unless its owners show up. I am really excited about it.

That's how it starts...

charlietheminxx

What an absolutely despicable stereotype of people who like cats! Do you really believe that? I'm shocked and mildly horrified

H3llR4iser

charlietheminxx wrote: »

What an absolutely despicable stereotype of people who like cats! Do you really believe that? I'm shocked and mildly horrified

Do you keep your cat indoors all the time? Not let it roam around the neighbourhood? If your neighbour comes one morning and asks you "sorry, I think your car destroyed my flowers and killed my bird, would you avoid letting it out at night?", would you actually do it? Do you keep it off the beds, kitchen top, toilet etc. all the time? Why do you keep an animal that bites and scratches you for no reason at all? Isn't there a place in your apartment that your cat has taken over?
Don't you love badgering people that don't like cats about how awesome they are?

Sorry if the "stereotype" offends you, but that is my experience. I know a lot of people that are cat-lovers and they invariably, over time, manage to fall into the exact description.

Ziegfeldgirl27

I absolutely adore cats, I have one cat and one dog and I just think the cat is easier looked after.
However my cats personality is more rewarding, he is very affectionate and in some ways "dog like". I know some people who hate cats say its because they are sneaky and they don't care about their owners - quite often these are people who do not own cats themselves.

My granny always said to me that cats are full of diseases - perhaps that is something that Irish people think from years ago and that is why there are lots of cat haters?

charlietheminxx

H3llR4iser wrote: »

Do you keep your cat indoors all the time? Not let it roam around the neighbourhood? If your neighbour comes one morning and asks you "sorry, I think your car destroyed my flowers and killed my bird, would you avoid letting it out at night?", would you actually do it? Do you keep it off the beds, kitchen top, toilet etc. all the time? Why do you keep an animal that bites and scratches you for no reason at all? Isn't there a place in your apartment that your cat has taken over?
Don't you love badgering people that don't like cats about how awesome they are?

Sorry if the "stereotype" offends you, but that is my experience. I know a lot of people that are cat-lovers and they invariably, over time, manage to fall into the exact description.

No, I don't believe in animal cruelty so I wouldn't lock my cat up all the time. If you would care to read back a few pages, you will be able to see the ongoing debate about personal responsibility for animal care and where I stand on that. I would quote it to make it more convenient, but hey, I'm just too darn selfish..... I've owned my cat since he was a rescue kitten, 9 years ago, and he neither bites nor scratches me. He's also incredibly gentle with my special needs sister, and gets on ok with the dog. If people don't like cats, that's their own business, but I absolutely hate when people make weak arguments and sweeping sterotypes.

Odysseus

Greentopia wrote: »

Just shows how far many of us still have to evolve. :rolleyes:

Could you elaborate on this evolution and how liking cat progresses us further down that path?

ancapailldorcha

Odysseus wrote: »

Could you elaborate on this evolution and how liking cat progresses us further down that path?

I think he's referring to the shedding of moronic opinions based on what everyone else says as opposed to personal observations and experience.

Odysseus

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I think he's referring to the shedding of moronic opinions based on what everyone else says as opposed to personal observations and experience.

That is evolution how? As to moronic are you meaning this definition:
1. A stupid person; a dolt.
2. Psychology A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive

So is it just a attempt at personal abuse of those who don't agree about cats?

Because I'm not buying that some people are more evolved than others because of certain opinions

Chuck Stone

Odysseus wrote: »

Because I'm not buying that some people are more evolved than others because of certain opinions

Really?

So If I hold the opinion that witches are to blame for society's ills I'm not calling my 'evolvedness' into question?

9959

Pussycat, Pussycat
I've got flowers
And lots of hours
To spend with you
So go and powder your cute little pussycat nose!
Pussycat, Pussycat
I love you
Yes, I do!

Odysseus

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Really?

So If I hold the opinion that witches are to blame for society's ills I'm not calling my 'evolvedness' into question?

I think it is quite clear what would be called into question if one held such an opinion. You don't need to be called Sigmund to see that!

ancapailldorcha

Odysseus wrote: »

That is evolution how? As to moronic are you meaning this definition:
1. A stupid person; a dolt.
2. Psychology A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive

So is it just a attempt at personal abuse of those who don't agree about cats?

Because I'm not buying that some people are more evolved than others because of certain opinions

I never said it was evolution, I was stating how I interpreted Greentopia's post. I'm just so fed up of idiots who just parrot the "cats are evil" argument with no evidence for said argument. It's like the Irish language or the British, 2 other subjects most Irish people can't seem to be reasonable about.

Chuck Stone

Odysseus wrote: »

I think it is quite clear what would be called into question if one held such an opinion.

But...

Odysseus wrote: »

I'm not buying that some people are more evolved than others because of certain opinions

Take this for example:

John McTernan is claiming that “the gathering storm must be God’s judgment on gays...”

Source

Obviously this religious nut-job has a little evolving to do and this is evidenced by the opinions he holds.

Have I convinced you that some people can appear more evolved than others by the opinions they hold?

Spread

I thought that they were universally hated only in Tipperary. I use the word "universally" lightly