The role of どうも in 「犬は好きですが、猫はどうも･･･」


In an [IMABI](https://www.imabi.net/theparticlewai.htm) tutorial on the
は-particle, the following sentence is presented:

> 犬は好きですが、猫はどうも･･･

which translates to

> I like dogs, but cats...

What's throwing me off here is どうも. According to the dictionary, its meaning
can be any of the following:

> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u5Xua.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/u5Xua.png)

In this case I assume it's functioning as a trailing Adverb (not an
interjection). Is this the case? If so, none of those provided meanings seem
to translate to "but...", as far as I can I tell.

Does anyone have any insight on what どうも is doing here (as far as literal
translations go)?




A good way to think about どうも is "in every way (this way and that way)". The
どう is "how" and when you add も we essentially get "every how way".

> 犬は好きですが、猫はどうも
>
> I like dogs, but as for cats, in every way (this way, that way, any way)...
> [I can't seem to like them.]

This definition is great when どうも is used to mean "Thank you" as well. For
example if someone held the door open for you, you literally are saying: "In
every way... [thank you]"




How about thinking of it as "no matter how hard one may try (to, not to)" in
definition #5?

> 犬は好きですが、猫はどうも・・・  
>  _Lit._ I like dogs but, speaking of cats, no matter how hard I try (to like
> them)...

