How to Recognize Ailurophobia

For people who suffer from phobias, the persistent fear of something that others believe is normal is not the only problem they face. When the phobia is irrational and overwhelming, it can seriously affect the victim's everyday life. Phobias can center around people, places, situations and even animals. Ailurophobia is the fear of cats and it is one of the more common types of anxiety disorders known as phobias.

Instructions

• 1

  Recognize the basis for ailurophobia. Sufferers may fear cats physically, such as getting a bite or scratch from one. Other people may worry about the supposed mysterious and paranormal connections that cats have. Their reputation alone may make someone fearful.

• 2

  Understand possible causes for ailurophobia. Many psychologists believe that phobias are triggered by traumatic childhood events. An ailurophoic may have gotten a scare or scratch from a cat or experienced some other kind of fearful encounter with a cat. Another possibility may be that someone witnessed a loved one experience some kind of cat attack or watched an otherwise negative interaction with a cat.

• 3

  Learn the triggers for ailurophobia. Some people are fine unless they see an actual cat, whether in pictures or in real life. Other extreme cases only need a thought or mention of a cat, cat toys or even cat sounds to induce panic. The result after a trigger is generally a panic attack, with rapid heartbeat, sweating, nausea, vomiting and mental distress.

• 4

  Understand the superstitious aspect. Many ailurophobes throughout history were just as fearful of what a cat represented as the physical animal. In cultures where cats were particularly disliked as creatures of "the devil" or "witch's familiars," cats were as scary to some as sharks or snakes are to the more general public. While the mystical attributes of cats bother slightly less people today than back then, the cat's reputation is still one of mystery and wisdom. Ailurophobics incorporate the social perception of cats into their deep irrational fear.