# I almost beat my cat



## lvgrl90 (Nov 9, 2011)

Hi everyone,
Please try not to judge I have never been violent with animals in my life. I've had cats and dogs and loved them both. I am currently recovering from anorexia and have been suffering from some terrible anxiety.
My cat is very needy and vocal, and for some reason it has been PISSING ME OFF lately. He is the nicest, most well behaved cat. I just don't know why im so damn irritated by it. For the past month or so, i've had thought of like beating him whenever he meows. But tonight I chased him around for like a minute scaring him half to death with a broom and hit him once. I don't know what came over me, I seriously snapped. (i've never been violent towards people or animals) I feel so guilty now and I hope he will still like me. Has anyone else been in a situation like this?


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## KelsKels (Oct 4, 2011)

Poor thing


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## Jinxx (May 10, 2011)

Oh yes. I know what you mean. No judgement here. I've been irked by the littlest things from people for no apparent reason a lot of times and have felt the urge to just be cruel to them. I know it sucks cause then you have those that're like "YOU MONSTER!" and stuff when really your bad side just got the best of you at the time and you feel terribly guilty about it.


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

I feel bad for your cat. Sorry, but I am an animal lover.

If you feel like you can't deal with the cat, just give it up to someone else.


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## samuel89 (Oct 6, 2011)

no please dont beat your cat..


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## Ashley1990 (Aug 27, 2011)

Hey dear..dnt beat ur ***** cat....stay away from ur cat if u feel that weird...


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## Hiccups (Jul 15, 2011)

I can relate to the frustration, when I had a doggy she sometimes would be up all night wanting to go out to the loo but we'd get out there and she'd just stare at the garden instead.. it would disturb my sleep and really irk me. If I ignored her she'd just poop inside eventually. :/
I guess it's a bit like having a baby in the sense of disturbed sleep.. geezzz I'd go bonkers if I had a child dealing with it every night.. a dog was enough xP 
But yeah nothing good would come from dishing out a beating ...maybe buy a punching bag and stick a pic of your cat on it?


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## Famous (Sep 6, 2011)

Im once stood on my cat whilst I was sleepwalking,  (She recovered, but was wary of me for weeks after)


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## sleepytime (Feb 18, 2011)

I am an animal lover too but I do have a lot of empathy for you OP since you are clearly very upset about what you did, that shows you have a kind heart and were acting out of character. Any one of us who is stressed to that that extreme is equally capable of acting completely out of character. 

I'm sure your cat will forgive in time, if you feel like the cat is becoming to much for you to cope with maybe ask a relative to look after it for a little while.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

What got you in the frame of mind in the last month?
Is there something that is causing the frustration to boil over?


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## caflme (Jun 7, 2009)

You cat is male I assume... problem solving could work. Is he fixed? If not and he is more than 6 months old then he wants to get laid... there could be a female cat outside and he could want to get out. He could have a tummy ache. He could just want attention. Assuming his cat box is clean and there is food and water... does he have fleas? 

My son is 13 and his cat is lovey with me until he wakes up and then I am toast... it's all about him. As soon as my son leaves for school the cat sits at the door and cries for him - for a good 15 mins - then runs and gets on my lap again and snuggles in and is content. He is 6 months old and is definitely in puberty/ready to mate/needs to be fixed. We have an appt next week to get his shots/get him fixed because there is a certain female cat that is now on the deck a LOT and he meows a lot at the door to her and through the window. One time he cried/meowed a lot and then puked... guess he'd gotten a belly-ache. Hope the perspective helps. Animals are like babies... they can't talk and you gotta figure out what they need to say by watching body language and listening to the sounds they make. Frustration does complicate things... if you cared enough to post then you are worried about it and that means you care about the cat. Cats also are very smart and - like many animals, maybe all - pick up on stress and anxiety and fear and frustration. They react to those sometimes by being stressed, anxious and fearful... another reason your cat might be crying/meowing. Just a few more thoughts.... I'll leave it there.


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## Haunty (Oct 24, 2008)

When my cat gets annoying like that, I usually let him out in the garage for a while


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## candiedsky (Aug 7, 2011)

i bathed all three of my cats today. and if they're clawing at me doesn't set me off, nothing does. The oldest cat has her own food bowl, and it's ceramic and the other two cats know that they are NOT allowed to eat out of her bowl. If they are caught doing so I spray them with a water bottle - their idea of 'torture'. I love animals, but I admit I love spraying them with water when I catch them doing something bad.


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

It's disappointing that in a thread asking for advice about anger management the vast majority of the replies are about the potential prospect of animal cruelty. Disappointing but expected.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

kiirby said:


> It's disappointing that in a thread asking for advice about anger management the vast majority of the replies are about cats. Disappointing but expected.


Umm, actually it's a thread about abusing his cat. So it IS to be expected! :roll

Anyway, OP, I'd suggest giving the cat to someone else, if you feel you're going to hurt it.


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

.


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## afraid2goinpublic (Nov 8, 2011)

*I totally relate to the sudden anger bursts, they are hell... you need to keep a journal daily and write with a pen,not on the pc what your feeling that day, anything stressful happen? someone rude to you? family telling you what you are tired of hearing? that type of thing and then after about a week or so ,go back and read what you wrote and try to see if there is a pettern to your anger. You could be bi-polar, I am and I am like jekyl and hyde! My poor hubby has been through hell and back with me until I finally got diagnosed by my dr.,so talk to your dr. about your feelings and see if there is a way to help you,if your dr. won't or doesnt listen then find a new dr. I did,took me 5 dr.'s before I found one that would listen to my symptoms and actually do something about them. So dont beat yourself up your cat still loves you and will forgive ya!!! But seriously do the journal and talk to your dr.*


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## laura024 (Aug 11, 2006)

This thread disturbs me.


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## blue the puppy (Jul 23, 2011)

laura024 said:


> This thread disturbs me.


it disturbs me as well.

OP, i hope the next time your cat annoys you, you can react differently.
try just going away for awhile .. or putting your cat in a room and listening to headphones so you can't hear him .. just til you calm down. your cat might whine and cry, but he'll be fine. when you are calm, you will find yourself much more equipped to deal with whatever is bothering your cat.


