DD2 age 5 has a friend over for a play date, also 5. Both lovely little girls.
The friend however seems terrified of cats, not mentioned to me by her mum.
I have 2 cats, one old boy who is almost 15 and just sits his days out on his blanket on the back of the settee, he rarely moves. The other young boy about 2 but calm and sweet natured.
Friend would not budge from where she was sat terrified on the other settee. She is usually a lovely outgoing little girl.
So I've had to take them both downstairs where its cold with no people, they are both sociable cats and like to be near their people :(
Everytime someone open the door, the friend jumps terrified onto the sofa.
So I guess the cats are banished for the day, but cant help being a little annoyed and sad.
We did try lots of reassurance and trying to get her to pet them first with no luck.
AIBU?
to not want to put my cats out :(
macdoodle · 01/04/2013 13:26
Nope cant get her anywhere near them, and old boy is now crying outside the door :( He likes to be with the people. Because of the way house is set out, the only place to contain them is downstairs.
Won't even take her into the garage where DD1 keeps her snake and 2 bearded dragons 
I don't like spiders TSS, no flaming for that. I have got a bit better, but the huge ones bring me out in a sweat.
Spiders are horrible with their fat bodies and unnecessarily large amount of limbs. But Cats? Awww. Furry and cuddly and purry.
We don't have any spiders though! However, bizarrely, my new DP had a very large tarantula which he keeps in a glass cage in his LIVING ROOM! He says its because he was so spider phobic it was embaressing for a man in his 40's so he got a whopping great spider as a pet 
My DD is scared (as in will step into a main road to avoid) of dogs. Not being bitten or knocked over by bouncy type dogs. She's scared of being breathed on.
She's fine with cats if she knows they are there and they don't try to leap out and surprise her.
Our cat used to slip through the bannisters and jump by my DD when she was a toddler just to wind her up.
My DD is now 11yo., she's getting more rational.
If someone decided to 'overcome' her fears by subjecting her to them (ie putting her in a room with the animal she's scared off) at the age of 5, I'd be 
It's meant though that I had to ask before she went to a friends house "Do you have a dog" and decide from there.
Did the friend's mum ask you before about the cats?
Poor wee girl, I'd just keep the cats down there, it's only for the day.
I don't see how forcing her in to a situation she's genuinely terrified of would help
dance my DD was never placated by someone saying "He's friendly/He's more scared of you/ or worst :He'll lick you to death"
But weirdly enough, the stories in the Press about dog attacks don't make her afraid.
And the one dog type she gets excited to see is a chunky Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
Completely irrational.
And yes - before I am flamed in to next week - I am aware that I sound very U. But I'll cope with that.
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usually come from drippy parents
Yeah, right.
You don't know. You cannot make such sweeping statements.
My DC1 is great with dogs so how does your Drippy Parent theory explain that , countrykitten
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