Born or Made?

[Karen]

Do you think pet lovers are born or made? I am thinking of people I know who grew up without a pet, but always knew they'd get a certain kind - for example, a cat - when they were adults on their own. So do you think that some people are born either dog or cat or lizard or bunny people from the start?

Have you always known you loved the kind of pet you have, or did you learn to love them, or both?

[Karen]

I, of course am a "born loving them all," as anyone who has met me knows! I love kitties even though I am terribly allergic to them, and dream about all sorts of animal friends, including a baby giraffe last night.

[kokopup]

I was brought up with Cats and dogs. I did try to adopt an Alligator once, but when my mother was introduced to it, when she got up to give my baby sister her bottle, I was forced to return it to the adoption agency. My efforts to adopt snakes ended the same way. I did have some short runs with lizards but my older sister usually talked me out of them. She liked to wear them on her blouse. She had a way of hypnotizing them and they would just cling to her all day.

[Freedom]

I think people are born loving animals, or not. I too know folks who never had a pet as and always knew they would have one.

I've met folks who were "dog people," or "cat people." Funny thing, they are always conscious enough o animals to say, "but I would never hurt [insert the other species]" I'm just not excited about them or wouldn't want to own one etc. So they appreciate animals.

I have an aunt (by marriage! not a blood relation) who does not like animals of any kind and can't understand why anyone would have a pet. Needless to say, she is not someone I get along with very well!

Karen, I didn't understand the poll; question is general but the responses seem to be what we are. Maybe I just can't read it right. Sorry.

[Reachoutrescue]

I think people are "born loving all"....maybe it is a genetic thing! I also know several people, young and old, that did not grow up with pets but LOVE animals and now do rescue work. I don't think an animal lover can be made or taught. It is in our blood.

[happylabs]

I think I was a born animal lover in general. I had a dog from the time I was born and almost all of my life until the last year when I had Casey put down. I never had a cat until I was in my early 40's. I didn't really "love" cats until I had my own but always liked them.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I think I was born loving cats. When I was probably about 5-6 years old I kept bugging my mom to get a cat. I was able to bring home a kitten for the day to see if we'd all like it. Unfortunately my mom made me return it. Later on my mom decided to take in a stray male young adult cat because a neighborhood boy said that he would be put down if he couldn't find him a home. I was 8 or 9 when I finally got a kitten of my own. She was a fluffy orange kitten. I think this is where my love of orangies also started.

We had one dog and I loved her very much but I was still more of cat person. We had hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, gerbils, fish, turtles, snakes, lizards, frogs, toads, ducks, and even a squirrel for a little while. I'm very lucky that I was exposed to so many different kinds of animals while I was growing up. My love for cats has always won out though and it still does.

[Catherinedana]

My allergies have kept me away from cats all my life so I've never bonded with one, but I do love animals. Dogs are great and BIRDS are WONDERFUL!! I seem to have a special affinity with them.

So here's the kooky part . . . I can "feel" certain animals. It's like they give something off that lets me know what's going on with them. Believe it or not, elephants especially. It's actually very painful because they go so deep, much deeper than humans. I can hardly stand it. . .being around elephants always brings me to tears. And if it they are in shows or unhappy or bored I have to leave because it nearly makes me sick.

[Randi]

I tend to believe that everyone are born to like animals, but the influence from your surroundings probably has a huge effect also, especially as a child. Then, children can be so cruel to animals. I remember as a child I had a lot of fun tramping on ants in the street. These days I might kill a fly if it keeps buzzing around, and cockroaches I will kill, but I will take a spider outside.

I also think that people who grow up with animals around them and go to the Zoo a lot will understand them more and therefore be empathic towards them.

When I was little, I always wanted a cat, but my mother wouldn't let me, for various reasons. I saw cats every summer when i visited my grandmother in the country side, and I had a dinner plate with a cat on.

When it comes to liking a particular animal more than others, I don't really know where that influence came from or whether you have it in your genes.

I wonder if there has been done any scientific researh on this.

[cassiesmom]

I have been a cat person for as long as I can remember because my sister has had a cat for almost all her married life. Pet Talk has taught me so much about dogs that I hope to have one some day! Animal cruelty and homelessness (and puppy mills and too many pets in shelters) make me sad.

I don't like opossums because they dig in the trash and make a big mess.

[Karen]

What made me really think of the question was thinking about a few people I have known, none of them Pet Talkers, just so ya know. One, Julie, had never been permitted a pet as a child, but had always been drawn to cats. She was sure as soon as life circumstances permitted it, she would own a cat. We worked in an office with a dog, and she was perfectly cordial to the dog, but didn't really like it.

Another friend, Bonnie, grew up with a cat, always a cat in the family. When we became friends, she learned to love dogs, through our Saint Bernard, Freckles, and then our Great Dane mix Gracie. Before them, her only experience with dogs was a little terrier neighbor, who tended to bite whenever he could catch someone. She now owns both dog and cat.

And yet I know some people, like my acquaintance Will, who does not own a pet, does not really understand why anyone would, and just doesn't "get" the appeal.

[lvpets2002]

I voted Born to Love Cats.. Dont get me wrong I do love all animals.. But I am very much a loving cat person..

[Alysser]

I voted for 'born loving them all' because I think that's what happened to me. My baby book has pictures of me laughing at dogs and cats from 3 months +.

[Catherinedana]

But Karen, you forgot the option "Born a Crazy Bird Lady"

[Taz_Zoee]

I've always had a pet around. Living in the country we had dogs, cats, rabbits, cows, horses, chickens, roosters, turkeys and for a short time goats.
At first I was more drawn to cats. My sister was the dog person. While I liked dogs I never really bonded with any we had. Until I got Zoee. She is MY first dog.

But I have a friend that saw her mom get attacked by a dog when she was 11, so she has a fear of ALL animals. A co-worker brought her cockatiel to work one day because it was sick and my friend wouldn't go near it. I've tried to talk her into doing something to get over this fear. She now has a two year old daughter and her husband would really like to get a dog for her to grow up with. So far that hasn't happened. I wish I could just flip a switch and she wouldn't be afraid anymore. It's just sad for her daughter.