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## Double Indemnity (Aug 15, 2011)

Ventura said:


> This thread makes me sad- please give your cat away to someone who will truely love/ take care of him.


This.


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## Skip_DJ (Jan 30, 2010)

Please don't take out your anger on an animal who is only trying to be nice form the sounds of it. The poor thing doesn't even know it's doing anything wrong. How would you feel if you were say lonely, and just came up to someone for love, only to be beat on?


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

.


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## Skip_DJ (Jan 30, 2010)

Yeah, I know, I paint a pretty guilty picture.


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

.


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

.


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## Hiccups (Jul 15, 2011)

melodramatic much? OP only hit the cat once with a broom.. and then actually posted about it. If that warrants giving away a pet then daaammnnnn 90% of people that send in videos to funniest home video shows should have their pets and children taken away! xP

While striking a domesticated animal is not right unless it's reoccurring then I don't think it's the end of the world.


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## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)

Thought that said dog for a second, carry on..































:b


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

To the OP, maybe create a separate post specifically about anger management. No offense, but when you label a post, "I almost beat my cat" animal lovers are going to call you out on it.

My concern is not so much the one-time incident but the deeper feeling of anger toward the cat that is evident in the OP's post. Perhaps this is just a feeling of anger in general that needs to be sorted out. I'm not saying you are a bad person for having those feelings.


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## leave me alone (Apr 1, 2011)

OK OK i will take your cat.


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## kt1090 (Nov 5, 2011)

You need a way to vent your anger/frustration appropriately and a way to calm down. Hitting an animal is bad, but if you don't get control of this, it could turn into losing control with another person and that would be REALLY bad.

I understand completely when you hit that point where you are going to snap. Try listening to music. Loud angry music might help you vent or calming music might help you to calm down. Either one is worth a try. Otherwise, find a way to exercise, it is a great way to use up that angry energy. Even if it's something as simple as doing jumping-jacks in your room until you feel worn out or calmed down a bit.

Another suggestion would be deep breathing. Find a spot away from your cat or any stressors (if you can still hear them try music too) and just focus on taking deep breaths using your stomach and not your chest. It is really amazing what such a simple thing as breathing can do.

Most importantly: stop and realize how horribly guilty you would feel if you actually did that. You may feel out of control at the time, but at some point you would have to own up to what you did, either with yourself or with others. The little release of anger is not worth the horribly crushing guilt that you would have to live with afterwards. Use this as motivation to help the anger to pass in a better way.


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## sleepytime (Feb 18, 2011)

Hiccups said:


> melodramatic much? OP only hit the cat once with a broom.. and then actually posted about it. If that warrants giving away a pet then daaammnnnn 90% of people that send in videos to funniest home video shows should have their pets and children taken away! xP
> 
> While striking a domesticated animal is not right unless it's reoccurring then I don't think it's the end of the world.


I agree with this. OP didn't seriously beat the animal, not that striking it at all is ok, but it's still important to make the distinction. She already knows that she did was wrong, people do make mistakes when stressed to their limit and she is clearly very remorseful about it. No need to make her feel even worse.


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## wootmehver (Oct 18, 2007)

I like cats, but not when they make dozens of kittens. I can't stand how they breed so much.


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## JustKittenRightMeow (Jul 25, 2011)

I hate to admit it, but I used to kick my old dog when I was younger because of how angry I would get. My current dog is a handful and there were a few times where I was raging and kicked her, slapped or grabbed her fur but I've stopped now. When ever I get angry, I just stay in my room away from people and pets because I don't want to hurt anyone plus I rage at animal abusers on those animal cop shows so I can't be a dumb hypocrite or hold double standards.

The best you can do is distract yourself and find a better way to let out your anger.


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

*Hitting your pet or child is ILLEGAL here*

.
...


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## Hiccups (Jul 15, 2011)




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## someguy8 (Sep 10, 2010)

You people are overacting. People post things here they are ashamed of in hope of "support" not to be made feel worse about it. 

And Fyi scaring a cat with a broom is nothing. There are happy house cats all over that get routinely spanked for misbehaving and it isnt even a problem.


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

Oh lawd. Two aspects here; in terms of stress management, there are plenty of techniques you can take up to help calm yourself down. They are not hard to find. If the anger has a clear source, then tackle it. Whether such _heartless violence_ as hitting a cat with a broom even warrants any kind of therapy, who knows.

In terms of animal cruelty, it's a cat. If you think that being hit by a broom is going to cause any kind of emotional or physical trauma to a cat, you're an idiot. OP clearly specified that it was just one event. If you own a cat and it's never been exposed to any kind of physical activity amounting to being hit by a broom then you are far more guilty of animal cruelty than whoever posted this thread. It is a cat. It isn't pure, or innocent. I'm not condoning animal abuse, but it takes far, far more than has been mentioned here to even qualify as mild abuse. Stop anthropomorphising animals into these little helpless babies who can't survive even the most pathetic of injuries. In terms of suggesting OP gives their cat to an animal protective service, it's more likely that they'll experience trauma there than anywhere else.

I have a cat and I love him. This one time he got hit by a car and just bounced off an ran away uninjured. Why? Because he's a cat. His physicality is such that he can survive a lot more damage than I ever could, and his psyche isn't developed to the extent that he can suffer mentally in the same way I can. Try not to hit your cat with a broom, OP. But try even harder not to listen to these **********.


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## au Lait (Sep 8, 2010)

kiirby said:


> In terms of animal cruelty, it's a cat. If you think that being hit by a broom is going to cause any kind of emotional or physical trauma to a cat, you're an idiot.


Orly?

Having had experience working in vet clinics, I can tell you that animals are not made of rubber, as you seem to believe. A cat certainly could sustain an injury when hit with any sturdy object, if it is struck with enough force. And animals most definitely suffer long term effects from being abused. Many abused animals become neurotic and fearful of people. I am certainly not saying this will happen after a one time occurrence. I am just pointing out that your assumption that animals do not suffer any sort of mental/emotional/psychological/whatever you want to call it damage from abuse is incorrect.

