What is ailurophilia?

Ailurophilia is a disorder

La ailurophilia it is a word whose meaning can create confusion. In fact, it is very common to think that it is a term that designates something beautiful, but in reality it is a pattern of behavior that is quite strange. If we think about the origin of this word, we will see that it comes from the Greek ailuros which means cat, and philos which translates as love. It is a word still very unknown among the population, even the Royal Spanish Academy has not entered it in the dictionary.

If you are a follower of the blog, surely you have fallen in love with the look and behavior of your four-legged friend, or am I wrong? Furry people know how to make themselves loved, even if you weren't planning on having a new animal at home at first. However, you have to know where the limit is.

What is ailurophilia?

Ailurophilia is not to be confused with Noah's syndrome

Ailurophilia is a paraphilia, that is, a pattern of sexual behavior in which the predominant source of pleasure is, in this case, the cat. It is, then, a set of wrong feelings that these animals arouse in some people.

Symptom

The symptoms of paraphilia depend on the type of sexual deviation. In the case of ailurophilia, individuals may have sexual fantasies, behaviors linked to the use of cat-shaped objects, take pleasure in dressing up as a feline or seeing a person dressed that way,… In short, it is a problem that can prevent the person from leading a normal life.

In this sense, people can present different degrees of this condition and that is why it is important to recognize it in time. Next, we are going to tell you about some of the groups that exist depending on the specific symptoms that may be suffered.

Ailurophilia

In this case, the person has a special love for animals, in this case towards cats. The person does not consider it a problem because he feels his love as something normal and natural. They feel good having cats and it doesn't have to lead to abnormal behavior.

Ailurophilia as paraphilia

When we talk about disorder, we are already referring to the fact that there may be a specific problem in the behavior of the person who is attracted to cats. This attraction can end up becoming an obsession. When this happens, mental disorders may appear due to paraphilia (uncontrollable attraction to the cat).

In this case, there may be a sexual deviation where the love they feel towards the animal has a sexual component. People with this type of paraphilia can decide whether to act on their impulses or better not to act. Although just by having these types of thoughts, urgent psychological or psychiatric attention is already needed.

When a person has this type of disorder often have trouble leading a normal life, something that will affect you both personally and professionally.

Ailurophilia linked to hoarding disorder

Below we will tell you that you do not have to confuse this disorder with "Noah's Syndrome", but it is necessary to bear in mind that hoarding disorder is a mental disorder where the person can accumulate many animals without caring for them so cats can end sick or with serious socialization problems. When a person has this disorder you are often unaware of what is happening to you and treatment becomes more difficult because they think they don't need help.

What are the causes

The person with ailurophilia is usually not conscious

It is important to understand what the possible causes are in order to seek the appropriate treatment in each specific case. It is not really known what causes ailurophilia, although it is thought that different factors may be involved. In this sense, it is worth taking into account:

  • Genetic factors. A person with this type of genetic predisposition may have an easier time obsessing over certain situations or animals.
  • Traumatic experiences. Traumatic experiences with these animals in childhood can cause abnormal behaviors to develop in adult life.
  • Personality traits. There are certain personality traits or even underlying diseases that can make this syndrome appear as obsessive compulsive disorder or others.

Transmission

The treatment is carried out through Psychological attention, and sometimes, with psychiatric medications. Like any mental disorder, the duration of it will depend largely on the patient.

Not to be confused with Noah Syndrome

Ailurophilia should not be confused with Noah's Syndrome. Those with ailurophilia can live with cats and take good care of them, but people affected by it Noah syndrome they do not feel any kind of sexual attraction to cats. They can love them, yes, to the point that they pick them up believing that they save them. However, the reality is very different.

Pets are likely to be well cared for at first as there are few, but as more are brought in, eventually they stop keeping them, at least correctly. Thus, over time the animals are forced to live in terrible conditions, under their own excrement and urine. And when someone wants to pity them, the affected person simply refuses to be taken away; so much so that normally it must be done by judicial means.

