AIBU to think there's nothing wrong with me?

[blissey]

Namechanged in case IABU and people hate me!

When I was growing up, we always had dogs, but I never bothered much with them. I was once given some goldfish for my birthday, but I wasn't fussed. My aunt and uncle had horses - not interested. My cousin has a cute puppy, of which I like to see pictures, but I don't like it when they visit. My DH has got cats, but I don't care for them either.

I guess I'm just not a pet person, and I'm quite content with that. Apart from finding living with cats very annoying, but my DH loves them, so I respect that. I wouldn't ever hurt an animal, just ignore it and get on with my life.

However, if anyone asks me about this, or tries to get me to be enthusiastic about their pets, and they find out that I don't care, they recoil in horror and treat me as if I were some kind of mass murderer. They seem to think that in order to be a decent human being you have to dote on animals and find their every move cute and adorable.

AIBU to think that there's nothing wrong with me?

I have a dog, I love MY dog but I'm not a fan of any other dogs.

clem me too

cant bear competition? no i just dont like kids they geton my nerves

We have two dogs - I do love them because they're ours and I wouldn't ever see harm done to them but I wouldn't have chosen to have them. My DP and DC wanted them and I agreed but if it was just me I wouldn't have them. I walk them, cuddle them, bath them, feed them and I've grown to love them but I struggle to feel the passion others feel for their pets. So I understand entirely where you're coming from.

Thanks - I wish people in the real world were as sane as you lot!
I lost my hairdresser recently. She told me she'd rather I didn't come back after I politely said her that she might as well stop talking to me about her cats because it's not something I'm interested in (she'd been going on about them non-stop for the past couple of appointments).
And one of my colleagues keeps giving me tins of tuna (she came to my house once and saw my husband's cats) and gets really hurt if (when!) I don't give her a glowing update straight away about how much the cats loved it

Wow this thread. Fwiw I'm not remotely interested in pets but I love wildlife especially birds - I find birds fascinating. I wouldn't want to lock them up in a house and use them as some kind of fucked up baby substitute though, which a lot of people who profess to be animal lovers seem to do.

I never trust anyone who says they prefer eg cats to people - all those I have met who say that are about as kindhearted as your average mountain wolf. They just prefer to be around beings who don't answer back and instead will purr in response to the frankly unhealthy levels of projection that such people believe to be an expression of pure love.

Also, comparing not liking cats to not liking babies is weird.

My DH is indifferent to our pets. He doesn't get involved in any of their care. He wouldn't ever hurt an animal but he just isn't a pet person. He's a good, kind, loving person who happens not to be interested in pets!

Also, comparing not liking cats to not liking babies is weird.

How so?

I have a cat but I'm not over,y bothered about her tbh and other people's pets are beyond boring.

Same as children really though obviously I'm very bothered about my children but I find other people's children less interesting. And other peoples babies are super dull to me. I don't have any desire to cuddle them really but I do to be polite.

I've never met anyone recoil in horror that I'm not interested in their pet. Can't believe that happens, though am willing to suspect it does because, let's face it, people are loooooons.

Yanbu. I am the same as you. I don't hate animals, but I think you are a bit kinder than me, as you allow your dh to have his cats. I wouldn't have any pets in our house.

I like cats. I'm really not a fan of dogs. There's a certain kind of dog lover who takes this as either a personal affront or an admission of a grave deficiency. Which I find odd- it's not like I are whether anyone else likes cats.

Why would she ask you not to come back if you said it politely? There is quite a difference between someone saying 'I have to say, I'm not really into cats' when someone mentions them and 'You might as well stop talking to me about cats because it's not something I'm interested in'. The latter is more on the tactless side than polite.

I wouldn't condemn you for not liking pets at all but I think if you're aren't interested in nature, creatures and the environment then I think you're missing out big time.

I'm exactly the same, OP. Grew up with a dog & cats, but not bothered; never wanted a hamster, rabbit... My sister's often introduce me with "Velvian hates animals" - I don't, i just let them get on with their lives & i'll get on with mine, thanks.

I'm the same op. All my friends try to change my mind by showing me photos of their pets but it leaves me cold. I think I'm missing the gene that makes us find puppies and kittens cute!

I have animals and I like other peoples pets but once my animals are gone that is it. I actually don't like owning an animal as I don't have the time I think they need

Nah, nothing wrong with you and I say this as someone with 6 pets!

i prefer cats to people mostof the time-and its not a substitue i dont want a baby

I don't really like pets. I LOVE seeing wild life - a deer spotted in the woods or even wild rabbits, birds, sea life.... I even quite like farm animals. but not pets inside houses.

Superbeagle because pets and children are not the same thing. A child is a human being, not an adjunct to human life which is what a pet is.

Nb I don't think that wild animals are adjuncts, but pets definitely are.

So when someone equates pets to children, they are downgrading the value of a human life. Which is a bit suspect.

I have dogs and cats, I adore them and love all animals but I don't expect everyone else to be the same and only really talk about them to people who I know share my interest. There's nothing wrong with you OP and I think it's a bit self absorbed of people to insist there must be just because you don't feel the same as them.

but I get really impatient with the sugary 'furbaby' type sentimentalisation of animals.

I have always had pets, currently have a dog and cats but the whole "furbaby" anthropomorphism drives me up the wall. I love my pets for their innate dog- or cat-ness, not because they're substitute babies. I was a member of an FB group for enthusiasts of my dog's particular breed, but had to leave it because the people posting in baby language as if they were their dog and the interminable mawkish poems about 'Rainbow Bridge' every time someone sadly lost a dog was unbearable.

YANBU OP...we're all different and we're all interested in different things.

My oldest DD is like you. I find it strange because DH and I are both animal people and DD2 is. She just doesn't really care! We laugh about it....I don't think SHE is odd. It's natural for some people and not others!

It's absolutely fine you don't like pets/animals etc but if you are telling people not to bother to talk to you about something they care about because it doesn't interest you and you don't want to hear it, then you are possibly coming across as rude and lacking in empathy/conversational skill. Sometimes we all have to engage in such chat (football, cars, expensive holidays, make-up..etc)and just suck it up in the interest of being nice and not hurting the feelings of those we are in the company of.

I guess I find it a bit cold not to like animals so I get the 'distrust' thing tbh as I feel the same. I have cats but I'm not the 'fur baby' type. I find that revolting.

YABU, how can you NOT love cats? 😻😻😻