They still feel pain and fear, though maybe not the same way a human does.

You use your cat getting hit by a car as an example, but the fact that it was lucky enough to get up and walk away has more to do with factors like the speed at which it was hit than the species of animal that it is. Many other cats are not so lucky when they find themselves in that situation.

The bottom line is, it's never ok to hit another living thing out of anger or frustration. It is definitely time to take a long hard look at what caused such and incident, and figure out how best to prevent it from happening again. I think therapy or some form of anger management course would be the next step, OP.


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## BlazingLazer (Jul 16, 2011)

^ Yep, I agree. It's funny how I find some people treasure their shiny pedestals a little too much.


Also, of note, that was the OP's only post. I wonder if they'll respond again.


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## Sensesauce (Sep 30, 2011)

You're taking your anger out on your kitty. Try to figure out what makes you so angry and why. If you really can't control your anger, I would suggest giving your kitty away to a loving, empathic owner who doesn't take things out on smaller, vulnerable, living things.

Also you're cat is probably frightened to death and probably views you as unstable and unpredictable as it doesn't understand your inappropriate behavior.


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## albrecht (Oct 18, 2011)

lvgrl90 said:


> But tonight I chased him around for like a minute scaring him half to death with a broom and hit him once.


That doesn't constitute abuse (assuming, of course, you didn't give the cat more than a tap). If you did it all the time, that would be one thing. Your cat's not going to be traumatized. If you don't like having the cat, give it away. If you like having the cat but get irritated by it, find a better way to cope with it.



Sensesauce said:


> Also you're cat is probably frightened to death and probably views you as unstable and unpredictable as it doesn't understand your inappropriate behavior.


The cat probably doesn't ever remember it. Cats don't even f*cking know they exist.



au Lait said:


> And animals most definitely suffer long term effects from being abused. Many abused animals become neurotic and fearful of people. I am certainly not saying this will happen after a one time occurrence.


Then why the **** are you bringing it up?

Is this an "abuse" problem or is it an anger problem - not that it's either or, but it seems like the main problem, given a one-time occurrence, is the _anger_.



> The bottom line is, it's never ok to hit another living thing out of anger or frustration.


Give me a break. Given enough behavior problems, sometimes the best thing to do is take the animal out into the desert and shoot it. For minor behavior problems, giving the animal a tap here and there won't traumatize it or in any way lower its standard of living (which, at least for dogs and cats in America, is significantly higher than that of probably more than half of the world's _human_ population, in terms of food and living conditions).


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## wootmehver (Oct 18, 2007)

This makes me think of a trick question where you ask someone "Are you still beating your cat?" A yes or no means they are a cat abuser. 

It's a variation on the classic "Are you still beating your wife?"


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## sean88 (Apr 29, 2006)

lvgrl90 said:


> Hi everyone,
> Please try not to judge I have never been violent with animals in my life. I've had cats and dogs and loved them both. I am currently recovering from anorexia and have been suffering from some terrible anxiety.
> My cat is very needy and vocal, and for some reason it has been PISSING ME OFF lately. He is the nicest, most well behaved cat. I just don't know why im so damn irritated by it. For the past month or so, i've had thought of like beating him whenever he meows. But tonight I chased him around for like a minute scaring him half to death with a broom and hit him once. I don't know what came over me, I seriously snapped. (i've never been violent towards people or animals) I feel so guilty now and I hope he will still like me. Has anyone else been in a situation like this?


I definitely can understand and sympathize with you. I've never actually hurt my cat, but I do chase it around sometimes. Keep in mind it has been waking me up every morning at around 3AM for the past 10 years, sometimes repeatedly. It definitely wears on my patience. My only advice is just try and keep your cool. And I'm sure your cat forgot already. My cat still loves me even though I've chased it a bunch. lol


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

au Lait said:


> Orly?
> 
> Having had experience working in vet clinics, I can tell you that animals are not made of rubber, as you seem to believe. A cat certainly could sustain an injury when hit with any sturdy object, if it is struck with enough force. And animals most definitely suffer long term effects from being abused. Many abused animals become neurotic and fearful of people. I am certainly not saying this will happen after a one time occurrence. I am just pointing out that your assumption that animals do not suffer any sort of mental/emotional/psychological/whatever you want to call it damage from abuse is incorrect.
> 
> ...


Well yes, it was hyperbole for effect, but my point still stands that to equate an isolated event as abuse and cause for the OP to give away their cat is ridiculous. Of course I agree with what you said, it just irks me that in a thread like this people can't get past the issue of potential abuse, no matter how unlikely.


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## Fiji07 (Oct 24, 2011)

*I love animals but...*

Like people animals can grind on your nerves until you need a break I know I live with it my brother leaves his dog with me all the time and halfway through the day I say that's it I need some me time happens every 2 or 3 weeks that i break down p.s. There is proof that people that are paired up with dogs are better off I like holding and relaxing with dogs.

So a low energy dog would be good for me my brother has a French bulldog Boston terrier mix she is a really energetic dog and has short bursts of energy.

He bought me a pug from his old girlfriend I loved him his name was cosmo the best thing was that he bonded with me for like 2 weeks. And listened to me but Then his girlfriend took him back. Sucks cause now I feel like a part of me was ripped out I cried for 2 months after that and still get on the verge of tears when I think about him happened a year ago but still has the sting of yesterday

My prof pic is of him I miss him

So I can understand the anger

I also have a cat that lives with my dad he's cool got him from a coworker at my moms work he's funny he bites my dad and rules the place but won't bite me and likes to sleep near me when I'm there. He's a tabby and his name is cujo because he reminds everyone of the Stephen king story lol

So it makes sense Plus dog spelled backwards is god ha

People take a break from each other why not for pets?


