Anthropomorphizing our pets

[luvwinnie]

I think we have a happy medium. We love our furry kids to pieces (2 kitties, one bulldog), we spare no expense for their medical care, we do not go on vacation without our dog and now our one kitty will have to go with us also because she requires subQ fluids for renal failure (other kitty does NOT travel well and will stay home with my dad)...but we do NOT take them anywhere they are not welcome, same thing I'd do if I had kids...at the same time if you come to OUR HOME, well, you better like animals, or do not come over. Pretty simple. THis is their home and they are not going to be locked up in a room. But I AM definitely against people who bring animals into other people's homes uninvited.

 

[talulabelle]

I think we have a happy medium. We love our furry kids to pieces (2 kitties, one bulldog), we spare no expense for their medical care, we do not go on vacation without our dog and now our one kitty will have to go with us also because she requires subQ fluids for renal failure (other kitty does NOT travel well and will stay home with my dad)...but we do NOT take them anywhere they are not welcome, same thing I'd do if I had kids...at the same time if you come to OUR HOME, well, you better like animals, or do not come over. Pretty simple. THis is their home and they are not going to be locked up in a room. But I AM definitely against people who bring animals into other people's homes uninvited.

That is my SIL's thinking as well. When my DS was 2, their dog jumped at him to greet him at the door. Problem was the dog is over 80 lbs and jumped from about the fifth step up on the stairs. To my tiny little DS, it was like being attacked by a bear. He was TERRIFIED. The dog was a puppy and just excited and being friendly, but it caused DS to have a fear of dogs that he carried until about the age of 8-9. He would freak if he saw a dog. We would go sledding at the public park, and there was alway a dog owner who thought his dog was the gift to the world and would let him play in the snow and with the kids unleashed. Which would have been fine with me except my son was SO scared that we woudl have to leave. Even though it is a law the dog must be leashed. When we would go to SIL's house, she refused to put the dog in the (very comfortable pet friendly )basement while he was there, or even long enough for him to warm up to the dog and said "I'm not making ###### go outside just becasue your son is looking for attention"

SO we left. and we don't go back. Even though he is over his fear of dogs now, becasue she put her dog above her guests, so that is how welcome and loved we felt by her, just below the level of a dog.

She wanted us to force her dog on our kid and that is the worst thing to do to a child who has this fear. He needed to deal with it and approach it at his pace where he felt comfortable.

On the flip side, when we went to my brothers house, they have a beautiful setter that is very much a part of their family. But when we would go to the door his wife would say "Wait, let me go put the dog in the garage" I would say, I'm sorry you had to do that, and she would say "don't be silly, he is a dog, XXX (my DS) comes first. So DS feeling in control of that situation and not out of control and in danger ,eventually went to the garage to visit the dog on his own terms, and he got past his fear.

It is possible to love your pet, and still put people first.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

So... adopted kids are not really their adoptive parents' children because they don't have the same DNA...

My cat IS my child. If you only want to call humans that you spawned yourself your children, that's your business, but don't go telling me what I can and cannot consider my child.

At least adopted children are the same species.

I love animals. I talk to them in full sentences, I consider my pets part of the family, though I hate the word "furbaby", because it gives me a really wierd visual. We'll take our dog camping or on a road trip, but leave him if we're staying in someone else's home.

I don't care how other people refer to their pets, but having adopted a human being, who is my daughter, you will never hear me say that I "adopted" a pet. We went to court to adopt our daughter, and we have a decree stating that she is our daughter "as if born to" us.

We bought our pets. We have a receipt and a goofy little pretend adoption certificate like those you can get for a Webkin or a Cabbage Patch Doll. Not the same thing by a long shot.

 

[Jack-Jack]

What an informative thread this has become. I'm curious...when kitties have kittens, is that called spawning too?

 

[talulabelle]

At least adopted children are the same species.

I love animals. I talk to them in full sentences, I consider my pets part of the family, though I hate the word "furbaby", because it gives me a really wierd visual. We'll take our dog camping or on a road trip, but leave him if we're staying in someone else's home.

I don't care how other people refer to their pets, but having adopted a human being, who is my daughter, you will never hear me say that I "adopted" a pet. We went to court to adopt our daughter, and we have a decree stating that she is our daughter "as if born to" us.

We bought our pets. We have a receipt and a goofy little pretend adoption certificate like those you can get for a Webkin or a Cabbage Patch Doll. Not the same thing by a long shot.

I thought that the post you quoted was extremely insulting to anyone who has adopted. As if the adopted child is to a parent like a pet because it was not born from their body. Nope. Adopted child is child. Just like a child born to you. Animals are pets. Just that, pets.

 

[Angelhalo]

I thought that the post you quoted was extremely insulting to anyone who has adopted. As if the adopted child is to a parent like a pet because it was not born from their body. Nope. Adopted child is child. Just like a child born to you. Animals are pets. Just that, pets.

I do not have human children. Right now, my animals are my children. When I have human children, they will be the children and the animals will be the pets. Being without human children, I treat my animals as if they are my children. I feed them, I bathe them, I groom them, I talk to them, I sing to them, I adore them, I keep them healthy. All the things you would do for a child. To me, right now in my life, they are my children. Just that, children.

 

[talulabelle]

I do not have human children. Right now, my animals are my children. When I have human children, they will be the children and the animals will be the pets. Being without human children, I treat my animals as if they are my children. I feed them, I bathe them, I groom them, I talk to them, I sing to them, I adore them, I keep them healthy. All the things you would do for a child. To me, right now in my life, they are my children. Just that, children.

