What do you tell a person who does not like cats?

[Arabella]

Ok, I've got a lady who lives downstairs who tells me she does not like our neighbor because they have too many cats. I LOVE cats, I love all animals but cats and horse are my favorites. Anyway it offends me deeply. It makes it kind of hard to like her even though she's nice to me, but she also tells me things like no one should have any animal in their home. Should I tell her the benfits of owning an animal? Should I dare go against what this older opiniated woman says or should I bite my lips and hold my tongue? I am finding it harder and harder to bite my tongue, I may eventually bite it off. OUCH!

[Husky_mom]

lol.. sounds like my inlaws talking to me about my pets..

I´ve learnt to let it go as it comes... through n through.. as there´s no way EVER to make a point with them..

if it´s a bird, a cat, a dog, a fish..you name it.. it´s always you should let them go away in the woods or something.. why have them?.. yes, it irks me.. but it´s MY HOUSE and MY PETS.. so if for whatever reason the don´t like it.. their bad.. they have their opinion but it´s MY CHOICE.. so as you and your neighbor... and only the person owning the pets can determine when it´s too many.. for some it may be one or two or twenty.. each one has their limits..

if at all possible I´d avoid pet including conversations with her...

[Taz_Zoee]

I'd let it go. I know people who don't like cats or dogs or whatever. I just ignore it and move on. Now if they make comments about it all the time, I'd probably just constantly make comments about how much I love my pets. Just to throw it back in their face.......in a nice way, of course.
I have a co-worker that doesn't like dogs and cats. She doesn't know why, but she has bought me a kitten calendar the past two years for my cubicle. She asks about them if I mention they are sick or injured. But she'd never own one herself. And I have another friend that is petrified of any animal. She saw her mom get bit by a dog when she was young. But we still got along great!
I guess what I'm saying is she should respect your opinion and views on liking animals just as you'd respect hers on not liking them.

[Laura's Babies]

I would have to ask her why she keeps bringing it up? Is she wanting you to agree or disagree?.. I'd always respond with "Yea, I remember you said that the last 2 (3,4, or 5) time(s) we talked.

I HATE people who keep repeting the same things to me like I didn't get it the first time they said it, or the second, or the third. It's like beating a dead horse to death!

[carole]

I guess you could just let it go, but for me i would have to stand up and say what i believe in, I personally can never understand anyone not liking cats, i mean what is there to not like about cats, they are adorable in every way, however i do respect that other's do not necessarily share my opinion, and as long as they respect that i do adore cats, then that is fine with me,i can understand someone not really wanting a cat, but to say they hate them, well to me they are a very sad individual indeed and certainly have not experienced the love of an animal ,and are missing out big time.

If it were me i would be saying oh you are not keen on cats,? i just love them myself, however each to their own, or something simple along those lines.

Just because she is older makes no difference, i am a mature older women, and i think i would have no problem if someone said that to me.

Anyhow the ball is in your court so to speak, it is entirely your decision whether to keep biting your tongue and eventually biting it off lol, just kidding, or stand up and speak, GOOD LUCK.

[Freedom]

It is not as though you are going to change her mind. Let it go.

I have one aunt (by marriage, thank goodness!) who can't understand why anyone would want a pet, of any sort. I have very little to do with her . . . .

We are both quite happy this way!

[GILL]

I for one have never been known for holding my tongue.
I normally tell people that I feel sorry for them. Not knowing the love of a pet and how good they make you feel.

[cassiesmom]

I wonder why she thinks that. If you agree, will she ask you to side with her in reporting the neighbor with too many cats to the authorities?

Humorous answer first: I'd tell her she's missing out on the love a cat can give. Serious answer, I agree with everyone who said they would just let it go. I'd probably say something like, "Yes, she does have cats." I guess I'd go for the Captain Obvious type of response because I can't think of anything you might say that would satisfy her.

[catmandu]

My Dear mother told me this one time, that there are some people who are narrow and selfish , and animals sense this and they do not get along.
For these people there is no explnantion that will convince them.
For those who love to share our lives with the Creatures created by Our All Loving Lord God above, no explanation is necessary.

[Karen]

I would tell her, "you may not like cats, but I love them. We can agree to disagree, okay? Let's talk about something else."

If she persists, tell her that cats have been human companions for thousands of years, have have their images on walls in the pyramids of the pharoahs in Egypt. Cats saved humanity from the bubonic plague by killing the rodents that were carrying it throughout Europe. And while you don't expect her to love them, she can at least respect that some people do.

[Husky_mom]

My Dear mother told me this one time, that there are some people who are narrow and selfish , and animals sense this and they do not get along.
For these people there is no explnantion that will convince them.
For those who love to share our lives with the Creatures created by Our All Loving Lord God above, no explanation is necessary.

what a wise woman

[carole]

I was just about to type the very same thing, Gary i think your mother really summed up so beautifully.,thanks for sharing that , it will stay in my mind forever and i think i shall be using it when i need to , if that is ok.

[catnapper]

I have this conversation often enough at work because I always ask customers if htey have pets (because we're selling furniture, its important so I can direct people to fabric that will be pet friendly) Anyway, I often get people who scrunch up their noses and tell me pets are icky. I love to then shock them by telling them how many cats I have (yes I have an evil streak )

They way I explain it is that I have cats to make up for those who don't like them, and how I can't imagine life without a pet. That usually shuts them up. And if they continue to speak poorly of pets, I tell them thats why there's chocolate and vanilla --- different flavors for different tastes. My taste runs to having a houseful of pets while theirs runs to none. Its doesn't mean either of us is wrong, it just means we have different ways of living.

[kitten645]

You are never going to change her mind so I wouldn't waste my energy. I'd just avoid her altogether!

[Arabella]

Thank you all for replying. I think she just grew up very unloved, I feel sorry for her, I think her heart would melt and she'd become a totally different softer hearted person if she'd allow herself to be loved by a pet. There's something about a love of an animal that a human love just isn't the same. I get offended when she talks ill of animals, I think of all the times my animals have been there, how many crazy silly things they did to make me laugh, and all the head bumpy or slobbered kisses from dogs that I got when I was sad, and the times my not so friendly horse let me hug on him when I was down. Like one of the PP said animal sense our moods and our love for them.