Thai People And Their Fear Of Cats?

[Portlandstone]

First I should say that unlike any other place in the world, the cats in Thailand are quite friendly. Street cats or those living sheltered lives, I see them all the time purring and street watching. If I go up and start talking in their "meow" language they jump up and almost beg to be petted, pressing the top of their heads against anything sharp (bag, edge of shoe), and slither around my leg like a snake. I have to be careful because after a minute of petting them I sometimes find they will follow me a few blocks down the street.

However whenever I've walked together with a Thai, they warn me not to try and pet the cat nearby because "it might scratch you!" I also was on Sukhumvit rd. this evening and saw an English speaking Asian with a Thai female (office co-workers?) and she was telling him it's dangerous to pet the cats, as he was trying to and the cats were walking up to him. Why do Thai people seem so weary of cats?

[coronadian]

Rabies?

[kennkate]

My Thai wife loves cats. Brought one home one day said it was running around on the road.

Now back in the UK she wanted one. So of to the RSPCA we went. It gets better treated than me

Maybe in the city's they are afraid it might have rabies. I don't think its a general feeling that Thai's don't like cats

[Gippy]

I guess some people are just scared of cats. My wife used to think the eyes were scary and didn't want us to have a cat. One day a stray kitten turned up outside the house and after a couple of days she decided that cats aren't so bad after all, now we have 3 rescued kittens.

My neighbours make me laugh though, they have a typical soi dog, covered in scabs, fur hanging off and never more than 2 legs that work properly. If I touched it I would want to shower for a week. They let the kids play and pet with the dog but shouted at them when they tried to pet my cat to leave it alone as cats are dirty!

[kurnell]

I thought Thais were scared of dogs. At night, cos they turn into ghosts?

[anchan42]

Rabies?

Yes that is the most likely reason. While most cats are friendly but what if the one you played with is not and have rabies.

Too risky to play with any stray animals.

[anchan42]

I thought Thais were scared of dogs. At night, cos they turn into ghosts?

Thais belive that dogs can see ghosts and that is why they howl during the night.

I have never heard about dogs turning into ghosts.

[PeaceBlondie]

Our neighbors, Chinese-Thai, have cats and dogs as pets, well cared for.

[dave2]

kennkate.

re .... It gets better treated than me

perhaps the cat deserves it ? : )

cats rule ..... enjoy pic ... dave2

[bendejo]

A lot of Thai people keep cats. If they have one of selected breeding they'll probably never let it out of the house. I've seen some gorgeous specimens of Siamese cats (well, yeah, all cats in Thailand are Siamese, eh?) leashed to doorways, and well-groomed.

[JusMe]

Cats' paws an claws are notoriously dirty and disease ridden. Remember where they dig? Being scratched by a cat is an invitation to serious infection.

[Hssl]

Reborn monks - Good luck to have a cat around

[AleG]

One thing that I noticed is that most street cats have their tails cut, a little, half or just left with a stump. I don't know if it's some popular passtime to cut cat tails, or Thai cats' tails have a tendency to fall off.

[ballpoint]

One thing that I noticed is that most street cats have their tails cut, a little, half or just left with a stump. I don't know if it's some popular passtime to cut cat tails, or Thai cats' tails have a tendency to fall off.

In China a cat with a twisted tail is considered lucky, so there are people who do break their tails, but you'll find most of them are born that way. I don't know whether thousands of years of selective breeding for twisted tails has any thing to do with it.

[zzaa09]

My Thai wife loves cats. Brought one home one day said it was running around on the road.

Now back in the UK she wanted one. So of to the RSPCA we went. It gets better treated than me

Maybe in the city's they are afraid it might have rabies. I don't think its a general feeling that Thai's don't like cats

My wife prefers felines as well.....cats and Asian relationships go way back. Lore, legend, mythical, and superstition. They are look upon differently, as felines are connected that way.

[Meridian007]

Many Thai people are just afraid of animals, with good reason. Rabies is not controlled here as much as it is in the west, so if you pet them, it's a question of when, not if you get it. There was a post on here not too long ago where the health minister commented that rabies levels were higher in 2009.

Once I get away from the city, I want to get a dog. My girlfriend is scared of them, but I'll keep pushing until she accepts it. With the dog, comes a responsibility to not only feed and clean up after it, but to train and monitor it for issues like rabies. It will take a lot of work, but I think it will be worth it!

[bonobo]

I've got two cats, a Persian and a rescue cat.  Everyone I know is in love with them.  And with me going to the US for two weeks next Monday, I have a number of people asking to take care of them while i am gone.

There is a story I heard many years ago concerning the crook in the tail of the Siamese cat.  The story was that a stray cat at the palace overheard some plotters planning on poisoning the king's cup of tea, and as the cat loved him so much, he stood watch over the cup all day.  At night, when he couldn't stay awake, he wrapped his tail around the handle of the cup.  When the plotters tried to take the cup to put in the poison, the cat's tail wouldn't let them take it, and then the cat woke up.  He wouldn't release the cup no matter how hard they tugged on it, and yowled so loudly that the guards came and caught the plotters.