Ok, let's leave it at this - get back to me when you have children, and you will know what I mean. All the things you do with and for your dogs are fine and healthy, and great, and it is wonderful you love you pets so much. But it is degrading to children to call your animals children. They do not compare. When you have children, will you kennel them to go on vacation? Will you leave them with a chew toy when you go to work? It's just not the same. They are your pets, your adored pets that are right now, the most important thing in your life and that is fine, but you will understand what I mean when you actually have your own children.

 

[katerkat]

Seriously, though...I did not intend for this to become some sort of "parents vs. childfree" debate. It never even occurred to me that it would, because I have seen people WITH kids treat their animals as additional children.

Mental note: Do not call the cats Russ' brothers in front of Mal.

 

[Maleficent13]

Eh, you can call 'em that. When you enroll them in preschool with him, we need to talk.

 

[TinkerbellMama]

Interesting article...Do You Love Your Pet Too Much?

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/do-you-love-your-pet-too-much/page1.aspx

 

[katerkat]

Eh, you can call 'em that. When you enroll them in preschool with him, we need to talk.

Oh, but they're 44 in human years, so they don't need schooling. Russ' preschool teacher did ask why Russ tends to meow when he wants a snack...

 

[jenm2878]

See, I tend to think it's insulting to insinuate that without children you don't know what love is. Everyone keeps saying, 'sure you love your pet, but get back to me when you have kids.' I love my pets very much, but I would pick my husband over them. We don't have children. Does that mean that I don't truely love my DH since I haven't experienced a mothers love? It's insulting. Why do we have to compare love or compete with how much love someone/something is given?

Why does it seem so threatening to people that someone really really loves their pets? It in no way diminishes how much other people love their kids. Seriously, who cares? If I love my cats and am satisfied with never having children because they and DH love me enough, who am I hurting? No one.

(I have my cranky pants on today, can you tell?)

 

[NY Disney fan]

I belong to a divorce support forum and we were discussing how divorce affects children. And one lady had the nerve to say, "well I don't have kids but my furbabies (cats) are having a hard time dealing." I almost fell over! ***??? Some people get waaay too into it. How dare you try to compare an animal's thoughts on divorce to a child's!?

But for the most part, I do believe that animals have feelings and should be treated with the same commitment as a human family member. That's why I don't own pets. To me that is a huge responsibility and one that shouldnt' be taken lightly.

 

[Castlebound]

We have a dog and he is our family's pet. Gasp! He's an outside dog! Yes he sleeps, eats, plays, and poops outside. When it is very cold or very hot he spends most of the day and night in our basement. He has regular vet check-ups and all of his shots. He is a dog and does dog things. He likes to find yucky dead things in the woods and eat them. I've seen him carry dried horse poop in his mouth. Turtles are his enemy and must be flipped over and barked at. He has been taught NOT to lick people. Why don't I want doggy kisses? Well if a person did all of those things I wouldn't want them kissing me either! I think that it is gross when I see people letting animal's lick their faces. If you saw a person lick their own butt would you let them kiss you?

 

[meandtheguys2]

He has regular vet check-ups and all of his shots. He is a dog and does dog things. He likes to find yucky dead things in the woods and eat them. I've seen him carry dried horse poop in his mouth. Turtles are his enemy and must be flipped over and barked at.

LOL, Our lab passed away years ago, but your post reminded me so much of her! Our dogs/cats have always slept indoors, but when we lived on our farm, the dogs only wanted in at night. The world was too interesting to spend it lollygagging around inside!

 

[BabyPiglet]

My pets are family members. Simple as that, and I respect other peoples differencing opinions.

 

[WDWBarb]

Maybe it's just me but I really don't bother myself with how much someone loves or adores their pets. It has no affect on me. They can call them Mom and Dad or Grandma or Grandpa or even baby doll - I don't care.

As long as they are loved and taken care of.

I'll concern myself when they don't treat their animals well. That's where my energy will be focused. And if they treat their children badly - well, that's horrible and also will have my energy and focus.

But let 'em love their pets. If they fill a void in their hearts and in their homes, well - let 'em. Who is this harming?

 

[HelenePA]

If you saw a person lick their own butt would you let them kiss you?

this really needs to be a tag

 

[Mrs.Toad]

See, I tend to think it's insulting to insinuate that without children you don't know what love is. Everyone keeps saying, 'sure you love your pet, but get back to me when you have kids.' I love my pets very much, but I would pick my husband over them. We don't have children. Does that mean that I don't truely love my DH since I haven't experienced a mothers love? It's insulting. Why do we have to compare love or compete with how much love someone/something is given?

Why does it seem so threatening to people that someone really really loves their pets? It in no way diminishes how much other people love their kids. Seriously, who cares? If I love my cats and am satisfied with never having children because they and DH love me enough, who am I hurting? No one.

(I have my cranky pants on today, can you tell?)

I don't recall anyone saying that people without kids don't know what love is, or that you can't know love until you've had children. But it is true that no one can know how they will feel about their own child until they've had a child. This doesn't diminish your love for your husband or your pets, but it's a fact.

It's also a fact that someone who's never had a pet wouldn't know how much people can love pets. If a petless person said that pets are just animals no different from the ones we eat for dinner and you can't possibly love them, I think people with pets would be similarly justified in responding that "you can't know how you'd feel about a pet if you've never had one".

I love my pets, too, and I don't care what other people call theirs, but I can have my opinion of the practice of calling a pet a child. The word child is typically defined as a young human being, not as a creature that is loved, that's why some people find it an odd choice of words. Even people with pets but no human kids refer to themselves as "child-free". If their pets are their "children", then they're not "child-free" are they?

this really needs to be a tag

my thoughts exactly!

 

[meandtheguys2]

If their pets are their "children", then they're not "child-free" are they?

I'd say that was a valid point!