Born or Made?

[Bengalz]

I grew up on a farm with a variety of animals - we always had dogs and cats as pets.

When we moved into a city (without our farm pets) and I began to go to school cats often followed me home. My Mom and Dad finally let me have my first kitten when I was 12. Sammy was beautiful and my best friend and my family had him for 22 years!

I think people in general are born without bias one way or another; circumstances and immediate environment shape their choices and preferences. My pets were my first friends - living on a farm with no other children around can be lonely. Our dogs and cats were my playmates and I grew up feeling more comfortable with them than other children. Going to school in the city changed that however, my love for animals never changed. Life without a furry friend is a lonely place.

[Barbara]

While I loved animals I was also scared of some of them when I was a kid- e.g. cats- after I put my hands in what I now can recognize as cat diarrhea in my sand box
Plus I was scared of many dogs- like the big Rottie our butcher had.
I even was scared stiff of wolves- thanks to Grimm's tales and some dreams I had.
It changed when I grew up. The wife of my dad's cousin was into dog rescue and when I was 18 I stayed in their house with 5 dogs when they went on vacation. I always thought then I would breed dogs.
I do not know exactly when I became a cat person - the first cat was a rescue in a house my first husband and I shared with others when I was 21. I suppose it was Grisette's babies who totally won me over.
If I had a big house that was really in the country side I would still have cats and dogs.
As for other animals like wolves I learned to love them when I knew more about them and today I think they are so beautiful and do not deserve their bad reputation in kids' tales.
I am still a little bit reluctant with insects and spider-likes. I think they are wonderful and very useful- but it would be a bit much to say I love them. I was however never scared of snakes.

[SinbadsMom]

Born loving them all...and I think all or almost all people are born that way (just as almost all baby animals seem to be born loving and open). IMO it's usually something in the environment or how they're raised that changes/limits the natural openness and love (or doesn't offer opportunities, in the case of people who don't have pets when young and aren't around animals very often).

Cindy