Do any of you have pets? How do you interact with them, if you do?
Personally, I am better able to associate with animals than humans. Their behaviors are simpler and their motivations aren't as complex, so it's much easier to understand what's happening when I interact with them. I have two cats, one of whom was abused as a kitten which makes her very distrustful and nervous. The other is a year-old kitten who frustrates me routinely. I have to struggle not to overreact when he disobeys since he is very different from the other cats I've had: very free with his claws and hyperactive. I find myself having difficulty understanding his actions in the same way I have difficulty intuiting human motivations in most highly empathic people I know.
On the other hand, I had a calico who was probably as antisocial as I am. I miss her horribly. Living with her was like having a furry sister. I've never known a cat so talented at social manipulation.
