Does This Happen Where You Work?

[K & L]

Seems everyone has to come and tell me their grisley cat story. I hate hearing these and people seem to get a kick out of knowing it bothers you.

I had a guy tell me a horrible story today. I've been upset over it since. I just hate this.

[Barbara]

It has happened to me often. Now I don't allow anyone to tell these stories in my presence.
I had an uncle who dealed with cattle. He was a brute and I remember that one day when I was already older then 20 he told this horror story about a dog. It was my fathers birthday and this guy had drunk and was loud and liked that story. And I really got upset and loud and said nobody wanted to hear these stories and they were nothing you could laugh about and that he should keep his mouth shut.
My father later attacked me saying that of course nobody wanted to hear it but why had it to be me to tell him.
But I still am proud that I did.

[IttyBittyKitty]

All my colleagues are animal lovers! One of them, in particular, is a fellow animal activist who rescues puppy dogs (and is the most respected breeder of dobermans in the whole state - she breeds only because there is popular demand for her pups and she truly loves them).

I have no problems at all at work in that respect. I am very lucky.

[slick]

People here are OK as well (as far as animals are concerned!) but I'm still trying to educate a few people on the benefits of getting a rescue pet as opposed to going to a breeder (no bad PM's please), and adopting an adult as opposed to a kitten or puppy. All in all their are pretty good and I do have a few good customers who buy my doggie bickies all year long.

[jenluckenbach]

Well, I work in the animal business so I do not get this much as we all love animals, but my Husband on the other hand has worked with some real jerks.
PM me if you need a kind word.

[NoahsMommy]

That is just plain mean!!! I would bet that 99% of these stories are due to idiot owners!!!

I'm sorry K&L....come here and vet. We understand.

Jerk....... Now you have me all mad!!!

[BastetsMum]

Where I work they all love Bastet! She is like our little mascot! But they also love telling me horror stories.

I usually ask them if they are a dog person or a cat person. If they are a dog person and they are having a good laugh I usually tell them what if that happened to a dog? They always say - it wouldn't be funny and then I say well its not funny for me to hear that it happened to a cat. They usually don't say anything after that.

[K & L]

Where I work, the more you let them know something bothers you, the more they'll do it. It's best to act like what they say means nothing. They know how I fight for the cat, so I hear it! I don't mind the jokes, teasing, etc. but I HATE it when they feel they have to tell me the horror story of what happened to some cat. Why do people think you want to hear this?

[IttyBittyKitty]

Some people are just horrible. They get a disgusting thrill from telling awful stories of cruelty to you, knowing that it makes you upset. They are obviously jerks.

We share the same stories at work, but only to inform other animal lovers so they can get in on petitions, etc.

[Cookiebaker]

Yes this does. I work in a small company, and I love everyone I work with. But they do NOT share the same love/respect for animals that I do. I'm faced with this quite often (they think it's a joke) and I have learned to just tune it out/leave the room when they start telling their grisly stories. Uggh. You are definitely not alone, K&L

[Vio&Juni]

Everyone at my office tell me funny or happy stories with kitties. And if they have a horrible story to tell, they are as indignant at the fact as me.

[catmandu]

I know just what BastetsMum means! The people who do that , they think because a cat doent fawn and drool over you as a Dog does , it is not worthy of affection. But A Dog is a pack animal and A Cat is Not.TRherefore they are smaller and you have to earn thier love. dogs and Cats are the same to me , but some people only care that something is useful. Well may thier homes fill up with MICE!

[Cataholic]

I have had many people try to tell me horror stories about pets. I immediately, and repeatedly, and very sternly tell them, " I don't want to hear it"...and if they continue, I say, " I am very serious, I don't want to hear it"...and if they are stupid enough to try it again, I tell them, "Listen you are offending me, get off the subject, or get out of here". Sometimes, they say, "well, its true"...or "its a fact of life"...or something, and I just tell them it isn't a fact of 'my life' to hear it.


I agree, there are some people that get a perverse thrill about it. I have no qualms about slowly exiting these people from my life.

[EnglishRider]

I feel for ya... I used to get it a lot from my (ex) boyfriend's father... he hated cats and would literally try to hurt them just because. Part of the reason I broke up with my boyfriend is because he would love the stories and always tell me... meanwhile I have 2 cats in our apartment sitting on the couch beside him. gawd. You don't have to be a cat lover, but you better respect my 'kids' not to mention my feelings! I don;t wanna hear about "hit and runs" or other ghastly stories from the guy that is supposed to love me.
- Carole

[RICHARD]

i just find something they like and as soon as the finish THEIR story, I launch into my story and make sure i speak clearly and keep eye contact with them.......

good subjects??

cars, their losses in the stock market, politics and sports..

they key to getting their goat is to strike back with gentle ribbing, big smile on your face and
being able to sustain the joke for more than one day....

they get the message pretty quickly.