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## scum (Jun 30, 2011)

au Lait said:


> I can tell you that animals are not made of rubber, as you seem to believe. A cat certainly could sustain an injury when hit with any sturdy object, if it is struck with enough force. And animals most definitely suffer long term effects from being abused. Many abused animals become neurotic and fearful of people. I am certainly not saying this will happen after a one time occurrence. I am just pointing out that your assumption that animals do not suffer any sort of mental/emotional/psychological/whatever you want to call it damage from abuse is incorrect.


i believe a seed of trauma was planted even from this single event, and that an associative fear towards you will forever lurk in the cat's preconsciousness. it's only natural. it has probably mended itself, and could appear to be a non issue going forward, but you definitely have to decide in a very distinct manner, what sort of relationship you are going to have with this animal. there was a cat where i lived once that wasn't particularly friendly, but could be very affectionate at times. whenever there were fresh fish guts or something, as a treat, it would get extremely hyper, and try to scale my legs while i was setting a dish for it. i'd have to push it away with my foot and it would run right back at me. i admit, it was annoying, and i'd kinda kick the darn thing with a bit of force (nothing injurious), that would sent it sliding across the floor, and it would need to be repeated several times. the cat always had more than enough cat food, but just didn't like it much. sometimes i'd scare the cat with an aggressive physical threat just to get it to calm down. that psychological tactic proved to be much more traumatizing over time than anything else. it was a disheartening feeling to realize that i had harbored such distrust in a poor little animal, and this cat had already been abused by it's mother pretty nastily, so it's shame that no one especially cared for it.

imo, the context of owning house pets is primarily reduced to a silly novelty act, and because of this, we have to be much more forgiving of their somewhat out of place biological traits. you really have to ask yourself if there is any point in providing for a helpless animal if you don't necessarily have unconditional love and respect for him/her.


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## RockBottomRiser (Jun 5, 2011)

Scaredy cat.


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

Kitty kitty bang bang


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## Floater (Nov 12, 2011)

thank you
I lol'd so hard at this thread


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## Amileaway (Oct 27, 2011)

> You people are overacting. People post things here they are ashamed of in hope of "support" not to be made feel worse about it.
> 
> And Fyi scaring a cat with a broom is nothing. There are happy house cats all over that get routinely spanked for misbehaving and it isnt even a problem.


This needs to be said. And don't all you cat people act like you never met a cat that genuinely takes joy in biting at your ankles and swiping at you from hiding places, JUST FOR FUN.

OP, it sounds likely that you may be reacting to the fact that you also feel a need for some kind of attention, so when your cat begs for it you can feel very unsympathetic.

It's always been my experience that you can just let a cat stay outside for a while if you need a break. They are naturally smart about survival and will always come back if they don't really hate you.


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## Matomi (Sep 4, 2011)

You don't deserve to have a Cat.


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## Miriarma (Nov 12, 2011)

If you live in Australia, I'll be happy to give your cat a loving home. You might just need to be by yourself for a while whilst you heal. Look after yourself.


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## Amileaway (Oct 27, 2011)

Now if you enter it into the local underground catfighting ring you might be abusing it.


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## sabbath (May 10, 2010)

The majority of people who replied here are being over dramatic.

I'm a huge huge animal lover, animal rights activist,charity worker and have lots of experience fostering/nurturing cats and kitten.

I have hit an animal like yourself at time when I was really mad, it's so horrible and the animal does not deserve it at all, I felt so awful afterwards..
I analysed it and I'm pretty sure it's because animals don't speak back, With me I think I had so much anger in me towards myself and other people but could never talk to people about how they mistreated me because of my social anxiety that I without meaning to hurt the animal had a random burst and took it out on him. It just happens in a flash, not intentionally.

If it is a recurring thing and you feel anger directly at the animal itself and want to purposely hurt the animal then I'd re-home him/her into a new loving and safe home, because the little guy/girl doesn't deserve to be abused.

I hope you and your kitty are safe and healthy...


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## Nefury (May 9, 2011)

The concern isn't about harm to the cat, it's just a feeling that the OP is going through. I'm pretty sure they would never actually intentionally harm the cat (to a degree where the animal should definitely be removed from them). Some of these replies are so retarded.

Just don't take it out on the cat anymore, it's not helping anyone lol.


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## Frenger868 (Apr 11, 2011)

You guys... the issue is not with the cat--yes, it's not a good thing that she took out her anger on it, but she know's that. Move on. Telling her how horrible she is helps absolutely nothing, and furthermore, it was a ONE time incident. 

The issue is with the anger and how she deals with it. And on that point, I have no advice, but there were other replies that were helpful. 

She is obviosuly shocked and appalled at her own reaction, why rub salt in the wound? She knows what she did is wrong. Give her advice, don't demean her, does anyone really need that on a social anxiety support forum?


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## trendyfool (Apr 11, 2010)

Frenger868 said:


> You guys... the issue is not with the cat--yes, it's not a good thing that she took out her anger on it, but she know's that. Move on. Telling her how horrible she is helps absolutely nothing, and furthermore, it was a ONE time incident.
> 
> The issue is with the anger and how she deals with it. And on that point, I have no advice, but there were other replies that were helpful.
> 
> She is obviosuly shocked and appalled at her own reaction, why rub salt in the wound? She knows what she did is wrong. Give her advice, don't demean her, does anyone really need that on a social anxiety support forum?


that's pretty much how I feel about this whole thing.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

caflme said:


> You cat is male I assume... problem solving could work. Is he fixed? If not and he is more than 6 months old then he wants to get laid... there could be a female cat outside and he could want to get out. He could have a tummy ache. He could just want attention. Assuming his cat box is clean and there is food and water... does he have fleas?
> 
> My son is 13 and his cat is lovey with me until he wakes up and then I am toast... it's all about him. As soon as my son leaves for school the cat sits at the door and cries for him - for a good 15 mins - then runs and gets on my lap again and snuggles in and is content. He is 6 months old and is definitely in puberty/ready to mate/needs to be fixed. We have an appt next week to get his shots/get him fixed because there is a certain female cat that is now on the deck a LOT and he meows a lot at the door to her and through the window. One time he cried/meowed a lot and then puked... guess he'd gotten a belly-ache. Hope the perspective helps. Animals are like babies... they can't talk and you gotta figure out what they need to say by watching body language and listening to the sounds they make. Frustration does complicate things... if you cared enough to post then you are worried about it and that means you care about the cat. Cats also are very smart and - like many animals, maybe all - pick up on stress and anxiety and fear and frustration. They react to those sometimes by being stressed, anxious and fearful... another reason your cat might be crying/meowing. Just a few more thoughts.... I'll leave it there.


