Cats are among the pets and companions of humans. We find many people agree to carry them, care for them, and raise them with them at home. On the other hand, we find some who do not like cats, and are even afraid of them, which is known as Cat phobia It is a type of exaggerated fear that develops in an individual as a result of the background and information he carries, some of which may be incorrect, about cats. Therefore, they fear them and avoid carrying them or even approaching them. Welfare Center of Al-Mousa Hospital Health care provides the best treatment plan to recover from this type of phobia quickly and completely safely. 

What is cat phobia?

Cat phobia means feeling an abnormal fear of cats and avoiding getting close to them. When approaching, the patient feels exaggerated anxiety and fear while realizing that his fear is illogical and unfounded. Patients with cat phobia may fear being scratched, bitten, or even just touching them. There are even those who are afraid of just looking at them or thinking about them, as well as looking into their eyes and delving into them. 

This may result in these individuals’ hatred of cats, and they search for ways to stay away from them and avoid seeing them, which may cause them anxiety and stress in their lives. Cat phobia is also known as ailurophobia, gatophobia, philinophobia, gelophobia, and many other names. 

The most important causes of cat phobia

Until now, the exact cause of cat phobia has not been identified, but there are some expected causes that can be attributed to it, and among those causes are the following:

• Fear of being exposed to physical harm as a result of being close to her, such as biting or scratching. 
• This may be due to having previously been attacked by a cat or seeing it attack someone. 
• The fear of her appearance, her looks, and her association with well-known stories of magic and sorcery. 
• Genetic and environmental genes also play a major role in developing cat phobia.

Physical symptoms of cat phobia

There are some physical symptoms that indicate that a person may suffer from cat phobia or phobia of cats, and these symptoms are as follows:

• Feeling pain or shortness of breath. 
• Sweating heavily. 
• Heart rate. 
• Feeling extremely dizzy.
• القيء والغثيان.
• Panic attacks.
• توتر العضلات.
• الدوخة والدوار.
• Tremors and shaking.
• Stomach upset and suffering from diarrhea or constipation.

Psychological symptoms of cat phobia

Symptoms of cat phobia vary from person to person and depending on the degree of infection. Anxiety and tension are among the most common of these symptoms. These symptoms may also include the following:

• Feeling extremely anxious and afraid when seeing or thinking about it. 
• Feeling anxious when hearing her voice. 
• Fear of garbage collections because they are a refuge for cats, especially ferocious ones. 
• Exhausting the mind thinking about how to avoid cats.
• Don't make more friends who have cats.

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How is cat phobia diagnosed?

Cat phobia is diagnosed by a specialist psychiatrist by asking the patient a set of questions, and through his answers to them, he is able to determine the extent of the problem. Among these questions are the following:

• Do you feel fear while thinking about or seeing cats?
• Does fear of cats lead you to go through some situations, such as leaving the house or going to a friend?
• Do you get frightened and want to run away when you see cats? 
• Does cat phobia affect your social relationships?
• Does that fear have an impact on your ability to enjoy your daily activities?
• Do you suffer from symptoms of fear of cats for a period exceeding 6 months?

Methods of treating cat phobia

There are many methods that can be relied upon to get rid of cat phobia, get used to them, and live life normally, and among these methods are the following:

Exposure therapy

Exposure and confrontation therapy are among the most common therapeutic methods for treating phobias in general and treating cat phobias in particular. This method includes doing the following things:

• In the beginning, you must train on the mechanism of calm and relaxation before and after being exposed to watching cats.
• See pictures and videos of cute cats.
• Try to get close to the cats and look at them. 
• Trying to gently touch and hold the cats. 
• Grocery training for the longest period of time next to cats without feeling fear and anxiety. 
• Interacting with cats during the therapy session and listening to the doctor’s support.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

It is represented Behavioral therapy Cognitive CBT attempts to change the way a person with cat phobia thinks about cats and the extent of his response to situations that produce symptoms of this disease. It also involves changing his concept of cats and their lives. This type of treatment is often used in conjunction with exposure therapy until it gives the best results.

Hypnotherapy

During hypnotherapy sessions, the doctor guides the patient so that he lies on his back and relaxes completely and tries to prevent access to the main reason behind the fear of cats, and also tries to change his concept and view of them, and also helps him manage his phobia in an effective way to cleanse his emotions and provide him with more modified behaviors. 

Treatment with medical drugs

It is not preferable to use medications and medicinal drugs to get rid of cat phobia, and behavioral methods are very effective compared to them, but in some cases some medications may be used as a quick solution to get rid of the symptoms associated with this disease, such as antidepressants, sedative medications, beta blockers, and anti-anxiety medications. 

Change daily habits

In order for the patient to get rid of the anxiety and stress resulting from exposure to cats, doctors advise changing the lifestyle and adhering to a sound health system, whether in terms of nutrition and eating useful foods rich in vitamins and energy, or by adding healthy habits such as exercising, especially those that help with relaxation and self-control, in addition to trying to get rid of the feeling of panic or at least reduce it. 

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What are the complications of cat phobia?

Suffering from cat phobia may be a sufficient reason for not being able to lead a normal life, as it affects many daily activities and may prevent us from accomplishing many things. Among the complications of suffering from this disease are the following:

• Anxiety about visiting friends who have cats.
• Suffering from panic attacks and severe anxiety. 
• Anxiety when people visit for the first time expecting to have cats. 
• Feeling severe chest pain. 
• Inability to leave the house for long periods and leave work or study.
• Rapid and intense heartbeat, which may cause heart disease.
• Constant anxiety about cats may result in panic disorder.

Frequently asked questions

Why are some people afraid of cats?

Some people are afraid of cats for several reasons, the most notable of which are: 

How do I get over my cat phobia?

In order for a person with cat phobia to ensure that he gets rid of this unjustified fear, he must follow the necessary instructions and guidelines for this, including: watching pictures and videos of cats, trying to approach and touch them, trying to overcome feelings of fear and anxiety about them, avoiding panic and panic from approaching them, as well as trying to carry them, and in the event that the matter gets out of control, the help of a specialist doctor can be sought.

What are the types of phobia?

The degree of fear of people with cat phobia varies. Some of them are afraid of simply seeing or hearing their image, some are afraid of approaching them and interacting with them, and there are those who are afraid of just thinking about them and remembering them. There are also other types of phobias related to cat phobia, including the phobia of wild animals, known as Agrizoophobia, and the phobia of animals in general, known as Zoophobia.

How common is cat phobia?

Fear of animals in general and fear of heights are among the most common types of phobias, as women suffer from them more often than men. Nearly 9% of adults and about 20% of adolescents suffer from specific phobias such as: phobia of cats and phobia of mirrors or heights. 

In conclusion, we have learned all the information about cat phobia, its symptoms and causes, and we have also learned about the methods of diagnosing and treating it, in addition to clarifying its types and how to deal with it. We can note that cats, in any case, are creatures of God Almighty, so the necessary care must be provided to them, and in the event of fear of them, one can avoid approaching them without exposing them to harm in any way.

Medical references 

Ailurophobia (Fear of Cats) – clevelandclinic

Understanding Ailurophobia, or Fear of Cats – healthline