Aelurophobia. This is the term which Dr. S. Weir Mitchell applies to an unreasoning horror, noted also by Shylock (Merchant of Venice, Act IV, Sc. I), for the "harmless necessary cat." The word itself was first used in this sense by the New York Bookman. Its etymology goes back to Herodotus. When the father of history first encountered the cat in Egypt, he called it ailuros, or tail waver.
The most famous of all aelurophobists--to-day, however, rembembered only for this trait--was General Roberdean, who left a room because he felt that a cat was in it; he grew pale, faint, and could scarcely breathe. A kitten was then found behind a bookcase. Dr. Mitchell had an hysterical patient, a lady, who on various occasions declared that there was a cat in the room. He mentions thirty other cases in which he was certain that people could tell when a cat was near though it was neither seen nor heard. It seems to him possible that "there may be olfactory emanations distinguished by some as odors and by others felt not as odors but only in their results on nervous systems unusually and abnormally susceptible." He learned that cats cause asthma in some patients. It would even appear that some people suffer lockjaw in the presence of a cat. Temporary blindness, hysterical convulsions, and sea-sickness may be ascribed in certain instances to the same cause. "A soldier of distinction, much given to tiger shooting, is undisturbed by these great felines, but terrified by the tame cat." One of his correspondents, "Dr. S., a distinguished physician," feels "almost sea-sick" as he dictates his account of his emotions.
The result of Dr. Mitchell's investigations appeared in American Medicine for July, 1905.
Discussing the matter in the London Morning Post, Andrew Lang says: "The smell of tiger does not frighten the hero who is afraid of cats. The question is, why is this hero, or any other person, afraid of a cat? Why does cat produce lockjaw, horripilation (as a ghost does), and other effects of terror? But, then, why does water finding in some cases produce similar effects in diviners who are not afraid of water? Dr. Weir Mitchell falls back on the inherited remainders of animal instincts of protective nature. But we are not descended from birds, or mice, or other animals that need instinctive protection from puss. A caged canary shows no sign of being mysteriously aware that a hidden cat is in the room. If we descend from big apes, are big apes afraid of cats? Here is another chance for an experiment that would be 'unco awkward' for the cat!"
By some perverse instinct, cats, it would seem, are very fond of aelurophobes. Even strange cats, Dr. Mitchell tells us, seems to have an unusual desire to be near them, jump on their laps, and follow them.
"That is very like a cat," cried Mr. Lang. "I once had a large silver-ringer cat of unemotional temperament. But finding a lady, rather aelurophobic, in a low dress at dinner, Tippoo suddenly leaped up and alighted on her neck. He was never so friendly with non-aelurophobes." (See Also CAT.)