OMG! Thank God you aren't pimping your cat. At 6 months, that is pretty nasty that cats want to get it on. I always thought dogs and cats aged 15 years in the first year, and four every year after.



candiedsky said:


> i bathed all three of my cats today. and if they're clawing at me doesn't set me off, nothing does. The oldest cat has her own food bowl, and it's ceramic and the other two cats know that they are NOT allowed to eat out of her bowl. If they are caught doing so I spray them with a water bottle - their idea of 'torture'. I love animals, but I admit I love spraying them with water when I catch them doing something bad.


You bathed your cats! I woulld love to do that. :lol
My dog liked baths, but he wouldn't sit in the bathtub, even when I pushed his hind end down. The water wasn't even that deep.

To the OP, I really hope your cat is okay.


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## Jeff (Nov 11, 2005)

Get help, and adopt your cat out to someone who can properly care for it. I have no sympathy for anyone who would hurt an animal.


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## Aeroflot (Jul 26, 2011)

Jeff said:


> Get help, and adopt your cat out to someone who can properly care for it. I have no sympathy for anyone who would hurt an animal.


Does the OP's remorse over hitting the cat not warrant any sympathy?


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

The OP has one post so far... Did we scare him/her off? The OP has picked a very controversial thread to begin with...


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## Aeroflot (Jul 26, 2011)

kev said:


> The OP has one post so far... Did we scare him/her off? The OP has picked a very controversial thread to begin with...


Should the OP be at _fault_ for seeking help from this forum?


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

Aeroflot said:


> Should the OP be at _fault_ for seeking help from this forum?


Umm, no. I was just making an observation.


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## Aeroflot (Jul 26, 2011)

kev said:


> Umm, no. I was just making an observation.


A very helpful one.


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## sleepytime (Feb 18, 2011)

Yea, not good, OP came here for support and probably felt 100 times worse afterwards. Hopefully they come back and see that they got some understanding replies in this thread!


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## styler5 (Oct 7, 2006)

1. OP never was violent towards people or animals before.
2. OP feels guilty for what happened.
3. It was the first time OP scared his/her pet.(or traumatized if you extreme animal lovers insist)

You say OP's almost certainly going to do it again. Maybe, although looking at the severity of abuse, along with point 1 and 2, I think OP deserves a second chance at least, with proper anger management of course.

Disagree all you want. My point is, you shouldn't make OP feel worse by calling OP a horrible person. If you have nothing helpful to add both for OP and the pet, you should stay out of the thread.


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## kev (Jan 28, 2005)

My point was that I'd rather not be talking to thin air. I'm hoping the OP will come back, but in the meanwhile, I don't see the point in arguing amongst ourselves until we get a response from her. This is my final response in this thread. I have said my piece. Hopefully she will respond at some point, but until then what the hell are we are arguing about for? Why should I defend a person who wants to beat her cat? And yes, I'm being a hypocrite, which is why this is my final response.


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## ThisGuy (Jul 13, 2010)

kev said:


> My point was that I'd rather not be talking to thin air. I'm hoping the OP will come back, but in the meanwhile, I don't see the point in arguing amongst ourselves until we get a response from her. This is my final response in this thread. I have said my piece. Hopefully she will respond at some point, but until then what the hell are we are arguing about for? *Why should I defend a person who wants to beat her cat?* And yes, I'm being a hypocrite, which is why this is my final response.


I don't think she ever stated she wanted to beat her cat.


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## Jeff (Nov 11, 2005)

Aeroflot said:


> Does the OP's remorse over hitting the cat not warrant any sympathy?


Did she come here for sympathy, or advice on her situation? She obviously was so disturbed over _her own behavior_ that she created an account here and made a thread about it. So I gave her advice:

1) Get professional help. Something many around here would benefit from, rather than trying to diagnose one's self from others who have problems as well.

2) Put the cat into a safe environment, at least until you are better.

If you want to give her sympathy, go right ahead, but that won't solve her problem or make the poor cat any safer.


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## Aeroflot (Jul 26, 2011)

Jeff said:


> *So I gave her advice:*





> I have no sympathy for anyone who would hurt an animal.


Does interjecting personal judgment constitute advice? She already knows what she did was bad -- _that part is over_. After that part, it calls to be mature and get on with life, and to do whatever is necessary to do so, including asking other people for help.


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## Jeff (Nov 11, 2005)

Aeroflot said:


> Does interjecting personal judgment constitute advice? She already knows what she did was bad -- _that part is over_. After that part, it calls to be mature and get on with life, and to do whatever is necessary to do so, including asking other people for help.


I stand by what I said. And I think anyone with the kind of tendencies she has needs to hear it before something tragic happens. If you want to be the one on here to hold her hand, I'm not stopping you.


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## CatalinaJoy (Nov 16, 2011)

I feel for you but I feel more for your cat as you are about 50 times its size and he relies upon you for his safety, food, shelter and LOVE. Remember he didn't choose you. My animals can irritate me too at times but I fear you've crossed the line and I don't like where this is going.

Cats are pretty forgiving creatures but they can be traumatised and scarred just like us. Please consider rehousing your cat. Even temporarily if possible.


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## Mokxie (Nov 16, 2011)

Aeroflot said:


> Does interjecting personal judgment constitute advice? She already knows what she did was bad -- _that part is over_. After that part, it calls to be mature and get on with life, and to do whatever is necessary to do so, including asking other people for help.


What if it had been a baby? Would your advice remain the same? Understanding that what you did was wrong is a step in the right direction but if your actions are that unpredictable, the more important party is the one at risk and in this case, it's the cat.


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## Aeroflot (Jul 26, 2011)

Mokxie said:


> What if it had been a baby? Would your advice remain the same? Understanding that what you did was wrong is a step in the right direction but if your actions are that unpredictable, the more important party is the one at risk and in this case, it's the cat.


You would be absolutely correct if this were not an internet forum.

The point is that we can't do anything for the OP through an internet forum except talk and give advice. We can tell the OP whatever we want, but in the end we don't know who the OP is or where the OP lives, so the only constructive thing we can do is try to help the OP and hope the OP does the right thing.

