But seriously what is it with nerds and cats?

[Murgos]

Seriously though, what is it with nerds and spergy self-centered arguments?

It's pretty much the worst part of internet culture.

e: Wait, let me answer my own question: "Asperger syndrome or Asperger's syndrome or Asperger disorder ( /ˈɑspərɡərz/[1] or /ˈæspərɡərz/[2]) is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction."

There figured it out.

[Ghambit]

I had an indoor/outdoor (spayed thank god) cat growing up...  didnt even need a litter box.  He'd let us know when he had to go and hold it if we werent there, or he'd just dip out the door whenever he could and come back when he pleased, yet he'd still come when called either by gesture or voice (even if you didnt see him).  Sleep on the doorstep or in the garage, under the car whatever.  When inside he'd cuddle and hang-out as usual, grab a bite to eat (he'd let us know when he was hungry), or a nap.  When outside he'd play with whatever local fauna, sometimes kill a few mice (which he'd proudly show off to us), chase off the possums or stray dog, etc.  Overall just an awesome animal.  Eventually he got assraped by a raccoon I think and a while after died from the injury, even after surgery.

Up in TN we've got a barn and horsestall.  Frankly w/o the barncats it's likely the place would be overrun with rodents and snakes.  The horses also love them around, as opposed to dogs (which they naturally loathe).

[Nebu]

I'm not sure of a more succinct way of asking, "Why does a seemingly very large proportion of nerds own cats and dote on them like children and think that people care about the dozens of 'funny photos' they take of them?"

Again, I'm not joking. I just don't get it and wish to understand. The "minimum required care" thing explains why one would choose a cat over a dog, but at the least there is a portrayed obsession with cats in the 'nerd community' so to speak that I don't get.

Many in the nerd culture are single, highly educated, or both.  These factors predispose many to a life without children.  Pets act as surrogate children for many that lack the option or desire to have them.  

Just my take on the whole thing.

[Mrbloodworth]

Actually I'm seriously asking what the nerd attraction to cats is and the taking pictures of them. The only people who take more photos of their pets are geriatrics Dog owners.

FIFY.

[Malakili]

Because they are cute little animals that do funny things.  Is this really complicated?

[Paelos]

So this is what happens when Fab quits playing WoW...

[Nebu]

So this is what happens when Fab quits playing WoW...

He starts surfing icanhazcheezeburger? 

[Mrbloodworth]

"What is it with nerds and WoW? I just don't get it!!!"

[Sky]

The cat killed your fish? That's part of why they're awesome pets. They're still not evolved from predators, it's like a tiny alien living in your house willing to destroy anything moving and smaller than itself. Who wouldn't love that?

But fish? There's a shitty pet. Oh, look, it's swimming around.

Fish fall in my "prisoner" definition of pets. It's not there willingly, it's been captured or grown in captivity and kept against its will. If you set it in a suitable body of water, it's not coming back. Anything kept in a cage (or tank) is not a pet. Amnesty for imprisoned pets!

[Nebu]

I think birds are a bigger pet fail.  What kind of person takes a creature with the ability to fly and traps it in a confined environment for life?  Makes zero sense to me.

[ghost]

You can determine how crazy someone is by how many cats they have.  Once you get over two you are certifiable.  It's been proven.  Of course I think you're crazy if you have over zero, but that's just me.   

They aren't quite as shitty of a pet as birds or snakes.  I knew a girl once that would actually sleep in bed with her bird.  That was freaky.

[Lantyssa]

Many in the nerd culture are single, highly educated, or both.  These factors predispose many to a life without children.  Pets act as surrogate children for many that lack the option or desire to have them.  

I also have a thing for caring for strays.  Taking in a cat or two is better than picking up additional people.  They appreciate me more and aren't as big a drain on the resources.  (Though I can't make the cat open a stuck lid, so it's not perfect.)

My back yard seems to be a haven for cats.  I've seen about ten different ones passing through.  Probably because it's fenced without dogs and has a fish pond where they can grab a drink, but it amuses me.

[Paelos]

So who already knew Lanty was the crazy cat lady of F13, raise your hand?

[Nebu]

I also have a thing for caring for strays.  Taking in a cat or two is better than picking up additional people.  They appreciate me more and aren't as big a drain on the resources.  (Though I can't make the cat open a stuck lid, so it's not perfect.)

I understand this completely.  I have two cats myself.  Both are rescues from the animal shelter and make wonderful companions in the 2000 sq ft house that I live alone in.  I've always been a fan of cats for their personality, independence, and low maintenence.   

