They alternately idolize a person or animal and then demote it to being the lowest form of life possible. There is no middle ground. The narcissist has unrealistic expectations of animal behavior. People and animals are both expected to act perfectly—and anything else is seen as a personal affront to the narcissist.
And there are many narcissists who really don't care for pets. A narcissist isn't usually one to take care of others, and there's no way around this with a pet. So if someone is particularly high on the narcissistic spectrum, they may really want to avoid pets, regardless of the adoration they might get.
Although empathy for animals and humans is certainly related, it is possible for pet owners with narcissistic traits, particularly Narcissistic Neuroticism, to have empathy and love for a pet despite having low empathy for humans.
This low sense of self naturally makes it extremely easy for them to become jealous – very jealous. And not just about anyone potentially interested in you romantically, but anyone or anything that can take the focus off of them. This includes children, pets and other friends and family members.
Narcissism and the Animal World
There was a variety of opinions but the most common answer was “the cat.” That is an understandable answer. Cats show very little care about people, or even in other cats. They typically seem unconcerned about whether others are happy with them.
They look for people who are confident, successful, attractive and strong-willed. Someone who possess these traits makes them look better and makes others envious that they are with you. They also want to tear you down.
A narcissist will target a victim who will forgive them over and over for being hurtful. Typically, people who stay in relationships with narcissists are kind and forgiving. They tend to overlook the bad, seeing mainly the good in other people. So, they will always find excuses for a narcissist's abusive behavior.
According to Thomaes & Brummelman, the development of narcissism begins at around the ages of 7 or 8.
Narcissistic personality disorder affects more males than females, and it often begins in the teens or early adulthood. Some children may show traits of narcissism, but this is often typical for their age and doesn't mean they'll go on to develop narcissistic personality disorder.
Narcissistic baiting refers to a tactic used by narcissistic individuals to “bait” or provoke an emotional reaction from others. A narcissist will deliberately employ manipulative strategies to elicit emotional responses, typically negative ones, from their target in order to satisfy their narcissistic needs.
The narcissist will condition someone into believing that these toxic behaviors are normal. As the bonding deepens, the person being abused will feel more and more like they need validation from the abuser, giving the abuser more power and leading to further manipulation.
Some narcissists may have healthy, loving relationships with their mothers, but many will struggle due to their narcissistic character traits. The narcissist's need for admiration and validation means they will often put unrealistic demands on their mothers, while their need for control makes them manipulative.
Individuals high in Narcissistic Neuroticism may empathize with animals to a greater extent than they empathize with humans and may use their pet as a means of regulating their negative emotions and controlling their insecurities.
Being an “animal lover” is part of some narcissists' tool boxes to make them appear empathic, loving, and kind. And helps them reel in unsuspecting victims. Narcissists know they must sometimes act “nice” to receive the attention and adulation they crave.
Most narcissists enjoy an irrational and brief burst of relief after having suffered emotionally ("narcissistic injury") or after having sustained a loss. It is a sense of freedom, which comes with being unshackled.
Narcissism tends to emerge as a psychological defence in response to excessive levels of parental criticism, abuse or neglect in early life. Narcissistic personalities tend to be formed by emotional injury as a result of overwhelming shame, loss or deprivation during childhood.
We demonstrate that narcissism in children is cultivated by parental overvaluation: parents believing their child to be more special and more entitled than others. In contrast, high self-esteem in children is cultivated by parental warmth: parents expressing affection and appreciation toward their child.
The development of narcissistic traits is in many cases, a consequence of neglect or excessive appraisal. In some cases, this pathological self-structure arises under childhood conditions of inadequate warmth, approval and excessive idealization, where parents do not see or accept the child as they are.
The narcissist will never be happy.
“They simply don't feel good about themselves.” Despite incalculable self-importance, the narcissist doesn't have high self-esteem. They coat themselves in praise and approval from others to hide their biggest fear.
Some narcissists like to cuddle. Others don't. But in nearly all cases, cuddling is just another way to fuel the never-ending narcissistic supply. Narcissists struggle to be genuinely intimate with their partners.
Although narcissists act superior to others and posture as beyond reproach, underneath their grandiose exteriors lurk their deepest fears: That they are flawed, illegitimate, and ordinary.
To narcissists, ordinary people (i.e., nearly everybody around them) aren't worthy of attention, so being ordinary would leave them unworthy of the spotlight and left to suffocate.