Can animals spot Aspies and Love them?

Post Reply New Topic

I don't think that animals view us in terms of diagnosis... but they can definitely tell who is a gentle soul who will not hurt them or scare them, and they can often sense a person who will appreciate them and be comforted by them. I think probably a lot of aspies fit that description, and therefore are loved by animals!
- Nicki

Animals generally seem to take a liking to me too, but not always. I have met many animals who walk away when they see me, even cats (my favourite type of animals). But these particular animals have been extremely shy in general (a good example is deers, they just hate anything that moves), and the shy cats I'm thinking of are shy and distant even towards their owners. However, I have yet to experience an animal who likes me worse than other humans, with one exception (mentioned in the last paragraph).

I remember once, I visited a family who had a huge Rotweiler which really did not like people (they had been urged to put it to death on several occasions). But the first time it saw me, it approached me and put its head gently against me. One of the owners had actually started running to stop the dog from biting me, and was already about to start apologizing on the dog's behalf, until she realized that there was no problem at all. They were all shocked. I met the dog several times after that, and it was always calm and very affectionate.

My worst experience was a very strange cat, which belonged to a former friend of mine. There was something fundamentally wrong with that cat. It had been severely ill-treated by a man while very little, and hated all humans after that, except its owner. And I'm not talking about a shy cat, it actually hissed at everyone who came by (including me), and even attacked me on several occasions. After a few years, it even started turning on its owner, and was put down. I can't help but feeling that there was something worse than just a rough childhood for that cat.

I've always been told that animals like me more than they do other people. And they do, I don't know why, but I'm sure it has something to do with the way I treat them more like friends and less like objects.

Our dog, for example, she's always liked me more than others, and there's never been any reason reason for her to do this, although I do give her more freedom than the others (letting her inside, off the lead while walking etc.)

In my experience, especially cats are very cautious towards very "outgoing" people. They don't like sudden movements from strangers, and they require that things happen on their terms. You can't just hold a cat unless it takes the initiative and shows that it's okay. I believe aspies are better than NTs when it comes to this, perhaps because aspies can better understand the cat's need for a little space and distance.

Yes, which is why from when I moved in, my roommate's cat thought I was hers, and I agreed. She and I sync.

I remember I went to my friend's house in high school, and she knew I interned at the zoo, and warned me against her neighbor's dogs, who apparently bite everyone. But I sat by the fence, and they came and licked my face.

Wild animals approach me too. It makes me sad when I have no food to offer.

I think it's because I'm quiet . . . but somehow untamed. Congruous with nature.