Anthropomorphizing our pets

[Buckalew11]

I have 2 that I consider pets...a cat and a yellow lab. love them both but they are pretty traditional pets to me. Then there's my little dog, LOL. I leave her home when I go on vacation (my MIL comes and stays with her), I take her to the vet but would not go into debit for her care, and I do not have b-day parties for her. However, she is my baby and I treat her better than an average pet.

I look at her and see God's love for me and what a blessing she is to me. Honestly, life is better for me because of that little buddy. I'm sure all that sounds silly but it is how I feel. I was just telling DD that this morning...Nicki is a gift from God. She loves me unconditionally and her faithfulness is much like His. I said, "I think that is why they are called 'dog' -- it is God spelled backwards.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Here's the thing, I think most people who have both kids and pets would agree that the children are more important. If a car was barreling towards both, they would obviously save the child. Just because people baby their pets does not mean they truly believe them to be the equal of humans. My mother loved all her cats. She referred to them as my sisters, and I grew up thinking of them that way (I was an only). But when the house was on fire, or a tornado was bearing down on us, it was me she rushed to safety. No question. That being said, once I was safe, she would then go back into the burning house herself to try and find the cat. I was #1, but the pets were darn important too.

That being said, there is something a little weird about people who can't leave their pets alone and the like. I wonder if these are the same people who never vacation without their kids, or who never go out for nice dinners with just their spouses. Some of my earlier memories include staying with my grandparents while my parents were in Hawaii...it didn't bother me any.

Oh, and as to waiting for a pet to take care of you in your old age, exactly what assurances do you have that your kids will do so? My parents made it abundantly clear to me that I was on my own after undergrad and I made it abundantly clear to them that they were responsible for their own retirement.

 

[solferino]

What are you talking about?

I remember seeing the chair one recently but can't find it.

 

[HelenePA]

my pets are part of my family but not to the extent of some people. Uh yeah they are cats and dogs... My friend who doesn't want kids has two dogs who are her babies... I dont get it? She treats them just like you would a baby, including finding a babysitter for them when they are not home, not leaving them alone what is the point of not having kids if you have dogs that are your kids?? She even has birthday parties for them, buys them christmas presents hids them from them too until christmas, tries to make the dogs OPEN the presents... it just makes me wonder if she's one short of a full deck I love her honestly I do but this same person thought that rocks grew and the moons glows... did I mention she's in cancer research

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I remember seeing the chair one recently but can't find it.

That will teach me to read the Disboards while at work.

 

[maelstrom]

Unless you're a talented feline with opposible thumbs typing that, then, no, she isn't your child.

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.

 

[HelenePA]

uh my cat DOES have opposable thumbs. she is a polydactyl (she had 7 toes on each paw in the front) and does use her paws to pick stuff up like a human, she still isn't my child.

 

[NikiM20]

Wow, I talk to my dogs like they are people. Wouldnt you get tired of only hearing sit or stay or do you need to go out?

At socialization class with my dane, I said Come on Ozzy its time to leash up and go. He walked to the fence and waited for me to put his leash on him. A woman looked at me and said he acted like he understood you. Duh he did, thats why hes waiting on me to put a leash on him.

Dogs are alot smarted than people give them credit for. My dogs even have different facial expressions for their different moods

 

[HelenePA]

I talk to my pets like people too, but really that's as far as it goes. I dont hold birthday parties, I dont make them unwrap presents, I dont buy stuff from my dogs to give to other people I dont sign their names on cards I send yes my friend does ALL of the above. she's nuts I tell ya

 

[WDWBarb]

About the same time they started loving us unconditionally.

 

[NMAmy]

I've noticed this tendency a lot more on the boards than I've seen it in real life.

I do have a cousin who is unmarried and has no children who does treat her dogs this way and, frankly, it drives me bananas. My aunt lives with her and confessed to me that she's really frightened of one of the dogs because it always tries to bite her-- these are tiny little dogs but they have absolutely no discipline. If children were raised this way, they'd be absolute terrors.

I adore dogs. I've had many over the years and I've loved them very much. However, I don't treat them like my children. Frankly, they are so much easier than a kid--they never talk back, they don't grow up and move out, and there is really no drama with a dog. I love 'em--they have a good life but they're dogs.

