Cat afraid of fish

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Tigger - 21 May 2004 16:49 GMT

Our oldest cat is deathly afraid of the Goldfish. It's not so much
afraid of the fish, as afraid of seeing them under the water. She's an
avid mouser, so it's not fear of the fish.

We got her from a cat rescue place a few years back. It seemed that she
had a home, but decided to leave. She was petrified of the TV for well
over a year and would not get up on your lap for almost two years. She
also runs at the sight of the broom. I think you're geting the picture
now. Likely chased off the furniture with a broom and associated the TV
with the Living Room.

The fish fear is a little harder to explain. When we first got her she
got very upset at the sound of running water in the bathtub and would
pace outside the door until you were finished your bath. She would also
look in the bathtub when you were finished. The only conclusion I can
reach is that her previous 'owner' had drowned her kittens in the
bathtub. She was not spade when we got her and had given birth several
times. Might just be a failed bathing experience, but I don't think so,

Opinions.

Reply to this Message

JBHajos - 21 May 2004 17:51 GMT

>Our oldest cat is deathly afraid of the Goldfish. It's not so much
>afraid of the fish, as afraid of seeing them under the water. She's an
>avid mouser, so it's not fear of the fish.

(snip)

>Opinions.

It's hard to say what spooks kitties but I think your suppositions
are sound. It seems like that kind of abuse to me too. Our Speckles
was a stray, estimated by the vet at 3-years-old at the time. We've
had her for nearly 12 years and she's still deathly afraid of *paper*.
We don't need to make a sound with it or come toward her, and it can
be a newspaper, magazine, or single sheet of paper; she runs as soon
as she sees it picked up. Any sudden loud noise strikes terror in
her little breast, which is more understandable - most kitties don't
like it either - but hers seems more traumatic than the others. A
couple of years ago, she had her first X-ray and, much to our
surprise, she was found to have a B-B pellet lodged in her body.
Obviously she didn't have a very happy life before coming to us but
hasn't forgotten it in these 12 years.

Jeanne

Reply to this Message

Cheryl - 22 May 2004 00:32 GMT

jbhajos@earthlunk.not (JBHajos) dumped this in news:40ae306c.263698778
@news.east.earthlink.net on 21 May 2004:

> We've
> had her for nearly 12 years and she's still deathly afraid of *paper*.
> We don't need to make a sound with it or come toward her, and it can
> be a newspaper, magazine, or single sheet of paper; she runs as soon
> as she sees it picked up.

My Marley (RB) was like that with plastic grocery bags. I never knew why
but whenever I pulled a new one out to line a trashcan, or scoop a
litterbox, he ran in terror.

Signature

Cheryl

Reply to this Message

Sherry - 21 May 2004 19:04 GMT

Poor kitty. With some of these cats, we just don't know their history. It's
pitiful to see a cat afraid of the broom, especiall, 'cause you know it's been
chased with one. I think the fact that she decided to leave her owners speaks
volumes. Cats just don't do that if they are treated and fed well. It really
sounds like she was an abused cat.

Sherry

Reply to this Message

Takayuki - 21 May 2004 20:16 GMT

>Our oldest cat is deathly afraid of the Goldfish. It's not so much
>afraid of the fish, as afraid of seeing them under the water. She's an
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
>Opinions.

Maybe the broom is a sign of abuse, but the bath thing sounds very
common. A lot of kitties get upset at their slaves taking baths,
and/or like to examine the bathtub afterwards.

Betty isn't one of those, though. She knows she's not allowed in the
bathroom, and she doesn't seem to care about water, or brooms. She's
afraid of the vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, and lawn spreader.

Reply to this Message

"Tigger" - 21 May 2004 22:08 GMT

> >Our oldest cat is deathly afraid of the Goldfish. It's not so much
> >afraid of the fish, as afraid of seeing them under the water. She's an
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> bathroom, and she doesn't seem to care about water, or brooms. She's
> afraid of the vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, and lawn spreader.

Our young cat has a real fascination with bathrooms. If you go without
her you see these feet under the door trying to get in. Just loves to
watch the swirl in the toilet bowl. Also loves to drink out of the
running tap.

Vacuums are a common enemy, right up there with tinfoil. The young one
runs when you open the tinfoil drawer. But we did have an old tom many
many moons ago who loved to be vacuumed.

Reply to this Message

Marina - 22 May 2004 03:47 GMT

> Maybe the broom is a sign of abuse, but the bath thing sounds very
> common. A lot of kitties get upset at their slaves taking baths,
> and/or like to examine the bathtub afterwards.

That's true. Frank is always very worried when I go for my morning dips out
on the island. He follows me onto the jetty and talks to me all the time. In
16 years, he still hasn't learned to accept that hoomins like to get wet.
He's not afraid of the water. He often sits quite close and watches while I
shower.

One thing he is afraid of is rolled-up newspapers. He was five months old
when he came to me, and had been in two families before me. It had not
"worked out" with one family, and the other discovered their daughter was
allergic. I think the first family may have thought that hitting with a
rolled-up newspaper would be a good way to subdue a young hoolikitten. :o(
He is 16 now, and he still hasn't forgotten.

Signature

Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki

Reply to this Message

David Yehudah - 23 May 2004 01:22 GMT

Reminds me of when I was raising a very large bullsnake. Every Saturday
I fed him, first mice, then, as he got larger, rats. All live. Then one
day, horror of horrors, the pet store had neither mice nor rats. I
bought a gerbil and took it home. Attila struck at the gerbil, the
gerbil ducked and proceeded to whip Attila until he liked it. For about
six months or more, every time I put food in the pen for him, Attila
cowered in the corner and refused to feed. He could have gone a year or
so without eating if necessary, but I sure was glad when he stopped
being such a wuss and started eating again.

> Our oldest cat is deathly afraid of the Goldfish. It's not so much
> afraid of the fish, as afraid of seeing them under the water. She's an
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Opinions.

Reply to this Message