Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.
Although I’ve owned cats since I was 21, I don’t consider myself a cat person. Olga is a wonderful cat, and I love her, but I also miss having a dog. I’ve never understood why some cat owners hate dogs and think they’re inferior to cats, but I’m more bothered by people, pet owners or not, who is afraid of cats.
They have sharp claws and teeth, but how many domestic cats maul their owners to death? Most of them weigh less than 12 pounds, and how can you hate an animal that hunts mice and insects? My Siamese cat keeps water bugs from invading my home when I have a creek in my backyard, and Olga kills house flies and alerts me when a stink bug wanders in after taking a break from destroying in my garden.
Origin of Cat Hating
Many cultures, past and present, admire cats, but Pope Gregory IX wasn’t too fond of them. His order in 1233 encouraged Catholic parishioners to kill cats because he believed they were servants of Satan. This undoubtedly influenced how people felt about cats and paved the way for another round of cat killings 459 years later during the Salem Witch Trials.
In some ways, the world is more hospitable to cats and people than it was in the 17th century, but I know people who still believe that a cat can steal your soul while you sleep. I’ve seen old people run when they encounter feral cats, and when the movers were bringing furniture to my house, one of them yelled at me for letting Olga roam free.
Olga’s Scary Presence
She was scared of him, and instead of comforting her and telling her that she wasn’t a threat, I laughed and said something like, “You’re safe as long as you don’t stare at her, but as long as she sends anyone to hospital.” Olga is not very friendly with strangers, but she is not aggressive or violent; though he was, he only weighed about 10 pounds.
He likes my parents and friends and doesn’t get jealous when I date someone, but he needs time to trust people, which is understandable. He doesn’t know how cruel people are to cats, but his first impression of strangers is that they don’t belong in his territory. He hides instead of attacking them but seems relieved when they leave.
When Olga finally warms up to someone new, she lets him take care of her and is quite affectionate. However, she had her limits, and my mother overcame them when she met Olga for the first time. He wasn’t petting her too much or in an off-limits area, but he got too close to Olga while staring at her, and the cat hit her in the face.
He didn’t pull out his claws or hurt my mother, but he gave her love as a warning to back off. Telling someone who hates cats isn’t likely to change their mind; this may cause them to hate cats, but hating cats can be cyclical.
The ancient Egyptians adored cats, and the Middle Ages hated them. Maybe in a few thousand years we’ll be able to like them again and not run in fear when a little black cat crosses.
