Born or Made?

[Vette]

I think most people and domestic animals are born to love all animals and then their environment will foster or blunt that love. I have seen in both people and animals, especially cats where they are afraid of every thing and every body. I have seen one cat out of a litter that from day one will hide and not socialize with anyone. When they are born this way no amount of socializing will change that. I have seen the same traits in humans. My niece from day one was afraid of every thing and everybody. She is 23 now and is still afraid of all animals and shys away from people. Envirnoment is a big influence but some times there is an innate fear built in that can't be changed.

I think you hit base on both. either it being there since birth,, or environment being key factor/s. whether its home environment or not an whether they are human or animal.

[cyber-sibes]

I was born loving them all... and I always knew I would get a cat when I left home--which I did! (my dad hated them, no way was he going to let me have one). I loved my hamsters growing up. My oldest son was born loving them all, too. He was fortunate to have an iguana for several years -- I loved that little iggy too! However when he was about 10, he kept pressing for a pet scorpion, I did draw the line ... I told him "Sorry, but no. You aren't allowed to have pets that can kill you", lol.

[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!

[Catherinedana]

Guess that will have to do!

[Scooter's Mom]

My mom was a dog person - she loved all animals but seems like she loved dogs the most and she never went without one in her life. She always said she really didn't like cats at all (until her last kitty, Tipper).

When my mom was pregnant with me, she was bitten (attacked) by a Siamese cat. They never found it, so just had to pray that it wasn't sick.

I have always loved kitties. I was born that way. I tell people it's like spiderman - only I have a love of cats from mom being bit while I was a part of her! LOL

I do love all animals - but kitties just take the cake!