'They love to use cats as an insult': Male boss belittles 28-year-old female employee for loving cats and not wanting children, she claps back and considers reporting him to HR

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Nov 16, 2025 12:00 PM EST

People have been throwing around "crazy cat lady" as an insult for decades. It's sad to say that we haven't progressed much when it comes to the purrfectly hurtful and pawsitively untrue stereotypes towards cat lovers, unfortunately. While on a flight with her male superior, a female stewardess was forced into some uncomfortable small talk about children, where she explained that she didn't want kids, which was absolutely unheard of, according to her boss, who insisted she will be lonely with only her cats to comfort her in her old age. As if that's an insult at all, we would be happy to be surrounded by the love of cats when we're old. She thankfully got out of the situation, and now she's heavily considering reporting him to HR. If you ask us, she absolutely should.

We guarantee you that if she had been a dog-lover, he never would have said something like that. We don't know why it's assumed that all cat lovers will end up sad, lonely, and in dirty houses with 100 cats. Cats are excellent companions, and yes, it is easy to accumulate them if you take in strays from the street, but that doesn't mean we're all going to end up with more litter boxes than floor space. We hope she reports him and his punishment is to learn about how much love a cat can give. Then he'll realize how wrong he was, and maybe he'll learn a thing or two about compassion in the process.

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  • 01
    Woman holding her cat including 'I was in no way [impolite] to him but he felt the need to try to insult me'
    via alvarostock

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    So I'm at work, having a conversation with a male coworker. This is my first time working with him and we're having some small talk.
    via elephantlover404
  • 03
    Eventually the question comes up. Him: do you have children? Me: oh f-- no, don't wish that on me.
    via elephantlover404
  • 04
    Him: (looks at me weird) why would you say that? Children are a blessing Me: for you yes, but not for me.
    via elephantlover404
  • 05
    Him: they're a blessing for everyone. Me: again, for you yes. I would not be for me because I don't want children.
    via elephantlover404

  • This should have been the end of the conversation. She expressed her opinion, and he heard it; that's all. There's no arguing to be done here. Everything else he says after is just to put her down, belittle her, and try to make her believe that he's right. When are people going to learn that not everyone thinks the way they do, and that's okay?

  • 06
    You would think he would get the hint and believe me or leave it alone, but no.
    via elephantlover404
  • 07
    We kind of stare at each other and I sort of nervous laugh, hoping that's the end of it.
    via elephantlover404
  • 08
    Him: how old are you? Do you have a boyfriend? I'm thinking why is this relevant but whatever.
    via elephantlover404
  • 09
    Me: I'm 28. No I don't have a boyfriend. I'm a little picky. Him: you'll change your mind about children when you get a boyfriend.
    via elephantlover404
  • 10
    Me: no, I won't. Got my tubes taken out. I'm good. Not changing my mind. Him: you gona get old and only have cats and a dildo.
    via elephantlover404

  • How much clearer can she be? Let's be real, if this guy had a cat, he would know what the word “no” means more clearly. Cats love to say no. Cats are very clear when they say no. They teach you about boundaries, and this guy clearly has none.

  • 11
    Me: that's my life now, minus the cat and I'm pretty happy. Thankfully another coworker came back so the conversation got cut pretty short.
    via elephantlover404
  • 12
    It's so funny how these people with their kids just want you to be just like them.
    via elephantlover404
  • 13
    Like you saying all of that won't change the fact that I'm CF and will continue to be CF for the rest of my life.
    via elephantlover404
  • 14
    I was no way rude to him but he felt the need to try to insult me.
    via elephantlover404
  • 15
    I thought about saying that but I wanted to be the bigger person. Never again! Edit: A lot of y'all are saying to report him.
    via elephantlover404
  • 16
    employee talking with HR
    via charliepix

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 17
    I don't know what that says about me that I didn't even consider it. I probably won't report him.
    via elephantlover404
  • 18
    People have said much more offensive stuff to me that his didn't feel as bad?? I just wanted to share a moment that I had at work to others who understand the constant negativity we get from people who aren't CF.
    via elephantlover404
  • 19
    I really do appreciate everyone sympathizing and telling me their POV. Also I'm a flight attendant, so the work culture here is very different from the corporate world.
    via elephantlover404
  • 20
    flight attendant
    via izusek

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 21
    Plus, I will probably never work with this man ever again. I think I was more annoyed than upset.
    via elephantlover404
  • 22
    Edit 2: I'm doing some self reflection now. In retrospect, I shouldn't have even engaged in the conversation as some of y'all have pointed out.
    via elephantlover404
  • 23
    I think I'm more offended that the default thought process is that I have children. He could have asked me where my next trip was or if commute to work, but he chose to ask me if I have children.
    via elephantlover404
  • 24
    Why is my sense of worth based on my anatomy and what can come out of it?
    via elephantlover404
  • 25
    Why did it matter if I don't want children? Maybe wanting to defend my life choices put me in this weird space where I wanted to engage instead of ignoring it.
    via elephantlover404
  • 26
    But when you're trapped in a metal tube with someone, you sometimes lose a bit of clarity.
    via elephantlover404
  • 27
    I wanna blame it on the air space but really, he shouldn't have asked me the question to begin with.
    via elephantlover404
  • 28
    I looked into my options and I'm strongly considering it. But when it's someone who's in a position of power, the choice seems absolutely daunting.
    via elephantlover404
  • 29
    I feel like a fraud if I were to report it cause I've had far worst things happen to me that I didn't report than him using such terrible language.
    via elephantlover404
  • 30
    But on a serious note, thank you everyone for the input and support! Edit 3: Y'all got any photos of your cats?
    via elephantlover404

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Tags

boss child free employee hr coworkers human resources insult Cats animals children cat lovers
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