As a kid I never really liked them - was always fond of dogs but was never, for some reason attracted to cats.
My girlfriend, now my wife, had a cat which was fetishly attracted to me for some reason. The thing would always jump up on me, sidle around my legs, nuzzle my shoes and purr like crazy. I would just kinda freeze with passive aversion and offer no encouragement whatsoever.
Other people's cats also has this 'thing' for me - weird eh?
Anyway, the girlfriend's cat died. We married and I resisted her entreaties to get a cat. Four children later .. in 1998 to be exact, my married daughter bought my wife a kitten for Xmas.
I was not impressed.
The cat won me over totally. It is such an intelligent and sensitive creature with quite a complex but lovable personality.
No wonder the ancient Egyptians worshipped them and had them mummified for the 'next life' after death.
