Hate/scared of dogs/cats

[JeanneA]

Does anyone know if it is common for someone with autism to be afraid or have a hatred of dogs/cats, any animals for that manner.

 

Glen has always hated dogs and cats, plus horses most 4 legged animals in fact! It was always very difficult to take Glen to parks etc in case we saw a dog and Glen would run as fast as he could to avoid the animal. If anyone has a cat in their own, Glen would run out of the run the cat was in to get away from it.

 

Glen is slightly better then he was since he's got older but the fear/hatred has never gone away.

[Special_talent123]

I know it is common, but it is also common for them to like them as well. I am scared of aggressive dogs but i adore cavaliers

[JeanneA]

Thanks for your answer special talent. Hope you are ok today :-)

[Suze]

Hi Jeanne, hope your ok.Do you think its the unpredictabilty of them that upsets him.Dogs also bark alot which can be very upsetting also.Animals in general have a habit of being jumpy, a cats claws, a dogs bark and a horses size can all be unsettling.Think how freaky birds can seem ..ie pigeons when they flap about.Animal phobias are so common amongst the NT community.I wish there was a way to make him more comfortable around them but it might be a step too far.Has he ever shown an positive interest in any type of animal ?

[Special_talent123]

I was frigthened of going on horses. first i say yes, then no, then yes then no. i was scared of going on one I dont know why. yes i dont like animals that bark- but i dont like certain dogs such as jack russell.

[A-S warrior]

watch out, the mods are back......

 

i know this may sound crazy jeanne, but further to my other post last week on glen changing over time, a good thing to do to help along with that devolpment would be to acquire a dog. i was terrified of dogs, but when my mother brought one into the house, i learned to get along with dogs. he,s been in the house 12 years now, and i am no longer scared of them.

 

 

just a thought to throw out there

[Isobel]

I love animals, although I was a little scared of dogs as a kid, but now I'm confident with them. They're the one thing I can relate to when humans become a bit confusing.

[JeanneA]

Hi guys thanks for all your great comments. We wouldn't get a dog AS as we ourselves are not big dog fans. As for any animals that Glen likes the only one he's ok with (which isn't surprising) is a goldfish, we have one here and the care home staff bought Glen a fish for his birthday which he feeds etc. So a fish is about the only think that Glen shows interest in.

[JeanneA]

I think also the quick moving of cats really makes Glen very anxious,

[smileyK]

jeanne- like your son Glenn i have severe phobia/fear of dogs,cats especially not keen on other animals never been atttacked or bite so the conclusion /reasoning behind this phobic reaction is probably due to quick movement my mum believes as also got poor bad eye sight (mypoic) which doesn't help matters /situation causes great anxiety when i see one of them i 'jump literally out my skin' think because unpredictable sudden which people with autism dislike find hard to cope with in daily life! i also 'flight reaction' to anxiety instead of stay and fight it i am trying slowly working on this but is a challenge . i rather walk in middle of the road than walk where is one or the other as bark with dogs set me off my sensitive hearing hurts my ears bad and again it is sudden! i shake and cry when i've seen one or other before and look out for them all time!

 

XKLX

[JeanneA]

Hi Smiley thanks for your comments, like you Glen would also prefer to walk in the middle of a road rather than face a dog. Glen doesn't like the barking of a dog either.

 

Hi thanks for all the replies. Glen doesn't like zoos but is ok with safari parks, which makes sense as with safari parks you keep in your vehicle!

 

I do think its the way cats move so quickly that puts Glen off and I'm sure dogs barking is something else that increases Glen's anxiety.

 

Glen's dad has 2 kittens and when Glen comes home for the weekend from the care home his dad sometimes has Glen for a few hours on a Sunday, and Glen is very anxoious around the kittens apparently which isn't surprising to me.

 

Glen also dislikes zoos and refuses to get out of the vehicle if taken to a zoo. He is ok with safari parks though because you stay in the vehicle.