He had held on to the cup so tightly that his tail was kinked, and future generations of cats kept this kink as a remembrance of his bravery and loyalty.  In addition, future generations of Thais were to honor and respect what thence became the Royal Palace cat, (what we in the west call the Siamese cat.)

[lannarebirth]

Reborn monks - Good luck to have a cat around

I guess a cat person wouldn't think so, but isn't that backsliding?

[Travel2003]

My wife loves cats and dogs.

Yes, she also says the dogs can see ghosts at night time, which is why the dogs bark (howl?) at night time.

I just love the cats we have walking around the street outside the bulding here, as it seems like they scared away the birds in the threes that used to start singing outside my bed room at 2 am.

[sbk]

The twistedc cat tails are genetic. Nobody breeds for a twisted tale, nobody breaks them. Obviously the gene is dominant in Thailand, hence the predominance of twisted tails.

Don't know any Thai people afraid of cats per se, but I do know plenty who are afraid of rabies.

[lazygourmet]

Our neighbors, Chinese-Thai, have cats and dogs as pets, well cared for.

We have cats and dogs at home, living in perfect harmony... but hopefully no kids!

[Pdaz]

I rescued a trapped/abandoned street kitten a few Months back.. It has grown into a huge black tomcat that follows me around the house and is very friendly and playful.. However my missus is stuck somewhere between terror and disgust. She never had any pets as a kid and thinks that cats are dirty.. She jumps up and moves away when he approaches her and she shys away from me if I'm holding him.. She doesn't wish to harm him but I havenever seen anyone so worried or disturbed by a cat before.. Seems very strange behavior as everyone else says what a wonderful cat he has turned into from such humble beginnings..

[soundman]

Rabies?

Yes - stray cats and rabies.

My middle son was attacked by a cat last week, he has had to undergo a series of rabies shots, even though the cat in question looks to be a low risk animal, according to the doctor.

......................

Apparently the cats tail thing is genetic. I still remember thinking that all the cats I'd seen in my early years in Thailand had the missfortune to get their tails caught in doors.

[Patsycat]

I like cats because they are aloof, independent and pretty. A bit like me.....

[MrHammer]

I like cats because they are aloof, independent and pretty. A bit like me.....

Girls are cats and men are dogs?

[coronadian]

I like cats because they are aloof, independent and pretty. A bit like me.....

Girls are cats and men are dogs?

I'm embaressed to say this, but when I was young I thought cats were the female version of dogs. Actually I read alot of children think the same so maybe I'm not so embarressed.

On a semi-related note I also used to think that people would sit in the contrails of the planes, and that the lenght of the contrails tells you how many people are on that plane ;-)

Anybody thought the same?

[Portlandstone]

My middle son was attacked by a cat last week, he has had to undergo a series of rabies shots, even though the cat in question looks to be a low risk animal, according to the doctor.

-Soundman, what is the rabies shot process like? I've heard it is several shots directly into the abdomen (deep?), something like 4, either in one day or spread out? Can't remember if that was for after being bitten, or doing so as a preparation, but I've read that even if you do the pre-bite shots, you still have to do a couple after-bite shots if you are bitten, it just means you have to do less or something (?). Please explain.

-Also a second part I wanted to add to the first post is, I can't understand why even with so many stray (and owned) dogs running around, how can cats still be so at peace and free to hang out anywhere they want? Have never seen a dog and cat fighting - only once saw a dog playing with a cat and she didn't like it too much.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Portlandstone

[Patsycat]

I like cats because they are aloof, independent and pretty. A bit like me.....

Girls are cats and men are dogs?

I'm embaressed to say this, but when I was young I thought cats were the female version of dogs. Actually I read alot of children think the same so maybe I'm not so embarressed.

On a semi-related note I also used to think that people would sit in the contrails of the planes, and that the lenght of the contrails tells you how many people are on that plane ;-)

Anybody thought the same?

What's a contrail? And yes cats are very much more slinky and sensuous than dogs, even male cats mines castrated and has never known carnal thingies. So, they could be more feminine than dogs. But then, I do know female dogs which are femenine and too many alpha male dogs, who frighten me.

That said, I would be careful around stray cats who probably carry the rabies virus - I have heard that the remedy is not very pleasant at all. Especially for children, as said above.

Is it true if you come across a rabid dog, you have to cut its head off?

[Patsycat]

I like cats because they are aloof, independent and pretty. A bit like me.....

Girls are cats and men are dogs?

I'm embaressed to say this, but when I was young I thought cats were the female version of dogs. Actually I read alot of children think the same so maybe I'm not so embarressed.

On a semi-related note I also used to think that people would sit in the contrails of the planes, and that the lenght of the contrails tells you how many people are on that plane ;-)

Anybody thought the same?

What's a contrail? And yes cats are very much more slinky and sensuous than dogs, even male cats mines castrated and has never known carnal thingies. So, they could be more feminine than dogs. But then, I do know female dogs which are femenine and too many alpha male dogs, who frighten me.

That said, I would be careful around stray cats who probably carry the rabies virus - I have heard that the remedy is not very pleasant at all. Especially for children, as said above.

Is it true if you come across a rabid dog, you have to cut its head off?

[Patsycat]

Sorry had a bit of a stutter.....