Nova Scotia woman terrified of cats in Canadian Tire

[alp227]

Two adorable stray cats who were adopted by a Canadian Tire outlet in Sydney, Nova Scotia, have gotten plenty of fawning customer reaction so far. But for one woman with ailurophobia, seeing two cats at the store was nothing short of terrifying.

Kay Hogan was shopping at the feline-friendly retail store recently when she came face-to-face with her greatest nightmare, which led her to run screaming for her husband.

“That’s the way I get. I’m terrified of the cats,” Hogan told CTV Atlantic.

The two cats were adopted by staff after they were found nearly frozen outside the store in late October. Now they’re a part of the family, with staff constantly cuddling them, giving them treats and letting them roam freely around the store.

full: http://o.canada.com/life/canadian-tire-cats-391932/

Hey Kay!

[Deep13]

1. People don't choose to have phobias. nt

[FSogol]

2. True, but should we rid the world of cats, or get her some help for her irrational phobia?

[Arkansas Granny]

6. I guess I missed the part where someone wants to rid the world of cats.

[Deep13]

8. Who said anything about ridding the world of cats?

Obviously, she needs psychiatric help. For all we know, she is getting it. And all phobias are irrational.

[Kelvin Mace]

27. True,

but given the prevalence of cats in the world, you would think some one might look into psychotherapy to deal with the issue. If your reaction is THAT traumatic, you need help.

My sympathies for the lady, but she may want to stay off the Internet. This place is crawling with cats.

[Deep13]

33. How do you know she's not in therapy? nt

[Kelvin Mace]

34. Don't know

I would think they would have mentioned it in the story. A good reporter would have asked that question, but good reporters are so scarce these days.

[Arugula Latte]

3. I can see being afraid of dogs because they can attack and even kill, but

being afraid of cats is so weird to me. ... I know, I know, phobias are not rational ...

[SouthernLiberal]

30. Weird?

When I was a small child, I was attacked... by a cat. Still have the scars. Oddly enough, after that attack I was terrified of dogs. That took decades to resolve, so I can really feel for this poor woman.

[Shrike47]

32. Me too, a little younger.

I can tolerate dogs, and be kind to them, bit I always hope they will ignore me.

[Arugula Latte]

35. I've developed a slight caution/wariness/timidity toward strange dogs as I've gotten older.

I'm okay with my friends' dogs, although I've never been a dog person, but I think based on both experience (watching my son get bitten by the neighbor's dog out of the blue -- he wasn't even aware the dog was there) and then recalling some bites I got as a kid and my sister got and then seeing dogs start snapping at each other in parks, etc. has made me wary of them in general.

[Cleita]

4. Have known people like that.

It seems they are creeped out by the eyes. Cats can slit their pupils making their eyes look reptilian to people who are afraid of snakes and other reptiles. Therapy can help them overcome that fear. I wouldn't get rid of the cats just for one customer though.

[dionysus]

12. LOL, so true. once my tenant came over, toting a pal with him. dude freezes at the door in fear.

I'm looking at this guy, wtf is his issue? "hey buddy, you ok?"

"is, is, is it.. dangerous? does it bite?"

this 6 foot tall + guy was looking ay my 7 lb cat, terrified of him!

even after I assured him he was safe, he would not take his eyes away from Mr. Snives.

[arcane1]

31. A hissing cat looks very much like a hissing snake too n/t

[mike_c]

5. slow news day in Canada?

[Boudica the Lyoness]

7. Maybe she was afraid of this kind of thing;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2550896/Man-contracted-BUBONIC-PLAGUE-cat-speaks-ordeal-left-deaths-door.html

Written in typical Daily Mail fashion I'm afraid..

[TlalocW]

9. A friend of mine lived with me for a while

Even though she was terrified of my ferret. I could let it roam the house while she was there as long as I was in the same room with her to prevent it from coming up to her. I stepped out once to talk to some workmen cutting down part of a tree in my yard and heard screaming. I rushed back in, and she was standing on the sofa. Fifteen feet away from her was my ferret in the closet next to the front door, poking its head under the door and retreating whenever she screamed.

She still doesn't believe me that one time when she got really drunk, she picked it up and danced with it until I took it away from her for fear of her injuring my carpet shark.

TlalocW

[Skidmore]

10. Why discount this woman's fear?

You don't know her story. I fear dogs and cannot comfortably be in a room with one. You don't know her story. I was attacked by a dog when I was about five years old. I can understand breaking into a cold sweat when the cause of your fear is in the environment. It is not an easy thing to do try to feel in control of yourself in the environment at such times. It can also be a source of shame not to be able to overcome your fears, especially when people insist on discounting or mocking you.

[Geddy Ringo]

11. This is a great place for my first reply to a post!

I have a shop cat, and she has been a huge boost to our business.

I guess people like doing business with someone who takes care of animals.

But there are occasionally those who are truly terrified of cats. I just apologize and put the cat in the back.

Her name is Shimmer, and she is 16 and living with FIV.

If anyone can tell me how to post an image I would be glad to show you her picture.