Which leads to my point: if you ready care what happens to the cat, then you'll care for the OP, because if you don't, the cat might end up being in a worse situation.


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

OK. I can understand your frustration. Anger can get the best of us overstressed SAers. I almost hit my cat once too. But I didn't. Take it out on an inanimate object like a pillow or something. Lift weights. Run. Exercise. Whatever will help you get rid of the anger.


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## Stormclouds (Mar 8, 2011)

Time to give your cat away before you do something horrible to it. Better to get a hamster or something that's quiet and doesn't require so much attention.


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

Mokxie said:


> What if it had been a baby? Would your advice remain the same? Understanding that what you did was wrong is a step in the right direction but if your actions are that unpredictable, the more important party is the one at risk and in this case, it's the cat.


You're right, what if it _had_ been a baby. And what if OP had been a dinosaur?! THEN WHY WOULD A DINOSAUR BE USING A BROOM? I REFUTE YOUR ARGUMENT FOR IT IS RIDICULOUS.


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## cellophanegirl (Sep 21, 2009)

All you people are horrible. You probably scared the OP off for life. Someone with anxiety issues who is likely highly sensitive to criticism comes on here to admit something that she regrets and asks for advice, and what do you do? You jump down her throat and call her an animal abuser and tell her she needs to give away her cat. 

My friend's cat has swiped at me numerous times when I was just trying to pet her, and has even broken the skin a few times. Animals are not angelic "pure" lovely beings that you guys seem to think they are. If this cat was in the wild rather than domesticated it would probably get into physical fights all the time. Obviously as the animal's owner you are in a position of power and should try to refrain from abusing that power. However, I don't think that swatting at your cat with a broom once is the end of the world. 

Everyone needs to get off their high horse and show a little sympathy and compassion. Bet the OP won't be starting any more threads like this anytime soon. Way to go people.


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## kriskris (Nov 20, 2011)

She is asking for help- she already knows that she shouldn't abuse her cat- she stated that- so all the people reiterating it- that's not what she needs to hear.

Hun, what is going on with you is that you are completely overwhelmed. You are so anxious and feel so out of control that little things (like your cat needing you) are too much for you to handle. This is normal when you are out of balance. Take it as a sign. Really look at yourself. You are at the point where you are so out of balance that you are starting to have thoughts of seriously abusing your cat (an innocent animal). REALLY LOOK AT THAT- How does that make you feel? Like you said- worried, scared, concerned, you don't want to be that person.

Then let this be motivation for you to get back in balance. Try to discover what you need to be more balanced and healthy. Some suggestions: Yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, journaling, supplements that may help support your body and mental state (5-htp-only if not on antidepressents, holy basil, cod liver oil, a good food-based multivitamin)

Also, you said you are recovering from anorexia, so- no offense here- anorexia is a sign of the mind being unbalanced and the result is that the body becomes unbalanced because it is starved of the vital nutrients it needs to function.

I'm not sure where you are at in your journey- so I am just throwing out some thoughts here. Have you looked at the fact that your anorexia is a sign that you don't believe you are worthy- good enough- deserving of life? Who taught you this? Where did you learn it? Your parents? Society? Something that happened in school? Why do you not believe you can love yourself?
Are you trying to disappear? Get away from something?
What is within your power right now? 

Starving yourself is abusing yourself. I suggest reading some books about nutrition so you can really understand, not what happens when you deprive your body, but what can happen when you NOURISH it.

If you can- eat whole healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, wild caught fish, sweet potatoes- these will all help you grow and flourish.

I also suggest some books: You can heal your life by Loiuse Hays and any of the books by SARK- you can also call her inspiration life (for free you get to listen to a 5 minute recorded inspirational message from her) 415-546-3742.

All love is within us, we just need to find it and love it back- please do all you can to love yourself and bring balance back into your life- 
Loving thoughts and hope for you and your kitty and good for you for being brave enough to post this and ask for help.


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## Umirin (Oct 23, 2011)

hahahahahahHAHAHAHAH


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

lvgrl90 said:


> Hi everyone,
> Please try not to judge I have never been violent with animals in my life. I've had cats and dogs and loved them both. I am currently recovering from anorexia and have been suffering from some terrible anxiety.
> My cat is very needy and vocal, and for some reason it has been PISSING ME OFF lately. He is the nicest, most well behaved cat. I just don't know why im so damn irritated by it. For the past month or so, i've had thought of like beating him whenever he meows. But tonight I chased him around for like a minute scaring him half to death with a broom and hit him once. I don't know what came over me, I seriously snapped. (i've never been violent towards people or animals) I feel so guilty now and I hope he will still like me. Has anyone else been in a situation like this?


I can understand where you are coming from. I used to have anger issuse and one of my cats is very vocal and always looking for attention. You have to realise that cats are very narcissistic creatures. They will use you and if you die they wont think twice about eating your face.

Never the less I really like cats(despite the fact that I am allergic to them). I have never been inclined to strike them but I have gotten really pissed off with them at times. So I decided to try a little trick from the Dog Whisperer. If the cat is annoying me or doing something I don't like I go and click my fingers right in front of her face. No need to shout or bat their nose or anything just click your fingers loudly(if you can).

The cats learn quite quickly and eventually just a little body movement lets them know that they are to stop doing what they are doing. It is the intention that is important. You have to mean it or it wont work. You have to move your hand in and click your fingers quickly to take them by surprise. Now I have started to learn their language(so to speak) and can interact with them better. If they are annoying me I can even get them to stop with just a little "Shh!" sound and they seam to understand. Now I don't get pissed off with them the way I sometimes used to. Also I have dealt with some of my anger issues too, which is a good idea...


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## BovidaeSixteen (Nov 20, 2011)

I have a goofy mane-**** mix...such a clown, he is. Whenever anyone enters the house, he sets off in this alarm of welcoming meows...and he is very loud for a cat. People of my family will shuffle their feet and make playful noises and 'chase' him, which of course causes him to excitedly dash off and meow even more frantically...its real funny when you're in a good mood. But, of course, when I'm grouchy and he does this, I complain at him, telling him "good god, Stinker!" (his name is Stinker...silly name, I know)...occasionally I will get snappy with him and shove him with my foot away. This doesn't work because all he does is run away playfully...its ridiculous, honestly.