[Lantyssa]

So who already knew Lanty was the crazy cat lady of F13, raise your hand?

It's a fair cop.

I understand this completely.  I have two cats myself.  Both are rescues from the animal shelter and make wonderful companions in the 2000 sq ft house that I live alone in.  I've always been a fan of cats for their personality, independence, and low maintenence.   

My current cat lived here for 12 years with the previous owners.  Next door adopted her when they moved to California, but she really wants to be an indoor cat most of the time, and I think some dogs nearly caught her as she was terrified of going outside for a few months.  Her sister is happy staying outside over there though she comes to visit about once a week.  It works out well for all involved.

[bhodi]

Cats are nature's trash. They are born in garbage. In fact, when you throw Timmy away, just reach into the dumpster and pull out a new cat. (55 secs in)

[ghost]

Nerds crave love, but in a dysfunctional "it's unobtainable so I have to have it" sort of way.  Cats fit the bill perfectly because they could give a shit whether you live or die. 

[UnSub]

Because it's the closest to pussy some nerds will ever get?

Thank ya! Thank ya! 

[Hawkbit]

I think birds are a bigger pet fail.  What kind of person takes a creature with the ability to fly and traps it in a confined environment for life?  Makes zero sense to me.

I was really considering a large bird at some point, like a hawk.  Training it to retrieve and hoping it never gouges my eyes out, that sort of thing.  Ultimately, that was what got me.  I understand societies that keep them as tools, but I don't need to have one to sustain my life so the animal is better off being free.  

Small fish, on the other hand, have such a short lifespan in the wild that as long as you're buying captive bred fish, I'm okay with.  We've got a goldfish that my kid won at a fair... thought those damn things live like two weeks then die, but not this one.  It will turn a year old soon and has doubled in size since we got it.  I actually have no idea what we're going to do with it when we make the move to Seattle in the next 9 months.  Moving a goldfish four days in the car seems nearly impossible.  Especially considering I'll have a German Shepard and three cats with me.  

[Jeff Kelly]

You can determine how crazy someone is by how many cats animals they have.

FTFY

[bhodi]

 Moving a goldfish four days in the car seems nearly impossible.  Especially considering I'll have a German Shepard and three cats with me.  

It's actually really easy. Fill one of those gallon sandwich bags with water, put the fish in it, stick it in a (opaque) bowl with a lid, put lid on, keep bowl out of direct sunlight.

[01101010]

I think birds are a bigger pet fail.  What kind of person takes a creature with the ability to fly and traps it in a confined environment for life?  Makes zero sense to me.

I was really considering a large bird at some point, like a hawk.  Training it to retrieve and hoping it never gouges my eyes out, that sort of thing.  Ultimately, that was what got me.  I understand societies that keep them as tools, but I don't need to have one to sustain my life so the animal is better off being free.  

Small fish, on the other hand, have such a short lifespan in the wild that as long as you're buying captive bred fish, I'm okay with.  We've got a goldfish that my kid won at a fair... thought those damn things live like two weeks then die, but not this one.  It will turn a year old soon and has doubled in size since we got it.  I actually have no idea what we're going to do with it when we make the move to Seattle in the next 9 months.  Moving a goldfish four days in the car seems nearly impossible.  Especially considering I'll have a German Shepard and three cats with me.  

Moving fish is way easier than you might think. My X moved 40 fish and several coral over a 3 day trip to a new place and only lost 2. Empty home depot or lowes painter buckets with rubber sealed lids.

As for cats... I swear they were the only thing that got me through my master's degree at LSU. Having them was instant break times and provided a ton of stress relief. Having them put down due to me being too poor to afford the thousand's of dollars to get surgery for various things killed any future chances of getting a cat. I only have one picture of one of my cats though...

[Jeff Kelly]

Thank you for exemplifying exactly what I meant. The only absolutely well adjusted people according the internet seem to be people that don't own any pets. Anyone who does is a loon and all pets are horrible abominations unto god.

It's a city dweller thing I suppose, the only animals you see are either cockroaches or as minced meat on your burger

[Minvaren]

I understand this completely.  I have two cats myself.  Both are rescues from the animal shelter and make wonderful companions in the 2000 sq ft house that I live alone in.  I've always been a fan of cats for their personality, independence, and low maintenance.   

...I could have written these words myself.

[Sky]

I think birds are a bigger pet fail. 