[Arugula Latte]

13. Welcome to DU!

I go out of my way to patronize businesses with on-site kitties!

[dionysus]

14. if you have an image stored online, just post a link to the URL in the body of your message.

[Geddy Ringo]

16. Thank you so much!

[dionysus]

17. most welcome

[meow2u3]

15. Phobias are not only treatable, they're curable

The cat phobic lady ought to check into an outpatient mental health clinic for some systematic desensitization therapy. That ought to help her overcome her fear of kitties.

In the meantime, my cats say to her: MEOW YOU!

[SamKnause]

18. Cats

I was afraid of cats.

Not terrified.

Not a phobia.

Just afraid.

I didn't like them.

I thought they were spooky, sneaky, and strange.

Always ready to pounce at the tiniest movement.

I bought a small farm at the age of 49.

I decided to get a cat to help control the mice population.

I didn't want mice in my horse feed, or hay.

I am TERRIFIED of MICE !!!!!!!

I am TERRIFIED of MICE if they are alive, or dead.

If I catch a mouse in a trap, I throw the trap and mouse away.

I know it is illogical, but what are you going to do ?

You don't pick what terrifies you.

My 10 year old niece held the kitten on the ride home.

She stayed the weekend.

She played with the new kitten.

The kitten killed her first mouse at the age of 7 weeks.

I slowly and cautiously started warming up to the kitten.

I put a litter box in the bathroom.

As they say the rest in history.

She is an inside outside cat.

My cat now sleeps on my lap.

She is very smart.

She understands the phrase stay.

When she comes inside she stops on the throw rug until I check her for wet, or muddy paws.

She is used to being dried off with a towel if it has been raining, or snowing.

She will lay down if I say, "Down she goes".

She understands the word, no.

She understands what outside means.

She is 11 years old now.

Sometimes she still does things that spook me, (I have always been a dog person) but mostly she is a great companion.

[Warpy]

24. Mice here transmit nasty, fatal diseases like hantavirus

so I've been using Victor electronic traps. There is no need to touch the mouse corpse, just open the trap's door and dump the body into the trash. You don't really need to look at it.

I've offed about 30 mice and 2 rats (triple ugh) this year. Fortunately they weren't the same species of rat that was prevalent in Boston, but they still squicked me out completely.

[SamKnause]

26. Cats

Thanks for your reply and input.

[Ino]

19. She's demanding to be coddled.

She does not seem to understand that SHE is the one with the problem, and SHE is the one who should do something about it... not the store, not the cats.

Frankly, I think the store has now gone way overboard trying to accommodate her and anyone else like her. They are confining the cats to a back room and posting signs.

But that is not enough for her! On the video at the link, she's on a newscast saying she doesn't want to be harsh and tell the store to "get rid of the cats" but they should adopt them out. If adopting them out isn't the same as getting rid of them, I guess the thought of KILLING them had entered her head! She also says if the store has a mouse problem "there ARE other options."

So she's scared of cats. OK... SHE needs help, or needs to shop somewhere else. But nope... she is busy guilt-tripping the store who saved a couple of innocent harmless cats, and demanding that the world accommodate her irrational fears. I'd tell my own mother to go eff herself.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

22. She should go somewhere else then for her tires

This is such a non story. No one is forcing her to go to Canadian Tire.

Stores have policies or layouts and we decide whether we like them or not and take business elsewhere.

I'm surprised the national chain hasn't forced them to get rid of the cats.

I do worry a bit, a tire store with all those stacks of tires may not be a safe place for a cat.

[Ino]

36. LOL, are you joking?

A house with tools or a furnace or shelves of stuff in the basement may not be a safe place for a cat.
A yard with trees may not be a safe place for a cat.
A kitchen with a stove may not be a safe place for a cat.
A bedroom with dresser drawers that close may not be a safe place for a cat.

You have a lot to worry about.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

37. No I'm not joking

I just know how careless people can get tossing and moving tires around in an auto parts store.

[jmowreader]

38. Canadian Tire isn't what you think it is

Imagine a Walmart store with no grocery department, and not owned by the Waltons. That's what Canadian Tire is like. You can get everything in your house that can't be eaten, worn or used to bathe there.

[MineralMan]

20. She should take her business elsewhere, then.

Simple.

[NCTraveler]

21. Phobias can be very serious.

I would think the store would have a sign out front. Many people are severely allergic to cats.

[Warpy]

23. Phobias can be crippling

and I hope this woman finds some appropriate treatment soon.

Cats are everywhere. They're largely self care and provide good company as well as entertainment and rodent control. The Canadian Tire cats are going to be working cats as well as beloved companions.

Store cats were really common in Boston.

[SidDithers]

25. There's a monkey at Ikea joke in here somewhere...

but I don't have the energy to try to find it.



Sid

[pinboy3niner]

28. Cat in Canadian 'tire?

http://moderncat.com/photocontest/cats/2012/06/08/ghato

[Kingofalldems]

29. I can't face my fears.

I'm afraid of them!