Do you or someone you know struggle with a fear of cats or dogs? Interestingly enough, “In the United States alone, nearly 22.2% of individuals are known to fear animals of different kinds” (Fear of Cats Phobia). So, you are not alone!
These fears can feel isolating and restricting to those experiencing these pet-based anxieties. If you are curious about where these stressors come from or how to overcome them, then this is the blog for you!
To Begin With…
I must admit this is a subject near and dear to my heart. I have always been a die-hard dog person. There are very few dogs I have met in my lifetime that I didn’t adore! Cats on the other hand… not so much.
I found that this was due to two reasons for me: unpleasant experience and lack of exposure. I hadn’t spent much time around cats, and when I had, it was around a family member’s very anxious and feisty fighter of a feline. 
It became important to me to overcome my fear when I found myself with a feline roommate… And boy – what a 180 we made! From an avid cat hater with a mild fear I tried to keep private to a shameless cat lover, I am proof that it can be beneficial to face your pet-phobias. So, let’s discuss.
What’s the Point?
You may be wondering – what difference does it make? If you or someone you know experiences a cat or dog fear, this can feel like something to push to the side. Who cares? I’ve avoided them this long…
Here are a few reasons it might be time to come to terms with your phobia:
- Experiencing fear in public: if seeing a cat or dog in your daily life triggers anxiety in public, it may be time to address your fear. Instead of feeling fight or flight, maybe you can be at peace or even find pleasantness in the presence of animals.
- Feeling uneasy in your friends’ and family’s homes: maybe, like me when I was younger, you or someone you are close to feels stressed when visiting someone with a furry friend. This can feel like it’s getting in the way of your relationships! Maybe you try to avoid a certain person’s home due to their pet.
The Most Important Part of Addressing Phobias
Before even assessing overcoming a phobia, it is important to respect and empathize with those experiencing a fear of cats or dogs, especially if that is you! It is crucial to be kind, understanding, and curious when it comes to what causes us anxiety. So…
Step One: Assess the Origin
To begin with, where did this fear come from? As mentioned, it is likely this is either attributable to lack of exposure or negative experience. If there is a specific instance associated with this phobia, this may be a crucial point in your journey to overcome a fear. Maybe there is a specific unpleasant experience that has yet to be processed.
The beautiful and terrifying thing about cats and dogs is they are unpredictable. Both can become feisty, loud, or reactive at any moment. Maybe a growl or hiss puts you on edge. Unfortunately, animals do have the capability to cause harm, but oftentimes, the animals we interact with have positive dispositions and effective training. It is about learning to feel safe around them.
It is understandable, though, that the presence of an animal can cause stress! So, what can you do?
Step Two: Assess the Severity of Your Fear
Maybe, like me, your fear doesn’t feel inhibiting to your life and your relationships. In this case, maybe your phobia is mild enough you can address it yourself. If, however, you feel severe anxiety associated with animals, it may be best to seek formal therapy.
According to Cleveland Clinic’s “Cynophobia (Fear of Dogs),” here are treatments for these phobias for more severe fears:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to change the way you respond to fear and think about dogs in a different way.
- Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, to help you understand your fears.
- Hypnotherapy, which includes guided relaxation exercises while your mind is in a calm state. This allows you to rethink your fear of dogs and the anxiety it causes.
- Mindfulness exercises, yoga, breathing exercises and meditation to help you control anxiety.
- Medications to treat depression, relieve anxiety or control panic attacks.
I am not recommending this, but I found my fear manageable enough to take matters into my own hands. Essentially, I “exposure therapy”-ed myself out of my fear. I took time to be in the presence of this specific cat in question, preferably in the presence of someone else.
I took my time allowing us to get comfortable with each other. I didn’t try to dive right into petting or cuddling – just mere co-existence to begin with. Then, with time, I would allow myself to grow more comfortable. If he came to see me on the couch, I let him check me out.
What was important to me is that we both had our own spaces we could take that were restricted from the other. This was important for me to feel in control. Ultimately, I got comfortable with him sitting around me, near me, and then on me. Then we descended into a best friendship with frequent cuddles and games. We just got lucky.
In Closing…
You may not be so lucky as to find an unfound pet passion like me, but maybe you can find yourself at ease in a public park with a dog or at your friend’s house with a cat. If this blog resonated with you about yourself or someone you know, it may be worthwhile to assess. If you are feeling inhibited by a phobia, I invite you to meet with a licensed therapist to explore treatment options.
You never know how big of an impact this positive change could have on your life! You may even find yourself scrolling on cat or dog adoption sites like me.