Anyway, to get to the point. When your cat starts to bother you, find a coat or blanket and set it over the cat. I do this to Stinker and...well...in all truth, he is not the brightest cat and it takes him a while to figure out how to turn the lights back on (pushing the blanket or coat off him)...


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

I hope he we did not make the OP afraid and leave the site after just 1 post


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## Princessleah (Oct 21, 2012)

I agree I feel sorry for the cat at the end of the day it's not his fault you getting aggitated is it, that is a terrible thing to do all because he's loving towards you, I would never even dream of doing that to my cats, if your suffering with anxiety then get it sorted because you never know one day you might go too far and end up..... fill in the blank. I have a very strong opinion as I am an animal lover. I agree with Kev. Get yourself sorted


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## Princessleah (Oct 21, 2012)

I could not agree more at the end of the day you should not be doing that to the poor cat it's not his fault that your suffering with anxiety and getting bloody aggitated I would never dream of doing that to my cats, one of my cats is on heat right now driving me mad but I'm not doing anything just leave them to it but if your gonna be cruel then give the cat away to someone. I have a strong opinion as i am an animal lover, but one day you might go to far and end up...........you fill in the blank.:blank


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## Nada (Dec 19, 2004)

Yeah everyone except OP are perfect angels :roll fyi, it's sarcasm.


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## niacin (May 26, 2012)

OP, this sounds really simplistic, but do you think you could schedule one day a week where you stay out of the house and get a massage/spa day? Maybe then when your cat annoys you, you can remember that you are just feeling on edge and that in __ days, you will be getting a massage and not having any responsibilities. Then spend the rest of your time finding what you love about your cat and spending time with it.


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## lvgrl90 (Nov 9, 2011)

Wow, It has almost been a year since I wrote this post. I can't believe it caused such a stir! I am glad I didn't read the responses because I would have felt horrible about myself. I thank all of those who gave me useful information and didn't try to make me feel bad. I think it is actually funny now to see how dramatic people were about my "aggression."
I was in therapy at the time and told my therapist about it. She didn't seem to think I was a threat to society. Jeez.

To those who care:
Anyways, I am soooo much better than I was a year ago. I am no longer restricting my food. I am learning why I was so unhappy for so long. I found a job after making an *** out of myself in so many interviews. Getting red in the face, my mind completely going blank, skipping words, sounding retarded (you know the drill). I just didn't give up. I also have a two year old (No, I never hit him. not once). And I am starting to be able to bond with him more and more (although that is my biggest struggle). 

And my cat was fine btw, he still loved me afterwards.


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## 0589471 (Apr 21, 2012)

I'm really glad to hear you're doing better! 

It just sounded like you had a moment and chased the cat around a bit. No crazy violence or anything. You were going through therapy, and it's hard to think clearly with so much going on. Not saying acting out is ok, but it I mean really. And you knew it was wrong, it was concerning you. 

You were going through a tough time, and I think people should have been more concerned about that.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

Cat can be annoying but i want one.


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## keithp (Mar 13, 2007)

Is your cat neutered, males who aren't constantly howl and meow for females, if he isn't neutered get him neutered, you will be helping lower his risk of cancer and give yourself peace of mind. Your cat could be noisy for other reasons, bored, ill, wanting attention, if you want a pet you are responsible for them, like children, you don't go running around chasing with a broom!

I volunteered at rescues and own cats, my cousin has abused and killed animals in front of me, so I don't tolerate this **** if I see it.

You need to help yourself if you think there is a reason behind your behavior like a psychiatrist. If your cat is having problems this is the best cat site around to help answer any cat questions you have. http://www.thecatsite.com/f/


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## kiirby (Oct 8, 2010)

lvgrl90 said:


> Wow, It has almost been a year since I wrote this post. I can't believe it caused such a stir! I am glad I didn't read the responses because I would have felt horrible about myself. I thank all of those who gave me useful information and didn't try to make me feel bad. I think it is actually funny now to see how dramatic people were about my "aggression."
> I was in therapy at the time and told my therapist about it. She didn't seem to think I was a threat to society. Jeez.
> 
> To those who care:
> ...


 Firstly, welcome back. I'm so glad that things have improved in your life and that therapy has been a success.

More importantly, thankyou for having the guts to post again after the things that were said to you. I still find this thread disgusting in the level of abuse it aimed at someone who was merely looking for support. It exemplifies a dire state of affairs in terms of the difference between how people empathise with each other and how they empathise with animals. Nothing has been learned, of course, but I'm glad they didn't get to you.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I remember this thread. 

If you don't like animals that much, why have them?


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## jonny neurotic (Jan 20, 2011)

WintersTale said:


> I remember this thread.
> 
> If you don't like animals that much, why have them?


Poor show, old chap. Poor show.

Don't be a troll and leave this lady alone. She was reaching out to people to give her advice because she doesn't want to mistreat her pets. Go an have a word with yourself...


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## thundercats (Mar 12, 2012)

@ lvgrl90

Would you mind uploading a few pics of your cat next to a recent newspaper just for us to know that she's really allright?


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## Mlochail (Jul 11, 2012)

Goddamnit! Now I'm all hyped up!!!!11!

If you feel like that please give the cat to someone who would take proper care of it. IT SHOULD NOT SUFFER UNDER YOUR MISERY!


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## tk123 (Jun 27, 2012)

Moasim said:


> Goddamnit! Now I'm all hyped up!!!!11!
> 
> If you feel like that please give the cat to someone who would take proper care of it. IT SHOULD NOT SUFFER UNDER YOUR MISERY!


Exactly! People who abuse their pets and pretend to be a victim who can't help it are a bunch of morons. Simple as that. This isn't even the first thread of it's kind on here, a couple months ago some guy started a thread about how he likes to choke himself while masturbating and cut his cat with a razor when it came in the room for some sick perverse enjoyment.


