Extreme Fear of Cats Getting Run Over By Cars
Reader’s Question
I have a friend with an extreme fear of cats getting run over by cars. And there are quite a few where she lives.
She is not afraid of cats at all, in fact she likes them. But when she is outside, if she sees a cat near the road, she will start to panic that a car will run it over, even if there are no cars in the area.
This is so serious, that it exhausts her to the point where she needs rest, and her muscles and joints hurt for a few hours afterwards.
Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply
I wonder whether something happened to your friend that would have prompted her fear. When one has a very specific fear like this one, the automatic thought is that she has experienced some kind of stress or trauma that prompts her to react in this way. Sometimes, the fear may relate to seeing an accident like the one she fears. Sometimes, the event that precipitated this does not relate exactly to the fear, but the fear has been extrapolated from it.
These are questions that an insight-oriented therapist could explore with her. If she can tolerate this line of questioning in her current state, then I don’t see the need to bring in psychiatric (medical) support. However, there are meds available that could give her some symptomatic relief and make her more available to self-exploration.
If your friend is interested in overcoming the fear, she could start by seeking out a therapist she’s comfortable with, and then applying herself to a solution. If she takes that first step, then that would free you to step back into a supportive, friendly role and let her work this out in a confidential and professional relationship.