Cats are independent and small animals, so they are often the preferred pets of those affected by this disease, even more than dogs. Taking this into account, whenever a case is known it is vitally important to contact the police, for the good of the animals, and also for the people affected.

A cat, a responsibility

Cats need care

From the first moment we make the decision to include a cat in our life, we are committed to take care of it and respect it for all the years that you stay by our side. A good caretaker will take you to the vet, give you fresh food and clean water every day, provide you with a place to rest and a place to play, and most importantly, he will give you a lot, a lot of love on a daily basis.

No animal should be brought home on a whim, much less to satisfy an unhealthy needBut because you really want to live with it. It should also be borne in mind that, although cats are more independent than dogs, that is not a reason to have them outside without control or at home alone all day. You need to spend time with your family, and have it make you feel like you are part of it, otherwise you will start to get bored and therefore do things you should not do, such as scratching furniture and / or curtains, biting, staying isolated, and / or urinate out of the tray.

If you are willing to share your life with an animal that can live for about 20 years, and during which it will make you smile very easily, then it is time for you to start looking for what will be your new best friend. Otherwise, it is more advisable to wait a bit until the most suitable moment arrives.

Abandonment and animal abuse are two problems that seriously harm cats. Only those who really love them, that is, all those who have ailurophilia, like you, know that the only way that one day we can stop worrying about these issues begins precisely by making a good choice. Everything else comes later, even neutering or spaying, both of which are extremely important surgeries to avoid more abandoned kittens.

If you have a true love for cats, they will thank you.


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  1.   Vanessa said

    The ailuraphilia is not love or fascination for cats ... It is a type of paraphilia (a pattern of sexual behavior). Which translates into sexual attraction to cats ...

  2.   Wilbert said

    It doesn't matter what other people say. I am a lover and protector of kittens.

  3.   armandale lievano said

    God what a mentality I have 3 cats and I adore them as pets that feeling sexual attraction is already an aberration in reality and only an aberration can think that for loving a cat there is an attraction towards it! I will examine within you we have the ability as human beings to differentiate. By God what madness.

    1.    Monica sanchez said

      Yes, it is crazy, like all "filia" (zoophilia, pedophilia, etc.).

      Cats can be loved, respected, cared for, it is something that must be done in fact, but they must never be mistreated or forced to do things they do not want. They are felines, they are predators, and not toys.

  4.   Aurora said

    I have been researching and the word only designates a love, it does not entail sexual or emotional deviations, it is always good not to generalize and turn a sincere appreciation into something sick and twisted, etymologically "filia" implies love and affection, it does not only refer to the sexual . So check your sources before posting something !!!!

    1.    Monica sanchez said

      Aurora, that's what we did. At first we thought what that meant, love of cats, and we actually did the article on that topic. But after investigating it we realized that it was not like that. It's like pedophilia or zoophilia. It is a disorder.

  5.   J. im said

    As Monica, Aurora tells you, the word in principle could designate that, love of cats, but the use of the suffix »- filia» in Spanish to indicate disorders (pedophilia, zoophilia ... etc.) makes the word, normally, understood otherwise.

    In short, better say "cat lover", you will avoid strange looks, and it means the same thing, but without that sexual connotation.

  6.   Jasmine said

    Every comment is good .but the truth is that there are limits .the word says it ... filia and everything it means ... do not be angry about this word that seems to treat those of us who love our felines badly .this fascination does not happen For something sexual we already know. But this word does not belong to us. We would have to have another one. Just love your cats.

    1.    Monica sanchez said

      I totally agree, Jazmin. Thank you for your comment 🙂

  7.   Monica sanchez said

    Hi Arline.
    Yes, it is important to know them. This particular word is often misused, which creates confusion.
    We hope to help resolve any doubts that may arise in this regard.
    A greeting.

  8.   Liz grenda said

    I have loved cats since I was little, I have a beautiful fascination for them, I am a 9 year old girl and I do not understand well the meaning of that Greek word.

    1.    Monica sanchez said

      Hi Liz.
      Ailurophilia is a disease that some people have.
      Stay with the good thing, which is that you like cats 🙂. At the end of the day, it is the most important thing.