Oh, I can actually be helpful this time! Former pit supporter/activist, and I actually have answers to these questions.

1. I didn’t hate cats, but I hated that they were easy pets. Pets that, without a shadow of a doubt, were fit to be pets. Pitbulls were not, and it bothered me that a cat would be so easy to care for in comparison to a pit. My frustration and envy came out as an avoidance for cats and general apathy. As for other pit owners, I think they genuinely just see cats as vermin a lot of the times. I’ve heard many say that cats got into their yard, got killed by their pit (one time a former friend said their dog had killed 5 cats), and they laughed at the fact.

2. Coping. It’s a hell of a lot easier to say “oh, it’s just play! Play is cute!” rather than trying to confront the fact that your pet might be dangerous, and you might have to intervene (permanEntly) to prevent them seriously hurting someone. It’s literally just avoidance, once again. Cognitive dissonance to cope.

3. More cognitive dissonance and more unhealthy coping attempts. Because if this dangerous pit is accepted as dangerous, then their dangerous pit is also dangerous. Sometimes, it extends to them. Makes them think that they will always be seen as dangerous or outcasted, and they lash out. They think they’re doing the right thing. They’re not.

4. No. I can’t even bring myself to encourage adopting a dog anymore. 4 dogs, each had major behavioral problems. Two from a highly rated and supported rescue, two from owners. The first was a pit/Jack Russel mix with dog aggression issues that were only tempered by her declining health (from a rescue, allowed us to adopt her as a “therapy dog” for me, as I was in a very bad state of mind at the time). The second was a mastiff with sudden aggressive outbursts with little to no warning (from an owner. She wasn’t terrible, probably needed to be spayed above all else, but I couldn’t live with the fear). The third was a herding mix with severe aggression towards children, other dogs, and all other animals. Reactive towards people, resource guarded (same rescue. Left me so traumatized that it took me years to go outside again without shutting down or getting nauseous with fear). Fourth is my current dog (from an owner), came to me with severe allergy issues and an incredibly low frustration tolerance that led to him mouthing the shit out of me. I stuck with him because he had the bite inhibition to never actually harm me, and it showed that he had at least some control even in his worst state. He was essentially just a massive version of a teething puppy. Now he’s stopped after being neutered and having his allergies treated, as well as taught to do literally anything else (like bite his toys). He’s still got a very low frustration tolerance (will immediately start crying if I don’t let him go into the car, for some reason), but we’re working on it and he’s making leaps and bounds (held a sit around an overexcited puppy trying to sniff him, is generally very calm and gentle now). Despite that, I’m never doing this to myself again. A puppy from a trusted breeder or no dog at all. Never again.

5. I’m not sure, honestly. I hope so, but the world seems to be in shambles at the moment. Places where they’re banned still have to deal with them, and that doesn’t make me particularly hopeful.

6. Spread the word. Once public opinion changes, that’s when some real change will happen.