 

[captjackswench91]

I find it scary that some people put animals (call them what you want they are still animals) on the same level as real live human beings!

My mom does. I am an only child and my mom is angry at the fact I'm a people person, not an animal person. Try having 7 dogs and 2 cats for siblings.

 

[Mish19]

I just started reading "When Elephants Weep - The Emotional Lives of Animals" and it is very interesting. I suppose it's like Disney, some people get it and some don't. I had a dog and he was treated like a family member. We did venture out of the house without him but we all understood there were responsibilities attached to caring for a pet. Yes, we played, bought him birthday and Christmas gifts/cards and we did attach an emotional "personality" to him. You can't have someone in your life and NOT treat him as a loving family member.
Now I have two cats and the same goes for them. I love them - why else get a pet if not for fun, love, companionship? I can see why people (I'm guilty of it too) treat their animals as their "babies". All my pets were/are my furbabies, I love them and they love us. Since most pets are domesticated, they look to you as caregiver to make sure they are healthy and safe.
If Anthropomorphizing is the act of attaching emotions to animals, then I have to say I believe animals feel emotions, just as well as humans do.

Here's an interesting passage from the book --
"...that animals love and suffer, cry and laugh; their hearts rise up in anticipation and fall in despair. They are lonely, in love, disappointed, or curious; they look back with nostalgia and anticipate future happiness. They feel."

 

[Poohbear123]

I agree with you there...the people who expect dogs to react like humans and who throw sentences at them and then get irritated when they can't understand them...well, I have no patience for them.

Umm, Hello? My Dogs understand ANY word that comes out of my Mouth! We know they are not "human" but they are better than SOME Humans! YES they are our "Furbabies" and I really LOVE them better than ANY of the sub-humans I deal with at my job.

 

[Poohbear123]

Wow, I talk to my dogs like they are people. Wouldnt you get tired of only hearing sit or stay or do you need to go out?

At socialization class with my dane, I said Come on Ozzy its time to leash up and go. He walked to the fence and waited for me to put his leash on him. A woman looked at me and said he acted like he understood you. Duh he did, thats why hes waiting on me to put a leash on him.

Dogs are alot smarted than people give them credit for. My dogs even have different facial expressions for their different moods

My Doxies understand quite a few words, NO being one of them and "Drop IT!" Mickey does this instantly when he has something in his mouth that shouldn't be there. Facial Expressions? Well, Mickey "smiles" at me when I come thru the door! He shows his top teeth with his lips spreading far and wide!

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Umm, Hello? My Dogs understand ANY word that comes out of my Mouth! We know they are not "human" but they are better than SOME Humans! YES they are our "Furbabies" and I really LOVE them better than ANY of the sub-humans I deal with at my job.

All I can say to this is.....

YES!!

I love my fuzzy little girl and would much rather spend time with her than 99% of the people I see every day!

 

[Par8hed]

One time in college my roommate wanted to anthropomorphise a goat. Fortunately we were able to talk him out of it. It was the Deans goat after all.

 

[Sthronds]

I love my dogs but I don't put them above my family. I travel without them but only after making sure that someone is around to care for them. I worry about their health and have made emergency calls and trips to the vet but only because I care about their quality of life and want them to live long, happy ones. I have on occasion dressed them up but only long enough to take a picture and get a laugh. I have wrapped their Christmas presents because if they didn't have their own to unwrap, they'd bother everyone else. Yes they are a huge part of my life but I am still aware that they are dogs. I'm just lucky to have them.

 

[Mean Queen]

I was raised like this. So for me - since the 70's.

What? You don't dress Charley up in little outfits and stick him in your purse then lock him in a pretty blue stroller for a day at the mall? I'm sure he'd help you pick out the best outfits.

I love my cats. When I've lost cats, I've cried considerably because they are members of the family. But they are animal members, in no way equal to human children in any way, shape or form. I would never consider taking them to the mall, putting them in baby carriers, or forcing them on people when I visit. Those things are for people, and as much personality as my cats have, they aren't people (nor do I think they'd want to be.)

 

[Planogirl]

My cat understands many words and phrases too but he still prefers to be treated as a cat and I like treating him that way. He's not the same to me as a human child but then I don't think that he would want to be.