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Hormones/gender presentation and animals

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Harjus, Mar 31, 2017.

  1. Harjus

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    Have you noticed if animals react to hormones or gender precentation?

    I am 8 months on testosterone and I have two cats, male and female. My male cat loves me now more than ever and he loved me much before too. He doesn't want to leave my side ever. He has gotten very affectionate. More than before. My female cat has gotten more suspicious of me. She lived with a woman and several other female cats for a long time so she is not maybe used to a male presence (my boycat doesn't have his jingle bells so it was more ok maybe and my situation was similar so it was ok too). When I started T the girlcat got more cold towards me for awhile. She was so shocked that I fooled her. She is usually very cuddly and huggable so the reaction was drastic. She got over it though. Partially. I do admit that if I call her or tell her not to do something I must make my voice higher or she doesn't listen.

    My friend has a dog that I see a lot. The dog really started to like me after T. He takes care of me now and goes crazy if he hears my voice on the phone or my footsteps which he started to recognice after hormones. He has always liked men. Another friends' dog is now afraid of me always at first since she is afraid of men (or maybe deep voice does it. Who knows. She wasn't afraid of my ex-boyfriend who is cis although very fem).

    What are your observations? I have noticed that animals notice stuff. They are smarter than you would think.
     
  2. Chiroptera

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    Shhhh, cats are trying to dominate the world! All part of the plan... :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

    Seriously though, remember that humans are animals too, so other animals aren't that different. They may be more comfortable around some people, they probably notice the changes on your voice, etc.

    About them detecting hormones, I don't recall any specific studies with trans people who have pets (I'll search later and post if I discover anything), but I wouldn't be too surprised if they could notice the hormones. I can't say they do notice them and that's what causing the behavior you mentioned, but, on a first glance, it may be possible.
     
  3. Harjus

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    The internet must be controlled be cats. Look at all the cat stuff...

    Oh yeah, humans are animals (I can't see enough difference too eat animals. I am a herbivore) We are sensitive to feromones and stuff too although we don't often realize it. Also animals notice confidence so that is a factor too as is voice and everything else. Animals have a language. Body language. We humans rely on other things. Cats and dogs at least notice a lot of stuff we don't.

    It woud be very interesting if someone researched transpeople and their pets. The scent of their own human is important for them and HRT changes that somehow. Even I notice the difference and I barely have any sense of smell. To an animal with a lot stronger sense of smell it must be a clear thing. Something is same than before but something also changes. Pets like to snuggle with stuff that has their humans' scent when the human is gone. They clearly think it's important.

    The other thing I have noticed that some cats and dogs react to the smell of alcohol. Maybe those who have had bad experiences.
     
  4. Rickystarr

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    My fiancee and I have a theory that our cat likes me better because I am warmer. Cats love warm spots. I'm not even nice to that cat, not a big cat person. It makes my fiancee angry because she gives him a lot more love and wanted him in the first place haha.

    Maybe your male cat likes you because you are warmer. And the female cat feels betrayed?
     
  5. Harjus

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    Cats do like warm spots. My relative has a hairless sphynx that loves people who have fever. My male cat has thinner fur than the girl now that I think of it. And I have gotten warmer. Especially my hands and feet. Those used to be as cold as Antarctica. God, is he just using me!?111

    My girl is the one who likes the sun though. Who knows.

    It's odd and funny that animals sometimes adopt humans no matter affection they get from that human. They seem to have a "taste" in humans.
     
  6. Lazuri

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    I have not observed this myself, but I absolutely believe you. Animals see us in ways that we ourselves do not comprehend, so I definitely think they can perceive these changes in ways that we can not.
     
  7. Daydreamer1

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    My pets haven't treated me any different from what I've noticed.
     
  8. Yasha of XMETAS

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    Before I got on hormones, I took my moms cats to live with me when I moved into my first appartment because there was a mouse in it. Fun times. Mouse died in trap, so kept the cats for extra precaution, no mouse since yay :slight_smile: Anyway, my two cats, male and female, both have different personalities.

    Persephone, she was always more affectionate, weird, and cute and sometimes come up and sleep beside you or on your lap, depending if you have food lol.
    Hades, is my sketchy little weirdo, who always acts like if you hug him you're setting him on fire. Only during the night time would he ever try to snuggle up with either me or mom, purring and snuggling close. He does that now with me when he wants to sleep.

    This is all before the hormones. After, I dont think I've noticed too much changes. They still will go to me and want attention or food. They still come when called even with my voice changed. Maybe Persephone has gotten to being more vocal with me, meowing non stop evne when I give her food, only when I pick her up does she shut up lol. She doesn't comprehend that most humans don't speak Cat-oneise :wink: (bad pun I know) Hades, he still comes and goes as he pleases, still hates closed doors, still my little weirdo. :slight_smile:

    I've only been on hormones since this January, so who knows, maybe they'll start changing around me too. But for now, they're still my weird cats who I love and still love me even if I'm a guy ^w^

    Now, I gotta go find Persephone, she might be sleeping in the bathroom sink again plotting for the inevitable Catpocolypse.
     
  9. EverDeer

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    Well, considering my boyfriends dog always sticks his nose up my ass when I'm on my period, yeah XD as well as the fact that my dog always tries to hump me like 3-4 days before I'm usually planned to start. I haven't had any kind of HRT but I'm assuming there could be some potential changes if I were to. Perhaps not affection/bonding wise, but maybe the dogs would just stop trying to do that since they wouldn't necessarily still be attracted to me sexually.
     
    #9 EverDeer, Mar 31, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2017