felinophobia..

A phobia is an intense and irrational fear. One type of phobia is felinophobia - the fear of cats. Individuals who have felinophobia avoid cats whenever possible. When they see or have the anticipation of being near a cat, they can become very afraid. This fear may manifest itself in many physical and emotional symptoms including: nausea, feelings of panic, anxiety, difficulty breathing, sweating, and the feeling that something bad will happen as a result of being in the presence of a cat.

Individuals suffering from felinophobia usually avoid places in which they know cats will be present, such as pet stores and shelters and friends’ houses that have cats. If they see a cat on the street, they may be paralyzed in fear.

Seemingly baffling is the fact that most individuals who suffer from felinophobia are not afraid of cats scratching or otherwise hurting them. Rather, they are scared of contact with the cat at all - they are afraid the cat will nuzzle, rub up against them, or jump in their lap.

The cause of felinophobia is not clearly understood, but some researchers believe that there may be a genetic link. Sometimes, felinophobia may also occur in response to a traumatic event involving cats.

If you know someone with felinophobia, the most important thing you can do to help him or her is to take the fear seriously. Don’t make fun of him or her and don’t try to talk him or her out of the fear; these things will not help, and often leave the individual feeling misunderstood and invalidated.

If you know someone with felinophobia who refuses to come to your home because you have a cat, offer to meet him or her at a neutral place where there are no cats or offer to come visit him or her instead. Don’t pressure your friend or family member to come to your house if you have a cat.

Felinophobia is a real fear that needs to be taken seriously. If you suffer from felinophobia, you may seek treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy and very gradual exposure therapy to combat the fear - if and when you are ready.

haha..malu2 but i need to admit it..SAYA TAKUT KUCING..huhu