Pathological Animal Love

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Ceke2002

Purveyor of Strange
10+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
6,324
Reaction score
6,031
No not Beastiality, get your minds out the gutter if you went there :rolleyes::p. Inspired by a recent discussion I had with a friend, and fellow cat lover, cases of hoarding aside do you think there is a line where a love for animals (pets, etc) does become pathological (or can be considered part of a person's pathology), and if so where does that line lie?

For example I once gave up a legal right to an $80,000 share of a house and land package in exchange for a cat. I know some people think that's completely nuts, and goes way beyond just being a devoted pet owner, but to me it was a perfectly reasonable decision to have made (material item versus sentient being I'd formed a bond with? No contest), but it did get me thinking at what point does devotion become pathology?

Members don't see this ad.
 
A bit of an aside (or maybe not), I've come across some people who've accused people who take their dogs with them to most places of being narcissistic. I never quite got that, although I guess wanting others to accommodate you (by accommodating your dog) could maybe be a little self-centered. I guess I could see where a narcissistic person might insist on taking an animal where the animal doesn't want to go just to fulfill their own needs for companionship and attention in the same ways that a narcissistic parent might bring their child with them where they don't belong to show off. So, hmm, I think our dysfunction with others might replicate itself in our relationships with our animals.

About too much devotion, our companion animals are sentient creatures who spend more time with us than almost anyone else. It doesn't seem that odd to prioritize a relationship with a cat or a dog over money. I had someone break into my apartment many years ago, and my very first concern when I realized my door had been kicked in was my cat, who thankfully was sitting on the bed entirely unfazed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users
Members don't see this ad :)
A bit of an aside (or maybe not), I've come across some people who've accused people who take their dogs with them to most places of being narcissistic. I never quite got that, although I guess wanting others to accommodate you (by accommodating your dog) could maybe be a little self-centered. I guess I could see where a narcissistic person might insist on taking an animal where the animal doesn't want to go just to fulfill their own needs for companionship and attention in the same ways that a narcissistic parent might bring their child with them where they don't belong to show off. So, hmm, I think our dysfunction with others might replicate itself in our relationships with our animals.

About too much devotion, our companion animals are sentient creatures who spend more time with us than almost anyone else. It doesn't seem that odd to prioritize a relationship with a cat or a dog over money. I had someone break into my apartment many years ago, and my very first concern when I realized my door had been kicked in was my cat, who thankfully was sitting on the bed entirely unfazed.

Been there done that with break ins too. Before I was with my husband, my then partner and I were home invaded one time and forced into an upstairs room at gun point while our house was ransacked (for drugs and money). Apart from thinking 'Oh god don't shoot us' my immediate second thought was 'Oh god, don't hurt our cats'. I couldn't have given a rat's about what was actually being stolen in terms of material possessions.
 
It's only pathological if it impairs your social or occupational functioning.

Or if it harms others.

A la Lennie in Of Mice and Men, Or Looney Tunes' Elmyra Duff

They both loved animals but didn't know their own strength.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I've seen plenty of pathological.
Here are some examples.
Pet owner pampers dog or cat to the point where it is obese and never exercises.
Owner has a chimpanzee and feeds it lobster, gives it Xanax. Later on the chimpanzee goes on a wild rampage attacking people and causing serious injuries.
Owing a pet with good intentions and not really caring for it the way it should be cared. E.g. a person that works 80 hours a week, get a dog, and the dog is locked in the person's apartment all day long while it is neglected.
Pet owner doesn't want the pet killed but can't handle it anymore so it's released into the wild--and now parents an invasive species. Boa constrictors in the everglades, lionfish in Florida waters, nutria infestations....
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I've seen plenty of pathological.
Here are some examples.
Pet owner pampers dog or cat to the point where it is obese and never exercises.
Owner has a chimpanzee and feeds it lobster, gives it Xanax. Later on the chimpanzee goes on a wild rampage attacking people and causing serious injuries.
Owing a pet with good intentions and not really caring for it the way it should be cared. E.g. a person that works 80 hours a week, get a dog, and the dog is locked in the person's apartment all day long while it is neglected.
Pet owner doesn't want the pet killed but can't handle it anymore so it's released into the wild--and now parents an invasive species. Boa constrictors in the everglades, lionfish in Florida waters, nutria infestations....

Woman decides she wants to carry her cat down the aisle in lieu of flowers on her wedding day, until her husband points out that's actually a really, really stupid idea...

(Not that I actually did this myself or anything :whistle:)
 
Woman decides she wants to carry her cat down the aisle in lieu of flowers on her wedding day, until her husband points out that's actually a really, really stupid idea...

