Ailurophobia

A cat hissing

Ailurophobia (/aɪˌlʊərəˈfoʊbiə/)[1] is the persistent and excessive fear of cats.[2] Like other specific phobias, the exact cause of ailurophobia is unknown, and potential treatment generally involves therapy.[3][4] The name comes from the Greek words αἴλουρος (ailouros), 'cat', and φόβος (phóbos), 'fear'. Other names for ailurophobia include: felinophobia,[5] elurophobia,[5] gatophobia,[4] and cat phobia.[5] A person with this phobia is known as an ailurophobe.[6]

  1. ^ "Definition of ailurophobia | Dictionary.com". dictionary.com. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ London, Louis S. (January 1952). "Ailurophobia and ornithophobia: Cat phobia and bird phobia". The Psychiatric Quarterly. 26 (1–4): 365–371. doi:10.1007/BF01568473. PMID 14949213. S2CID 30238029.
  3. ^ Barnhill, John W. (April 2020). "Specific Phobic Disorders". Merck Manuals – Professional Version. Archived from the original on 28 April 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b Milosevic, Irena; McCabe, Randi E. (2015). Phobias: The psychology of irrational fear. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. pp. 11–12. ISBN 9781610695756. OCLC 895030322..
  5. ^ a b c Szasz, Thomas (1993). A lexicon of lunacy: Metaphoric malady, moral responsibility, and psychiatry. Routledge. p. 68. ISBN 9781560000655.
  6. ^ "Recognizing Ailurophobia Symptoms". Health Daily Advice. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.