Overcoming Ailurophobia: My Journey to Loving Cats

For most of my life, I had ailurophobia—a deep fear of cats. The idea of having one in my home made me so uneasy that I avoided them completely.

That all changed about 20 years ago, when I had my first real close contact with cats. Some friends asked me to cat-sit for them, and suddenly I was stuck with two furry creatures in my house: Robert and Dinosaur.

On the first day, I stayed late at the office, dragging my feet to go home. The thought of having cats in the house was so nerve-wracking, I nearly backed out.

Why was I so afraid of cats? Maybe it was a creepy story I once heard about a family cat. Maybe it was the unsettling feeling I got when cats stared or silently crept around. Or maybe it was just because I had never had a furry pet before.

I realized how ridiculous it was to avoid my own home. I started reading up on how to stop being afraid of cats. Articles about overcoming fears—from fear of heights to animal phobias—kept repeating the same advice: the best way to overcome fear is to face it directly.

So I did.

That evening, I went home, found Robert (the more social of the two), and knelt down to scratch his head. I pretended not to be scared and tried to act natural. To my surprise, he purred and leaned into my hand. That small moment helped break the ice.

Day by day, I felt more at ease. Robert began to seek me out for snuggles and affection. I started to enjoy the feeling of being needed—something I never imagined would happen with a cat. Dinosaur stayed mostly out of sight, still shy and quiet.

After that experience, we helped another friend by cat-sitting two kittens, Tiger and Sweetie. It was messy. After they left, I could still smell the lingering “cat smell” for weeks. That, plus the extra chores, kept me from seriously considering getting a cat of our own. Alan, my husband, was totally against it.

A few times, I almost gave in. But Alan’s resistance was strong, and I backed off.

Then came the turning point.

Kat, our daughter, adopted a cat. Just like that, I became a cat grandma. All my old fears—of smells, fur, the dreaded litter box chores—vanished.

Now, I’m the one who does the most for Mitty, our “grandkitty.” I clean her litter box two or three times a day. I sneak her treats under Kat’s strict rules. I even play with her at midnight.

Who would’ve thought? From afraid of cats to totally smitten.

Love me, love my cat.

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