Question to the expert: “I don’t like animals”

Anna Skavitina, children’s analyst:

“It is very important to understand, Dina: if you don’t love someone, it doesn’t mean that you are bad! You have the right to (not) love anyone and anything. However, it seems that this situation worries you – there are only “animal lovers” around, and you are different from them. Probably, these children and adults you know have a good experience of communicating with animals that not only scratched and bit, but also played and pleased. Your experience is just bad. A cat scratched you and you decided that all animals are dangerous. You know, Dina, there are people who live like this all their lives, considering animals a source of danger. They do not figure out how to overcome this fear of animals, they do not want to try to communicate with them. These people, it seems to me, are deprived of many joys and good light feelings that can be associated with animals. Think about this too. Maybe you, too, are sometimes angry and aggressive, “bite” or “scratch”, and don’t really like this trait in yourself (by the way, it’s important: even in these moments you are not bad!) Or maybe people around don’t like when you’re so mean? Usually, those who find the strength to admit to themselves that they, too, are evil, unexpectedly begin to treat animals better as well. They cease to be frightened and see danger in any squirrel. Try to understand why and with whom you sometimes get so angry that you want to become a cat and scratch him? Try to say it in words too – to yourself or to that person. And it seems to me that when you learn to do this, your attitude towards cats and other animals will most likely change. If you want it yourself.”