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.