gatophobia

Ailourophobia†, (Katiphobia, or Gatophobia,) is a typical monomania. The fear of cats in certain monopsychoneurotic and psychopathic persons dates back to the beginning of the life of the feline.

1906, Charles H. Hughes, “Psychoencephalonasthenia or Cerebrasthenia Simplex, and Psychoencephalonasthenia or Cerebrasthenia Insaniens”, in The Alienist and Neurologist, volume 27, St. Louis, Mo.: Henry L. Hughes, page 166

Rumor from over Laurel way has it that there is a severe epidemic of gatophobia in that city.[…]Don’t ask to see our dictionary please, Semper’s buried in it.

1941 November 21, Gratis Heave, “Pig-Skin Pidgins”, in McComb Daily Journal, volume XXXVIII, number 60, McComb, Miss.

Has hydrophobiaphobia got you down? Bothered about your tendency towards triskaidekaphobia or gatophobia? If so, don’t worry. Those are just big words for minor phobias, and almost everybody has a minor touch of a phobia or two, according to J. P. Chaplin, a professor of psychology at the University of, Vermont and author of “Dictionary of Psychology,” which was printed this week.

1968 October 5, “Hydrophobiaphobia Got Ya? No Sweat, UVM Prof Says”, in Rutland Daily Herald, volume 115, number 240, Rutland, Vt., page 20

The family cat enters the room and stares at you balefully. At once you are assailed by ailurophobia, galeophobia and gatophobia, all meaning the fear of cats, plus amychophobia, the fear of being clawed.

1971 July 5, Hal Boyle, “‘It is only folklore nature is healthy’”, in Evening Herald, page 10

According to the book, Napoleon, Mussolini, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, besides being powerful leaders, shared another trait — gatophobia, a fear of cats.

1989 April 14, “Don’t let your phobia stop you from reading this book”, in Reno Gazette-Journal, page 3D