Me or ADD: Good with Animals?

[Anonymous]

I’ve always been weirdly good with animals. Whenever I go to the dog park with my dog, I get more attention than most people, and I can count on one finger the number of times a dog has been aggressive towards me. Even unsocial dogs have an odd reaction to me. A dog came up to me the other day, happy as a clam, I pet her a little bit, she sat next to me and nudged me to pet her some more. Her owner was astonished. She’d been abused and was always fearful of strangers, men especially.

Cats seem to like me, too.They may be distant to their owners or other guests, but they rub right up to me.

I’ve had this experience with horses, deer, cows, some birds, even squirrels are oddly calm around me. I know it sounds strange, but other people have commented about animals behaving funny when I’m around. Is this just me?

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[Anonymous]

Me, too. I have actually had pet fish that were trained and playful. They ‘came’ when I called “Suppertime” and we would zig-zag…and now my cat comes when I call him which seems to astonish people — go figure.

I do not seem to be able to read the body language of humans but animals are a cinch. They love me and I love them.

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[Anonymous]

I think this is probably person specific . makes me feel like kind of bad person to say it, but dogs irritate me. I’m very allergic to cats so I try and avoid them. I once accidentally left gerbils without food and water for two days >_<. I would clean the cage when I could no longer tolerate the stink. what happens when you put something off one day more..then forget when you actually have the time and motivation. I still liked watching them sometimes as “gerbil TV”. they managed to live a few years and hopefully lived happy little gerbil lives most of the time. now, I just have two pet cacti. Maybe I can have pets again if I take meds??

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[Anonymous]

sugargremli: You are probably right about it being person specific.

I wouldn’t count on the meds changing you enough to have pets. If dogs irriatate you without meds, I think that with meds you might be less irritated but not actually Love ’em. As for the smaller critters, you kind of have to like to fuss over them or you won’t enjoy them. I can’t say that I am thrilled to clean the litter box, but I do it because I adore my cat and checking the poop is a way to check on his health. So, I don’t mind. I do enjoy playing with him, brushing him, feeding him, and best of all cuddle-time.

Anyway, you gave me something to think about. I could never ever imagine forgetting to feed the fish or birds or gerbils (way back when I had them) because I looked forward to interacting with them. I guess it’s something that’s either built into us or something we learned growing up. I just never really gave it a lot of thought. I just knew I loved animals and that I was good with them.

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[Anonymous]

it is weird. there were some times in which i forgot they existed. then discovered them in the room..ooooo i have gerbils!! i was definitely that kid whose parents ended up caring for any pet I had. someday.. i may have to care for another human???? 0_o.

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[memzak]

I am really good with animals too. I think it goes back to when I was 10 and wanted to be a hermit and live with the animals because they don’t hurt me like people do. I also am really good with plants. Its the reward of large glossy leaves (sometimes big fuzzy leaves) and having them get so big they take over your window or balcony or patio or porch.

I agree with sugargremlin that it is more people specific but there may be a tendancy toward animals because they do not judge us. Plants only judge us when they wilt because we forgot to water them for a week. (oops)

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[billd]

dunno what to attribute it to, but I do have a way with cats, always have. Dogs I’m unsure of, but they typically take to me too.

Cats, though, I can literally communicate with them. Give me just a few minutes and I’ll have them blinking (called “squinting” in cats” in response to my facial expressions. I can get almost any cat to relax and even aloof cats will respond to me. Drives folks nuts but when I’m in a room with cats, they seem to migrate to me and my lap and away from others.

We’ve got Yawnie our 6 year old stray who adopted us and 3 recent kittens we adopted. My wife wanted the kittens so we went to ARL and picked out Pickle, then adopted 2 Tonkinese kittens. Guess what – they can be anywhere in the room, even on her lap. I sit down, and I ahve them all over me.

When in bed – they come to me and snuggle – and I mean snuggle hard, competing for space against my neck or face, at times laying all over my head and face.

I can talk to them, often get a cat to talk back.

I’m sort of some heir to Dolittle I suspect………… especially with cats. Maybe it’s because I believe in their special nature – Disney even pointed out their facial muscles and ability to smile – I’m typically able to get most cats to smile.

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[Anonymous]

I”m good with animals too. I think they can sense when you really love them. I wonder if we are so good with animals because some of us have so many problems with people? Compared to complex relationships with people, animals seem simple and honest. What you see is what you get, with animals.

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[Anonymous]

I’m also strangly good with every animal I meet. I’ve even trained my cat to sit xD and my turtles seem to obey me too. I can easily calm every animal when others can’t o_o it’s pretty awesome

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[billd]

I “connect” with animals (especially cats) – but most animals, too. My wife has a friend who she goes and quilts with at her house. This lady has a dog and when I go up there and approach their door -you should see that dog go nuts, talk about happy to see me. She freaks out, jumps around, can’t wait to get to me.

The neuro-psychologist who diagnosed me ADHD also said that I “don’t bond with people” and can take them or leave them. Cats, however, even cats that aren’t mine, I form close bonds with rather quickly.

When a neighbor lost her cat, Cody, was hit by a car right in front of their house at the end of their driveway, I swear it hit me as hard as if Cody had been mine.

Even when I farmed and had pigs, several of them were almost like pets – but then I used to talk with then and scratch their ears when I was out there taking care of them. Funny, I had really low death loss and feed efficiency was the highest my neighbor had seen.

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[g.laiya]

i was just wondering the same thing…i’ve always felt very connected to my dogs and cats, love animals in general, stopped eating them at 11 because just didn’t seem right…..

wanted to be a vet most of my life, but in high school someone convinced me it would be too hard for me seeing animals sick/ in distress all the time. i still regret not persuing it….

my kids have expressed some interest – told my son maybe we can go to vet school together – wouldn’t that be fun?!

well, i can dream…

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[ipsofacto]

I think my ADD conceptual thinking helps me with animals. By that, I mean that being able to apply a little understanding of animal behaviors to pets in various situations rather than trying to discipline them by more human reactions. My husky would walk to heel without a leash (not usual behavior for huskies), and my indoor cat confines himself to a limited area when let outside (while I sit and watch him though). I try never to show anger towards animals, but would scold them in ways they understand and that would cause no fear or resentment.

Strangely, it’s much harder learning to use the same principles with humans.

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