(Not that I actually did this myself or anything :whistle:)
I have a friend who is very, very close with her cat. She had a bat mitsvah party for him. I thought it was cute. And it wasn't weird. It was a reason for people to get together to have a party. We celebrate my dog's birthday and he gets presents on Christmas, too. I don't think a cat down the aisle is silly, of course th the groom might be jealous. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I have a friend who is very, very close with her cat. She had a bat mitsvah party for him. I thought it was cute. And it wasn't weird. It was a reason for people to get together to have a party. We celebrate my dog's birthday and he gets presents on Christmas, too. I don't think a cat down the aisle is silly, of course th the groom might be jealous. ;)

Well considering it was an outdoor wedding, about an hours drive from where we actually live, and if the cat had got away at any point...well, you get my drift, it really was a stupid idea Especially considering I not only wanted to carry one cat down the aisle, but have all 5 of our cats at the time actually attend the wedding as well. Well we did say we wanted an intimate gathering for close friends and family only, and the cats were family to me so I suppose it wasn't that odd a thing to consider.
 
Sometimes I wonder if people project their own feelings, wishes, and desires on to their pets. ie. love, caring, understanding, support, listening-- to the degree that exceeds an animal's abilities.

I also feel some people think their animals have special powers ie. "My dog barked the first time meeting my boyfriend and knew he wasn't right for me. My dog understands me better than anybody else does." Dog has no ability to detect deadbeat boyfriend but clearly offers her a sense of safety and security.

I feel some people use their pets as transitional objects to take the place of the parent that never listened, cared or offered emotional support. The pet is a clean slate that anything can be projected on so the individual can in essence experience a sense of connectedness and comfort that may be in part fantasy.

I have a cat. His name is Morpheus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Sometimes I wonder if people project their own feelings, wishes, and desires on to their pets. ie. love, caring, understanding, support, listening-- to the degree that exceeds an animal's abilities.

I also feel some people think their animals have special powers ie. "My dog barked the first time meeting my boyfriend and knew he wasn't right for me. My dog understands me better than anybody else does." Dog has no ability to detect deadbeat boyfriend but clearly offers her a sense of safety and security.

I feel some people use their pets as transitional objects to take the place of the parent that never listened, cared or offered emotional support. The pet is a clean slate that anything can be projected on so the individual can in essence experience a sense of connectedness and comfort that may be in part fantasy.

I wonder what that says about those of us who have cats who don't actually like us. My avatar cat will walk 2 feet away from you and glare if you pet her. I'm engaging in some masochistic re-enactment with my cat.

I can definitely see the transitional object thought for "therapy animals." And then there were the vets who would bring their cats to the ED -- I was never quite sure what to think about that except poor cat.
 
Well considering it was an outdoor wedding, about an hours drive from where we actually live, and if the cat had got away at any point...well, you get my drift, it really was a stupid idea Especially considering I not only wanted to carry one cat down the aisle, but have all 5 of our cats at the time actually attend the wedding as well. Well we did say we wanted an intimate gathering for close friends and family only, and the cats were family to me so I suppose it wasn't that odd a thing to consider.

Also, if your cats are like mine, a little mean because my cats hate travel and would likely find being in a group of totally new people terrifying.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Also, if your cats are like mine, a little mean because my cats hate travel and would likely find being in a group of totally new people terrifying.

Yes, absolutely. I did realise pretty quickly that it was not only a stupid idea, but a very mean and selfish one as well. It was ultimately my love for my cats that did override my 'caught up in the moment' idea of 'OMG let's invite our cats to the wedding, and I can carry Puss (yes, original name for a cat, I know) down the aisle instead of a bouqet'. I would never do anything to put my cats in harms way or cause them unnecessary distress.

By the way this is what $80,000 (plus a car sold for 2 grand worth of vet bills after he got smacked in the face by a car and needed reconstructive surgery) worth of cat looks like. Meet Puss (sadly no longer with us, but he lived to the age of 17 and was loved dearly).

a813b2ef.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I wonder what that says about those of us who have cats who don't actually like us. My avatar cat will walk 2 feet away from you and glare if you pet her. I'm engaging in some masochistic re-enactment with my cat.

I can definitely see the transitional object thought for "therapy animals." And then there were the vets who would bring their cats to the ED -- I was never quite sure what to think about that except poor cat.

First your cat is adorable :love: Second, your cat probably does like you she just might not show it in the traditional way that an owner would expect. :)
 
Sometimes I wonder if people project their own feelings, wishes, and desires on to their pets. ie. love, caring, understanding, support, listening-- to the degree that exceeds an animal's abilities.

I also feel some people think their animals have special powers ie. "My dog barked the first time meeting my boyfriend and knew he wasn't right for me. My dog understands me better than anybody else does." Dog has no ability to detect deadbeat boyfriend but clearly offers her a sense of safety and security.

I feel some people use their pets as transitional objects to take the place of the parent that never listened, cared or offered emotional support. The pet is a clean slate that anything can be projected on so the individual can in essence experience a sense of connectedness and comfort that may be in part fantasy.

I have a cat. His name is Morpheus.

