“I’ve read that Napoleon Bonaparte, who conquered much of Europe, was afraid of cats.”
Many people are deathly afraid of cats. Now, I myself love cats (I’m rather afraid of dogs, esp. if they are big and I don’t know them personally) but you see those glowing eyes in the dark and sometimes yeah, I really get why people would be afraid of them.
Plus, cats have that total disregard for you in their souls. I remember being in the Central Park (NYC) zoo and looking at tiger. That cat was looking at me and strongly conveying: if there weren’t bars between me and you I’d kill you and eat you no problem!
I love cats too they taste good.
That’s the rational mind. Phobias are utterly different and don’t care what you know. A phobia is sheer terror at something that you know you shouldn’t be afraid of.
I’m a huge animal person (yes, I eat meat and wear leather) and I once had a really pleasant encounter with a mountain lion (contained). Next time you bump into your tiger, give him squinty-eyes and a slight, occasional upward-nod. Be persistent, and wait until others wander away and it’s just you and him. To cats, that’s a friendly thing. My mountain lion responded in kind.
I wouldn’t get in his enclosure because the mind of a wild animal is still wild, but it was more than I was expecting.
I absolutely love cats!
I remember watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom back in the day.
My cat, only allowed in the house when I was there, would lay on my lap.
I would see the Lions and Tigers on TV, look at my cat and realise he was only one step removed from his feral brethren.
Plus I like the way a cat looks at you as if to say I’m finished with you for now, go away for awhile.
Very independent those felines.