Aversion to fur:An unusual and enduring fear is known as doraphobia. Individuals who suffer from this phobia tend to steer clear of animals with fur, including dogs, cats, foxes, beavers, and rabbits, as they find fur to be extremely off-putting. It is possible that some of these individuals associate fur with tales of "the big bad wolf" and other fur-covered predators. Their fear is sometimes justified, as many animals with fur, such as bats, raccoons, dogs, and cats, can carry rabies—a severe infection of the nervous system. This disease can be passed from animals to humans through bites, and in rare instances, through contact with the animal’s blood or tissue, or even by inhaling the rabies virus in a bat cave. If not treated promptly with rabies shots, the disease can be fatal. The term "doraphobia" is derived from Greek, with "dora" meaning hide or skin, and "phobos" meaning fear, collectively signifying a fear of an animal's skin or hide, specifically its fur.