This is a good and valid point, and admittedly I can see some of myself in what you've said (although never to the point where I would seriously put my needs ahead of my cat's). Awesome name for a cat as well. Right now we have Bella and Ligeia (but there's also been Suki, Gemima Puddleduck, Icabod, Thomas, Bandit, George, Cleopatra, Violet, Aiden, Puss, Todd, Gelfling, Willow, Bam Bam, Barney, Snoopy and Osiris). Both my husband and I tend to be attracted to what we call 'project cats', rescues that are hard to home or who no one else wants, ferals who show signs of being able to be tamed, abused cats with trust issues, and so on. I suppose considering we both didn't exactly have the most stellar of childhoods that could be seen as transferring our desire to be rescued from trauma and hardship onto the rescuing of a cat (and so far we've successfully rescued and rehabilitated, or tamed, every cat that has come into our lives bar one). :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Sometimes I wonder if people project their own feelings, wishes, and desires on to their pets. ie. love, caring, understanding, support, listening-- to the degree that exceeds an animal's abilities.

I also feel some people think their animals have special powers ie. "My dog barked the first time meeting my boyfriend and knew he wasn't right for me. My dog understands me better than anybody else does." Dog has no ability to detect deadbeat boyfriend but clearly offers her a sense of safety and security.

I feel some people use their pets as transitional objects to take the place of the parent that never listened, cared or offered emotional support. The pet is a clean slate that anything can be projected on so the individual can in essence experience a sense of connectedness and comfort that may be in part fantasy.

I have a cat. His name is Morpheus.
I do this with my dog. I almost compulsively tell him how good he is. And I am very protective of him. I make it a point to never get angry with him, and I always worry if he has an accident (he's 18 and starting to lose control) and I'm not the one to find it that my parents will have gotten frustrated and yelled. He really is wonderful. Which I guess I might be saying about myself! But, that aside, he really is wonderful.
 
I do this with my dog. I almost compulsively tell him how good he is. And I am very protective of him. I make it a point to never get angry with him, and I always worry if he has an accident (he's 18 and starting to lose control) and I'm not the one to find it that my parents will have gotten frustrated and yelled. He really is wonderful. Which I guess I might be saying about myself! But, that aside, he really is wonderful.

Wow 18 for a dog is a good innings, you must take such good care of him. I had a cat who lived to 20. :)
 
Dysfunction is in the eye of the beholder.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Sometimes I wonder if people project their own feelings, wishes, and desires on to their pets. ie. love, caring, understanding, support, listening-- to the degree that exceeds an animal's abilities.
I recall reading an article that cats cannot love humans because they never evolved the capacity to feel love beyond that toward their kittens. Also, I believe the article contrasted cats and dogs in that the former aren't capable of determining that humans, cats and other animals are different things, while dogs can make the distinction.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
My mom has cats and imbues that with personality to a degree that I think is weird. I wouldn't consider it pathological, but it does get annoying hearing about her cats supposedly do all of these human things that make no sense. @F0nzie's point is interesting and something I hadn't thought about before. I always just assumed it was loneliness and the animals provided her with "relationships" and a degree of interaction that perhaps wasn't present elsewhere.

I've got a dog (see avatar) and two cats, and while I appreciate their companionship they're still just animals. I'll occasionally bring my dog with me to run errands but more so that she can get out of the house and stick her nose out of the car window than for my own companionship since she seems to get a kick out of that. The cats don't seem to give a damn as to whether I'm ever home or not.
 
my avatar cat is more interested in people than food. he yowls when im away and doesn't eat. he comes to the door to greet me when i come home. he sleeps with me in bed. he jumps into my lap and purrs away any opportunity he gets. he's a chatty cat he loves to mяу any opportunity he gets (he's french but learning russian at the moment that's how russian cats talk). he gets jealous if i go on a date. i may have told him on more than one occasion that he's my boyfriend. my 17 yr old patient confronted me and said "you're in a relationship with your cat!"
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
My mom has cats and imbues that with personality to a degree that I think is weird. I wouldn't consider it pathological, but it does get annoying hearing about her cats supposedly do all of these human things that make no sense.

Anthropomorphising a cat to that degree really means you miss out on so much of the human/cat relationship you could be having if you just recognised the animal in front of you is Felis Catus and not Felis I want it to be Humanus.
 
my avatar cat is more interested in people than food. he yowls when im away and doesn't eat. he comes to the door to greet me when i come home. he sleeps with me in bed. he jumps into my lap and purrs away any opportunity he gets. he's a chatty cat he loves to mяу any opportunity he gets (he's french but learning russian at the moment that's how russian cats talk). he gets jealous if i go on a date. i may have told him on more than one occasion that he's my boyfriend. my 17 yr old patient confronted me and said "you're in a relationship with your cat!"

Awww, he sounds adorable. Our tabby and white female cat, Bella, chirrups to us when she says hello in the same way a mother cat chirrups to her kittens. :)
 
my avatar cat is more interested in people than food. he yowls when im away and doesn't eat. he comes to the door to greet me when i come home. he sleeps with me in bed. he jumps into my lap and purrs away any opportunity he gets. he's a chatty cat he loves to mяу any opportunity he gets (he's french but learning russian at the moment that's how russian cats talk). he gets jealous if i go on a date. i may have told him on more than one occasion that he's my boyfriend. my 17 yr old patient confronted me and said "you're in a relationship with your cat!"

What a sweet boy. :) Orange tabbies are just the best.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Top