Born or Made?

[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.

[Casper]

I would have to say I was taught to love animals.

When I was little, I was terrified of dogs. Any size; it didn't matter. Over the years my dad would tell me stories of the dogs he grew up with, and the thought of having a dog grew on me. By the time I was 9 I was begging and pleading for a dog for Christmas. Thats when Frisk came along, and he changed everything.

My love of cats didn't come on its own. Not long after I got Frisk, my parents let my sister get a cat -- Melani. She's one of those cats that love one person (my sister), and barely tolerates everyone else. Nevertheless, she weaseled her way into my heart... and to this day, I still don't know how! A couple of years passed before a tiny little kitten followed my sisters' friends to the house and darted in the front door, straight to the cat food, and began chowing down like he lived here. I bet you can guess where this is going! That would be Khaith, my first cat.


I am happy to say that I now love all animals, and I find it so hard to fathom how I used to be!

[MonicanHonda]

I was only allowed small animals (hamsters/fish/anole) as a child but ALWAYS wanted a dog. Even as a tiny baby, my first phrase was "bye bye doggy". My parents tolerate animals but don't like them. Lol They wonder how I became such an animal lover.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I said born loving them all.

I wanted a dog from the time that I knew dogs existed. And then as I've encountered other animals, I've definitely loved them too.

[luvofallhorses]

I was born an animal lover.

[Vette]

For as long as i can remember ive always been more of a dog person

[Kalei]

I was definately born to love animals. I don't necessarily like all animals, but I think the word love means that you will always have feelings for something. I don't really like birds, but I would never want to see any bird be hurt or unhappy and if I ever found one that needed help I would be there until the end!

But I was born loving cats, dogs, and bunnies that's for sure! And fish

[Suki Wingy]

It's actually very difficult for me to tell since I never got a chance not to like animals, there were so many around me from the start! I think it must be a combo of both being born with the love of animals and just growing up surrounded by them.

[IRescue452]

My coworker made me think of this thread today. She's NOT an animal person at all, not even a fish in her house. However, yesterday and today and maybe all weekend she's dogsitting for her sister because her brother-in-law is in the hospital. She desribed the situation to me sounding quite disgusted by the thought of a dog in her house, although she says its a really nice dog. She knows absolutely nothing about animals.

"Last night it was by my side of the bed and it barked like maybe it heard a car and I told her to go lay down. Then it went over by my husband and barked and finally he asked her if she wanted to go outside. She wanted out at midnight! Then she wanted to go out again at 5am! And she stunk when she came in. I thought she smelled bad enough already! She was out there kinda rolling in the snow and I'm like oh no what are you doing. And then she held her bak foot up and started shaking it like she was cold. I called my sister beause I didn't know if she was having some sort of seizure or something was wrong with her leg. She told me it probably had snow stuck to it and I tried wiping her feet with a towel but she's a golden retriever so she wouldn't stay still."

Then we get to the part about the hair (keep in mind a roomba vacuum holds like half a cup of dirt)...
"I guess I'm glad I'm taking care of her now and not in the summer. I'm told they shed MORE then. We emptied the roomba and you should have seen the hair. And she got nose prints on my patio door and she was licking the moisture off the door. That's so weird"

She has a son in 9th grade and a daughter in 3rd. I know her daughter really wants a dog but she said "my son came up to me and said he guesses he really doesn't want a dog anymore because it follows him around all the time and it bothers him. He didn't know it would do that"

I'm not sure what makes an animal person, but she has one daughter that made it through the horrors of living in an animal free house so far and might turn out "normal". Obviously the daughter wasn't taught right.

Keep in mind this is one day of having the dog. She's already talking about how much she's going to have to clean the house once it goes back.

[Karen]

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

There is a "born a bird person" option ... thought that covered it!