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If there were a technical term for the condition in which a person is irrationally and intensely afraid of inadvertently eating cat food, what would that term be?

a pink pet bowl piled high with glistening chunks of cat food

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    Do we really need such a large picture to illustrate a well-known expression? I also think that image does a disservice to the question, if anyone was served a similar pet's dish I think it would be perfectly rational to be disgusted, and want to avoid eating it.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Sep 17 '14 at 5:18
  • @Mari-LouA I am confused. Oh, wait, you mean "cat food" is a well-known. I thought you meant "eating cat food" is a well-known expression. I wondered what it meant! Americans constantly surprise me (two people separated by a common language etc). Of course, you will now tell me neither ted strauss nor you are American. :(
    – almagest
    Sep 17 '14 at 5:32
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    Oddly enough, "eating cat food" is as well-known expression, and refers to poverty among senior citizens (mostly metaphorical, but by extension from a literal practice). In that case, the technical term to use might be more closely aligned with financial insecurity than with the substance itself.
    – bye
    Sep 17 '14 at 15:31
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    @Mari-LouA the reason behind the large picture is to illustrate the sense of dread and compulsive imagery associated with phobic tendencies. But I will gladly remove it if your comment receives 3 upvotes. Incidentally, what makes you think I am American? Is it my name, my avatar, or my question about cat food?
    – ted.strauss
    Sep 17 '14 at 20:38
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    Apologies, you are from Montreal, Canada, it says so on your profile. As for my comment, perhaps you ought to reflect why your question hasn't been voted up. :)
    – Mari-Lou A
    Sep 17 '14 at 21:32
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Fancyfeastophobia (obviously).

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    .........hahahahaha! :)
    – anongoodnurse
    Sep 17 '14 at 5:58
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Well, from The Phobia List, we get...

Cats- Aclurophobia, Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia, Galeophobia, or Gatophobia.

Food- Cibophobia

Eating or swallowing- Phagophobia

so, I'd wager it's something like...Felicibophagophobia?

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    felici- would be happiness, and it's Latin, while phobia is greek; and there is, as you noted, already a greek word for fear of cats: ailurophobia. Maybe ailurocibophagophobia?
    – anongoodnurse
    Sep 17 '14 at 5:56
  • @medica I think it's meant to be: feli.cibo.phago.phobia.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Sep 17 '14 at 7:43
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    Right, but that would be putting a latin prefix among the Greek. The Greek already has a word for cat-fear.
    – anongoodnurse
    Sep 17 '14 at 7:55
  • Oh, I did not notice the Greek/Latin word origins. I just thought felicibo flowed better than ailurocibo. Perhaps medica is correct.
    – StorymasterQ
    Sep 17 '14 at 14:37

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