Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Bovinophobia: The Fear of Cattle

Bovinophobia is an irrational fear of cattle and other domesticated ungulates. There are a couple of reasons why people have this phobia. Some with the phobia may have had a bad encounter with cattle before, such as being chased or intimidated in some way. Others may not have had an encounter but just strongly believe that a cow or bull will attack them if they get too close. Whatever the reason, Bovinophobia is a real fear and is nothing to joke about.

I’m very glad I don’t have this phobia since a herd of cattle just moved in down the street. However, a house guest of mine is a bit apprehensive about our new neighbors. She was chased by a bull when she was young and is terrified of any type of cattle now. She’s actually the reason why I looked this one up. I had never heard of it before now.

Are you scared of cows? Tell us why and how they make you feel.

14 comments:

Amkal said...

OMG, I'm so glad I stumbled across your blog! I'm positively bovinophobic. In India, it is quite common to see cows and bulls moving freely in small streets, where their owners let them graze about. When I was 8, I saw a bull ram into a 3 year old child.. A few years later, my friend and I were walking back home from school, when one tried to chase her.. But the last straw was when my grandfather was chased by a bull that tore out the flesh from his back and he had to undergo a surgery for it. Even though I thankfully didn't see this happen, my fear became real and intense. Now everytime I look at a bull/buffalo/cow/calf, I can vividly picture it tossing me about with its horns! I simply have to stay atleast 5 metres away from one and then again, I would try to hide behind anyone standing by my side!

Anonymous said...

i can so relate!

they say "take the bull by the horns" and i laugh. my problem is actually the horns.

what is wrong with me? I actually specifically fearful of cows or bulls but with all large animals with horns.

i'm searching over the web for quiet sometime but i couldn't find the answer...

i guess i have to keep this secret...

Anonymous said...

I have exactly the same problem, i feel trapped in a field of cattle but iv never had a bad experience with cattle, i just feel very intimidated by them.

Anonymous said...

i am so scard of cows i vomit. I shake and cry. my boyfriend used to laugh till he realized it was no jokeing matter. I told him how i was molested at nine and thown into a cow pasture and told no one would question how i got there and that no one would miss me and to not tell about the molestation how i had to go to the barb wire fence and put my arms up for this molester to save me from the cow's and one bull. How I realy thought I was going to die that day in that pasture. To this day when we drive thru the contry i have to look at my feet even the smell makes me sweat and shake i try to hide it but the fear is so real and never failing. I hate that man, not for molesting me but for putting this in my head and ruining our dreams of living in the country.

Unknown said...

I am absolutly scared to death of cows! When I was probably 3 or 4 years old I was sitting on my aunts fence when she went out to feed the cows and when she shook the bucket of feed the entire herd of heffers(about 50) came charging for the n=fence and feed trough. I ended up getting knocked off the fence and have been treeified ever since!When my husband and I were just dating he had a pregnant heffer and she was mean! So my sister in law thought she was helping me get over my fear of cows by forching me to feed this evil cow, when she cam running from across the field to her feed i dropped the bucket took maybe 2 steps and jumped over a 6 trail gate in one jump! but I am doing better about it but it takes all my strength to be around even caffs!

Anonymous said...

I simply feel intimidated my cattle- but not all cattle, I am fine with cows apart from Bulls and Fresian cows. they have to be Fresian or black or white.

Anonymous said...

I am only afraid of black and white cows because i was chased by one when i was younger. I was walking through a cow field and i got too close to a cows calf, and the she ended up chasing after me. I was so afraid that i jumped into a stream to get away. Now i can't be in the prescence of such cows, and i dont even like looking at them. Everyone i know thinks its funny, and teases me about it. Except my best friend, B.

Anonymous said...

I am bovinophobic. When I tell my friends this they just laugh and tease me about it, but when I have to walk near cows I cry and shake. I don't really know why, i never used to be scared.

Emily said...

I move very slowly when I'm around cows and it's hard to talk. I also cry and shake. I have reoccuring nightmares about cows being hurt... I watched jurrassic park for the first time and I cried when they lowered the cow into the dinosaur cage, which doesnt make sense... I don't know what this is!!! I sometimes cry while eating beef...
If anyone knows how to help, my email is animythfameem@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I have just come back from my DofE bronze walk and while I was on it I got chased and intimidated by the cows which were mostly young males. We had to go over a fence into a field that had a grope of around 20-30 young males in, I was crying and shaking so much that I refused to go over until they had moved to the next field. The teachers came to help move them but even they had to back off and get away. I decided to search this up because I was wondering if it was a real phobia or I was just being stupid! Thanks

Anonymous said...

I'm glad this is actually a phobia!
We recently had a weekend away walking with our dog. Each time we had to cross the fieldf, my chest felt tight and I constantly kept my eye on them and wouldn't feel safe until we were out. Then on our last day, one charged at us and started going crazy, bucking, snorting, jumping... She got as close as my laptop moniot is now... My heart was jumping out of my chest and I was so terrified that 'that was it'.. We backed off slowly and managed to get away through the nearest gate but I cried and had 2 cigarettes. since then I've had nightmares (or 'moomares' as my partner chuckled about it) and can't get the situation out of my head. I have now told my partner we will ALWAYS avoid fields with cattle in no matter what. I've said if he tries to make me go in I WILL cry. I reported it to the Senior ranger, though I did stress I wasn't complaining but wanted to make him aware.

Anonymous said...

i hate cows, im terryfied of them. i am happy that this is a legit phobia, when people ask me what my phobia's are i say cows. They just laugh this isn't funny. I was 4when my cousins and i were playing in the pasture and cows began too chase us i triped and a cow came and licked me, it was disgusting i cannot stand cows, everytime i go near a cow i want to cry.

Anonymous said...

Cattle really do scare me because when I was little I went fishing with my family at my grandma's house and she has cattle and when I got out of the car there was a few cows standing around it and I went close to one to get my fishing pole and it started snorting and I was a little weary then, but then it chased me back into the car and now I am just not willing to go near one.

Anonymous said...

Once my mom and i was out grocery shopping when on our way home there was a cow on the road and started yelling aT my mom to just keep driving but she couldnt because of the cow. I started to freak out and i literally thought i was going to die even though i was in the car. My heart was beating so fast. And this fear started when we were on a vacation and was walking around in the nature in austria. And there came alot of cows and one of them started to chase me a bit. Every night in like two weeks after that i had nightmares of cows and bulls chasing me. I was only like 5-6 years old when we were on vacation. Everyone of my friends make fun of me of that and my family just thinks i'm a little bit afrad but i'm not. I'm deathly scared of them.

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