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## Secretly Pretentious (Dec 18, 2011)

Wow, I'm kind of surprised how harsh most of you are being with lvgrl90. I love cats and think animal abuse is awful. I also agree that lvgrl90 made a big mistake treating her cat like that. But it only happened once, she expressed a huge amount of guilt and concern afterwards, and no injuries were sustained to the cat (no cuts/bruises). I'd say it's the same as a father giving his kid a slap on the wrist. My dad used to slap my hands and arms when I was a kid whenever I argued with my brother. Should I have been taken away from him because he was a horrid child abuser? If this was a reoccurring incident or if she derived pleasure out of scaring/harming her cat, then I would urge her to get rid of the cat. But since neither is true, she just needed to learn from her mistake and come up with a better coping mechanism. Perhaps putting the cat in a separate room with food, water, and a litter box until she felt more collected. 

I'm really sorry that you didn't get any support here a year ago, lvgrl90. I'm relieved that a year later, you haven't taken it to heart and you've gotten your anorexia under control. Eating disorders are extremely stressful to recover from so I can see why you snapped, even if your behavior wasn't justified.


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## thundercats (Mar 12, 2012)

I really hope that the cat didn't suffer permanent psychological damage from this event. Maybe an animal psychologist could evaluate the cat and in case needed start a treatment.


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## meeps (Dec 5, 2011)

Secretly Pretentious said:


> Wow, I'm kind of surprised how harsh most of you are being with lvgrl90. I love cats and think animal abuse is awful. I also agree that lvgrl90 made a big mistake treating her cat like that. But it only happened once, she expressed a huge amount of guilt and concern afterwards, and no injuries were sustained to the cat (no cuts/bruises). I'd say it's the same as a father giving his kid a slap on the wrist. My dad used to slap my hands and arms when I was a kid whenever I argued with my brother. Should I have been taken away from him because he was a horrid child abuser? If this was a reoccurring incident or if she derived pleasure out of scaring/harming her cat, then I would urge her to get rid of the cat. But since neither is true, she just needed to learn from her mistake and come up with a better coping mechanism.


:yes



thundercats said:


> I really hope that the cat didn't suffer permanent psychological damage from this event. Maybe an animal psychologist could evaluate the cat and in case needed start a treatment.


:roll


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## meganmila (Jul 25, 2011)

Well I would say don't do it again!


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## estse (Nov 18, 2003)

I terrorized my cat as a teenager, and simultaneously cried about it at the time. I hated myself and took it out on a poor animal. You need not know the details.

It lived long and I ended up treating it with the most sincere kindness for the last years of her life. She went from being terrified of my presence to seeking out my comforts. She died naturally and I hope fully free of the terror I put her through when she was young.

It's not something I talk about often, even online. It hurts me to know that I hurt such a lovely living creature when I was about 12-15 years.

My current cat doesn't know what hell life could be. He's lucky, and I love him.

So take your anger out on me, not some young person who once hit her cat. I'm thinking I'll soon be gone anyways.

OP, I'm glad things are better. Stick around some more if you'd like. We need replacements for all of us who leave. ;-)


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## Imspartacus (Sep 29, 2012)

thundercats said:


> I really hope that the cat didn't suffer permanent psychological damage from this event. Maybe an animal psychologist could evaluate the cat and in case needed start a treatment.


..... Sarcasm?


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## Wren611 (Oct 19, 2012)

lvgrl90 said:


> Wow, It has almost been a year since I wrote this post. I can't believe it caused such a stir! I am glad I didn't read the responses because I would have felt horrible about myself. I thank all of those who gave me useful information and didn't try to make me feel bad. I think it is actually funny now to see how dramatic people were about my "aggression."
> I was in therapy at the time and told my therapist about it. She didn't seem to think I was a threat to society. Jeez.
> 
> To those who care:
> ...


I just wanted to say that I can relate to the animal thing. It's not a nice place to be. I'm glad things have worked out well for you


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## deadkittens (Jan 19, 2010)

why are you getting so angry and frustrated at the cat? maybe its from a medication your on or because you missed a dose or because your over whelmed and need some medication.

people shouldnt judge her for this. she knows how she feels and what she did is wrong, thats why she is asking for help here.

i had a cat kill my bird when i was young and i was so angry i wanted to beat the cat for doing it..but i didnt because its a bird and cats will kill a bird..it wasnt the cats fault.

i recently bought a new sweater and it was really nice and it was my favorite but my cat ripped a huge whole in it when she got her claw stuck in it and kept pulling on it while i tried to help her. i tossed the sweater out because it angered me and it was ruined..who wants a brand new shirt with a rip right in the top front. i wanted to beat that cat but i didnt..shes just a cat and was trying to get her claw free..

i had a cat who would harrass my guinea pigs all day, literally jumping in and out of the cage getting wood chips all over my house..id take him out and he would jump right back in and he would do it like 11 times in a row before i couldnt take it anymore and i started to put him in the bathroom for time outs. this didnt fix it and he kept doing it but he was doing it because he was bored and an indoor cat. i probably wanted to beat him but i didnt.. hes a cat. he was bored.

the sweater ripping cat pissed my bed 2 times after we moved. she was scared to leave my room. she ruined my bed and i definately wanted to beat her but i didnt..shes just a cat and she was scared.

i still have all these cats.

its ok to get angry but its never ok to hit an animal. they are usually doing what they are doing to anger you, for a reason.

but your also getting overly angry for a reason too.

you need to find a way to stop over reacting and wanting to hurt the cat.

maybe put the cat outside or in another room for a time out etc.


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

Maybe you guys need to read the thread, particularly the update from the OP before carrying on like a flock of galas.


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## Queen of Spades (Mar 17, 2012)

I used to beat my cats as a child when I was either depressed or frustrated. I didn't know better. Now I don't touch my cat unless I want to squeeze him with affection. I feel horrible about what I used to do. I eventually graduated from taking out my frustration on innocent animals to myself :blank


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## Penny (Mar 2, 2012)

*Thread closure*

There seems to be confusion about the currency of this concern. 
Welcome back to the site ivgrl90. We are please to hear you and your cat are better.

if anyone wants to start a new thread with current concerns or ideas, please do.


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