Sorry, Fido, It’s Just a Guy Thing

NYT ^ | October 3, 2008 | ABBY ELLIN

[Daffynition]

IF you ask Adam Fulrath who is the love of his life, he will barely blink an eye before responding: Parappa.

Mr. Fulrath, a 37-year-old design director at Time Out New York, keeps five photographs of Parappa, a shorthaired, bicolored, mixed-breed cat, on his desktop. He knows that it might be considered a little weird that a grown man would be so enamored with his kitty, but Mr. Fulrath, who is into video games and comic books and calls himself a “straight, geeky guy,” doesn’t care.

“She’s my primary relationship,” he said.

Mr. Fulrath is one of a growing number of single — and yes, heterosexual — men who seem to be coming out of the cat closet and unabashedly embracing their feline side. To that end, they are posting photographs and videos of their little buddies on YouTube and on Web sites like menandcats.com, and Twittering about them to anyone who will listen.

[snip]

[Daffynition]

“Do Real Men Own Cats?”

[Mr. K]

I LOVE cats

they taste like chicken!

[nickcarraway]

If he works at Time Out New York, you have to wonder if he's really straight.

[unixfox]

“She’s my primary relationship,” he said.

With a lisp.

[Lurker]

but Mr. Fulrath, who is into video games and comic books and calls himself a “straight, geeky guy,”

Mr. Fulrath is half right.

L

[ArrogantBustard]

Mr. Fulrath, who is into video games and comic books and calls himself a "straight, geeky guy, "

He can call himself anything he likes. Doesn't make it so.

[RJS1950]

Yeah, they do. I’ve owned dogs and loved every one of them. I also own cats and my two current cats are as faithful and friendly as any dog I’ve ever had. One waits by the door like my last dog did when he hears the garage door. He greets me just like the dog did and parks himself at my feet just like the dog.

The cats were easier to train than the dogs and instead of having to let them out and then clean up the messes in the yard I simply change their box once a week taking less than 5 minutes.

I still like dogs, but with the wife and I both working during the day there is no time and nobody to properly train a new dog.

One added benefit is that mice and other pests never come into the house like they do with some of my neighbors.

[Clemenza]

I’ve known a decorated Vietnam Vet and a firefighter who were both big cat guys. Not a fan of felines myself, but don’t see why having one makes you unmasculine.

[RJS1950]

With that logic, the fact that two of my gay coworkers are big dog lovers and one is into raising rottweilers would indicate that lovers of big dogs are gay regardless of what they call themselves.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Of course. The metrosexual male would have a metrosexual pet.

[tearlenb]

You calling me gay buddy?

[Syntyr]

“Do Real Men Own Cats?”

No one “owns” a cat! Cats have “people” to take care of the mundane tasks.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I called you a metrosexual. You should be flattered.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

[tearlenb]

I don’t know...

Here is Northern Virginia, the metro thing is to own small dogs...yorkie’s seem to be popular.

That said, I do run into more guys picking up girls with their dogs (a guy walking a cat probably would have zero chance :P)

And really, what straight guy doesn’t like pussy...cats...

[Lx]

I love cats and don’t really want to go into how many I have although we are one less as a very emaciated kitty we got 6 months ago finally succumbed to her problems yesterday. She is missed.

[uglybiker]

Cats Kill things.

Cats are cool.

[Excellence]

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. The hobo symbol for a generous person is the cat. If you feed them, they will come.

[dilvish]

I don’t think the problem is with him being a cat owner, I think it’s with declaring the cat his “primary relationship”. That might not be gay but it’s definitely weird. I’ve lived my life in a pet world, dogs, cats, a bird, rodents, I understand the pet bond. But at no point has my “primary relationship” ever been with a non-human.

[mysterio]

I have a cat and a dog.

[Lx]

Not only do they kill things, they will do it for pleasure.

[Biggirl]

Second it! =^..^=

[Biggirl]

PING this over to Slings and Arrows, will love it. =^..^=

[OneWingedShark]

Indeed.

My cat will attack the dog if it pisses her off. She just isn’t scared of things.

And you know you’re an important person when the cat leaves you its fruits of hunting.

[Slings and Arrows]

He does.

[Tamar1973]

My hubby really likes our cats but he loves me. : )

[Tamar1973]

What a cool cat! LOL!

[Ronin]

Do REAL men like cats?

Let me check with my bosses... Edgar, Helena, Vicky, Spidercat and Piggy.

They seem to think so.

Edgar has reminded me that I need to clean the litter boxes before I head to work, though.

[Paisan]

Do REAL men like cats?

I would have to say that REAL men do , in fact, like cats. And, as long as your are here, let me tell you my theory.
When a boy is very young, he treats girls as ‘yucky or icky’. At this age, little girls are usually associated with kitties, boys, with puppies.
As a boy matures, girls are no longer yucky, in fact, they become quite desirable and their associations are tolerated etc.
Show me a MAN who hates cats, and I’ll show you arrested development and latent homosexuality.
Yeah, REAL men like cats !

[RepoGirl]

I know a lot of straight guys who prefer cats over dogs -- my hubby (fiancee at the time) brought his two little psycho princesses to the mix when we got married. The fat one rules the roost, while the weird one just twitches and kills things. They're nice little creatures.

Most of the gay men I've ever known usually had pure bred, exotic breed dogs with witty names. Cats were too banal for them.

[Daffynition]

Careful ...

[Daffynition]

[Mr. Silverback]

It’s not unmanly to own a cat. It is unmanly to call your cat your “primary relationship.” Good grief.

[John Jorsett]

“Do Real Men Own Cats?”

No one “owns” a cat! Cats have “people” to take care of the mundane tasks.

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

[Daffynition]

The resemblances are uncanny ...

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

Why Can't a Man Be More Like a Cat?

Cats like to snuggle, they understand our moods, they don't tell you to get off the phone, they have cute feet, they don't wear toilet paper on their face and my personal favorite: Cats don't always have an alterior motive when they rub up against you.

[humblegunner]

I'm a big guy. I have an attitude.

I hunt deer and drive trucks and 4-wheelers in the mud.

I also love Malcolm, who helps me do the time-cards for the guys at work.

Sue me!

[Daffynition]

...signed Malcolm

[Fawn]

How ORIGINAL!

[Daffynition]

[unbiasedtruth]

A REAL man here...and I like dogs, but I love cats.

Here are my two buddies...Shadow (L), Gonzo (R)

[Fawn]

[Fawn]

[ladyjane]

Is Gonzo named after our own FR Gonzo?

[Clemenza]

I believe he was named after Dr. Gonzo from Hunter S. Thompson’s writings. I think Henson “dropped” if you ask me.

[Twinkie]

Did you mean:

1. You calling me, gay buddy?

or

2. You, calling, me gay buddy?

or

3. You calling me gay, buddy?

[Grizzled Bear]

Some cats are more masculine than others...

[Daffynition]

"Here are my two buddies...Shadow (L), Gonzo (R)"

(L) = Libertarian; (R) = Republican ...Constitutional bookends. ;)

[meowmeow]

When my DH, who only ever had dogs, married me, he married into the cat-staff life. Ancient Viking Kitty trainied him in no time on how to meet her every requirement.

After she retired to the Rainbow Bridge and we were ready to get a pet again, DH wanted two cats - one for me and one for him, so we wouldn't have to take turns - everyone could hold a cat. One cat per lap.

They really get to you when you get to know them.