Sensory Issues and Pets

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My cat's very needy and wants attention all the time and when I'm feeling anxious, he tends to make me worse because of his constant meowing and rubbing up against my body. He's never content to just sit next to me and be pet, he has to be right on top of me and it's very stressful when I'm anxious and don't want to be touched. If I lock him out of the room, he meows and meows and meows and it drives me crazy. And whenever I'm in the kitchen trying to cook or do dishes, he rubs his soft fur against my legs and it tickles and sometimes he'll even give me a little nip to try and get my attention, which is obviously unpleasant. Does anybody have any coping mechanisms or ideas for dealing with stuff like this? I thought about using a spray bottle to keep him away when I'm too stressed, but I don't want to punish him just for being himself and wanting attention. Getting rid of him isn't an option either.

That can be a tough one. I used to have an African Grey parrot who was the most emotionally needy creature youd ever meet. Great pet... id get another... but very trying.

In his need for attention hed constantly make annoying noises. Wing flapping, nervous twitching, loyd beeping sounds, coughing noises, anything aprupt in his arsenal to get attention...

There was nothing to do but accept hes an animal, I chose to have him, and this is typical behavior. Its annoying but he has a right to be an animal... rewards come with drawbacks... companionship, whethwr pet or human always comes with the cost of reciprocation that cannot always revolve around your good days.

Try to focus on the cat just being lonely, wanting your attention and being an animal showing you in a way maybe thats hard to take sometimes, but its still affection.

I normally love being walked on, climbed on, and otherwise bothered by animals, but there's one cat at my house that is just obnoxious. I usually distract her with leftover food or a toy. If I play long enough with her, she'll wear herself out and take a nap.

My parents used to have a dog that barked at everything and would induce meltdowns and migraines in me. When I told them about it, they just yelled at me. I swear they liked that dog more than they did me.

Do you have a room to put the cat in like the garage or the laundry room so you can't hear him? Also can you push him away saying "no" you don't want to be touched or are you concerned it will just teach him to not rub against you at all so he never does it again?

I have always hated indoor barking. I can't stand it. But our dogs only did it when someone was coming up our driveway or came to the door or if there was any danger or when they wanted back inside and my aunts and uncle's dog only did that when someone came to the door or when she was left outside for too long. I had a cat for a while but luckily she only meowed when she wanted something and she often purred and sit in the same room as me. She only rubbed on you for attention. She wasn't very needy. She did some annoying things but it was all non sensory. If she wanted out of the room, she would get really annoying. Poking claws into things and on you, constant meowing, she just knew how to provoke you because that was how she got attention when she wanted to get let out of the room or go outside or when she was hungry. Then she started peeing and pooping in the house when she was around eight years old so I started to keep her outside often. I knew how to read her so I knew what she wanted and when she was trying to tell me something. It was like she knew what pushed my buttons so she used that to get my attention and to follow her to show me what she wants. And that would always solve my cat problem.

I don't find cats too bad but dogs drive me completely insane because pretty much everything they do is annoying and they want almost constant attention.

This is why I keep Tarantulas, they're very quiet, low maintenance, they really only climb on me when I want them to, my biggest problem from them is their urticating hairs and that's only mildly irritating.

I have a bigger issue with germ phobia and pets. I touch my dog but always go straight to the bathroom and wash my hands afterwards. No sensory issues here. I actually like the feel and texture of fur.