I was working up to those squawking devil creatures. I knew a guy who's wife had a couple prisoners. She let them fly around the house, they shit everywhere and the racket was unbearable.

I with Lantyssa on strays, all my pets have been. At one point growing up we had six cats (two from a litter one of the older had that we couldn't find a good home for), two dogs and a bunch of prisoners (a budgie, guinea pig and four rabbits; they formed my animal gulag philosophy). My backyard is also a haven for all kinds of wildlife. If I could afford the expense, I'd adopt a skinny little black dude that's been hanging out behind my woodpile eating small rodents (a cat, not a homeless guy).

Cats are the perfect pet. Part comedian, part assassin.

[DraconianOne]

Cats are the perfect pet. Part comedian, part assassin.

In keeping with the nerd culture thing, shouldn't that be "Part pirate, part ninja"?

[HaemishM]

As long as we're talking about things that get us all assed up, what the fuck is with this fascination with putting supernatural elements in classic literature like Pride and Prejudice with Zombies or fucking Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter? It's not fucking clever. It's shit. Surely you can think of something interesting to do with zombies. Shit, you don't even have to think too hard - it's not like zombie "literature" is full of examples of great art. At least come up with your own fucking setting and characters instead of cribbing Jane Fucking Austen.

[Rasix]

I came to cats because my wife's family are cat people.  I owned dogs all growing up, but my first pet after moving out for college was a cat that adopted my roommate and I at our first apartment.  That cat was awesome.  It was a huge, friendly cat that was was malnourished and pretty mangy at the time.  Nursed it back to health and it was a great pet for apartment living.

I eventually lost that cat in a coin toss.    Later, I moved in with my wife and she already had 2 cats.  Now I'm locked into cats until they all die.  I'm fine with that, cats are easy.

As for my current situation, I can't see owning a dog in Tucson.  Too much poisonous stuff and too many predators.  Dogs are complete retards about that shit.   Show a dog something poisonous and its first instinct is to shove it in its mouth.   When I lived here as a kid, none of our dogs or our friends dogs died of old age.  They all died of doing stupid dog stuff in an environment that wasn't forgiving to that.

Cats are also great for when you have infants/toddlers.  They seem to understand they're no longer the center of attention and just go about doing their cat stuff.  When they're brave they'll also seek attention from the kid.  My big black cat lets my son snuggle with him.

As for internet nerds with cats?  Aren't they mostly young and in housing, job, relationship situations where owning a dog probably isn't the best idea? Dogs are a lot of work for the most part, and you shouldn't own one if you can't take care of it.  Plus, nerds/internet culture obsesses about EVERYTHING.  It's no shock that they'd obsess about their pets.

[ghost]

As long as we're talking about things that get us all assed up, what the fuck is with this fascination with putting supernatural elements in classic literature like Pride and Prejudice with Zombies or fucking Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter? It's not fucking clever. It's shit. Surely you can think of something interesting to do with zombies. Shit, you don't even have to think too hard - it's not like zombie "literature" is full of examples of great art. At least come up with your own fucking setting and characters instead of cribbing Jane Fucking Austen.

 

[Ingmar]

I hate them as pets stemming from when I was about 8 and our cat pissed in my fishtank and killed all of my fish. Also destroying a lot of furniture despite owning scratching posts.

While that sucks that your cat did that, hating all cats because of it is kind of like reading a DLRiley post and deciding that all humans are morons who can't construct a complete sentence.

[Jeff Kelly]

and deciding that all humans are morons who can't construct a complete sentence.

Sometimes it seems easier to operate under that assumption, though.

[Jeff Kelly]

I eventually lost that cat in a coin toss.  

Say what? I'd be interested to hear that story.

[Pennilenko]

I eventually lost that cat in a coin toss.  

Say what? I'd be interested to hear that story.

I would wager that Rasix's roommate at the time liked the cat as much as he did, and the only fair way to decide who got to keep the cat when they split up was coin toss? Am I close?

[Rasix]

Bingo.  We were both moving into places with our respective girlfriends (now both married).  We decided a coin toss was the only way since we couldn't agree on a video game where we were on neutral ground.  This cat had been with us for 3 years.  Just an outstanding, awesome cat.  Friendly as a dog and huge (19 lbs on diet food), fluffy and orange. 

I lost. 

I found out later that my wife offered him $500 to change his mind.  Then $750.  He declined obviously. 

[Jeff Kelly]

You could have chipped in and made that cat your own