Anthropomorphizing our pets

[JR6ooo4]

It probably started when we gave them names...
Like Q and Fred.

Mikeeee

 

[Rozzie]

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.

Very good point! It is surprising how many people admit to the reason they had children was to have some take care of them in old age. A big surprise is coming to a lot of folks I'm afraid.

It is sad for me to think about the dogs that are not allowed to be dogs. How many people never allow their dogs to be dogs? Never take them to play at dog parks, take them on walks, allow them to be dogs, always placing the expectation that they should be like human children. I have some family that are so obsessed over their pets, that they will not vacation without them, and are afraid to kennel them. I always tell them the best advice my vet ever gave me..."Rozzie, it's a dog". I don't allow my dogs to rule my world, they are always being complimented on their behavior and discipline. Yet I think that is the reason that our bond is so strong, they respect me, and I respect their animal instincts. Really it is a bond that death can never break.

 

[Jack-Jack]

Hey Male13, the anthro...um...personification of inanimate objects has already begun. Have you seen happy chair? emo faucet?

What are you talking about?

Hey, check out my new signature, Male13!

 

[tonilea]

I think I put more emphasis on my pets being "like" my children, til I actually had a child. And as much as I love my new puppy and I do (he's so cute it hurts), I would never place him as an equal to my daughter. If a car were barreling down on both of them, I would grab my daughter. I would also not put my family's financial stability in jeopardy in order to save my puppy. I would do my darndest to get him what he needed, but at some point, enough would have to be enough.

Exactly!

Several years ago I briefly worked at a veterinary clinic (before moving on to a much better vet clinic), where the staff was very judgemental about people choices regarding their pets.

I have rarely been as mad as I was at the techs working there when a young family with three children brought in a cat with a badly broken leg. After finding out how expensive it would be to have repaired or amputated, they opted to have him euthanized. It was a responsible decision for the family.

Do you spend the grocery money to fix the cat or feed the kids? Folks, it is a no-brainer.

That said, the vet asked them to surrender the cat to her, she fixed it and found it a new home.


I used to think my animals were my "babies", until we had our son. There is no comparison. As much as I love my pets, I am crazy mad in love with that little boy.

 

[pppiglet]

That said, the vet asked them to surrender the cat to her, she fixed it and found it a new home.

That's what I don't get. Why get it a new home? Why not give it back to the family that it already knows?

 

[MerryPoppins]

My animals are members of my family. No they are not humans, but our whole family loves them as though they are. In a fire, I'd have saved my kids first, but I'd have gone back for my pets....and that's the truth.

 

[Piecey]

5. I can leave her home for a weekend and not worry about a party being held at my house.

I don't know, haven't you seen those Tidy Cat commercials??


....


Rink will always be my dog. I love him like a kid because for the longest time he was the only one I came home to, so he got a lot of my love. I know if I ever have kids, though, he'll get a lot less attention.

 

[tonilea]

That's what I don't get. Why get it a new home? Why not give it back to the family that it already knows?

You don't want to get a reputation of being FREE!

 

[Charade]

The more people I meet, the more I like my cats.

 

[LisaZee]

Ok, my townhouse is on fire - the spouse and Zoe are both inside and I can only go back in and save one of them - only 2 of us are coming out alive. Lemme think... Still thinking... Um.... I'll get back to you on that one.

I NEVER had pets til after the spouse and I got married. I ALWAYS thought "those people" that bought their animals gifts for Xmas or showed off pics of their pets were crazy. Then we got Zoe.

She is such a joy in my life. Not that my life sucks, she isn't a distraction or a substitute for anything. Taking care of her has made me different person. I am selfish, by nature. When I tell people I think the world revolves around me, I pretty much mean it. I love my husband and I am good to him, but we are both pretty much all about ourselves. Having Zoe, and knowing she is completely dependent on me, is humbling. (And let's not go there on - that's why you have kids. I don't want to have kids to be humbled, teaching me humility is not their burden to bear.) She made my heart grow, in some ways. She has made me more patient (I think we all know cats are not at our beck and call!), she made me consider someone else before myself. When she got sick in October and we thought we were going to lose her, I called off work for the first time in 4 years to be home with her. The spouse always jokes that I would give the cat one of my kidneys...

So if me being a better person now because of a pet makes me a wacko - sign me up. Sometimes it's not what we do for our pets, it's what they do for us. No matter what kind of relationship we have with them, it's a personal relationship. If people don't get that, I'm ok with it. I don't get why people have kids, but that's THEIR choice, and none of my business. At least I don't have to pay for college, raise a productive member of society, or take a side on homeschooling debates (won't touch those with a ten foot pole! )

Oh, and regarding my burning house dilemma? I would go back in and send them both out.

 

[Breezie]

So if me being a better person now because of a pet makes me a wacko - sign me up. Sometimes it's not what we do for our pets, it's what they do for us. No matter what kind of relationship we have with them, it's a personal relationship. If people don't get that, I'm ok with it.

Bingo!!

 

[Beth76]

My cat is my child. I love her just as much as any parent would love their human child. She's very much a member of this family.

You mustn't have children then. So I don't think you can really say that. If you do have children then I am so sorry for them.

My SIL cries saying goodbye to her dog before vactions.

OK, I don't even cry when I leave my kids to go on vacation. That's not a normal reaction.

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.

Someone on the DIS a while back said that if her dog and someone else's child (or even another adult) were drowning, she would save the dog. I'm assumming this person didn't have children. The analagy wasn't between her dog and her child though. It was a person not related to her. But still, she swore she would save her dog over a human.

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.

Well the government says it's not your child. You can't claim it on your taxes.

 

[LisaZee]

You mustn't have children then. So I don't think you can really say that. If you do have children then I am so sorry for them.


OK, I don't even cry when I leave my kids to go on vacation. That's not a normal reaction.

Someone on the DIS a while back said that if her dog and someone else's child (or even another adult) were drowning, she would save the dog. I'm assumming this person didn't have children. The analagy wasn't between her dog and her child though. It was a person not related to her. But still, she swore she would save her dog over a human.

Well the government says it's not your child. You can't claim it on your taxes.

I did the bolding. Sigh, cuz we all know that people that don't have kids are unfeeling, and incapable of understanding true familial love. So if you love a pet as much as another human being you must not have kids...

 

[beckmrk04]

I think I put more emphasis on my pets being "like" my children, til I actually had a child. And as much as I love my new puppy and I do (he's so cute it hurts), I would never place him as an equal to my daughter. If a car were barreling down on both of them, I would grab my daughter. I would also not put my family's financial stability in jeopardy in order to save my puppy. I would do my darndest to get him what he needed, but at some point, enough would have to be enough.

I am right there with ya.

My poor dog fell a notch or two when I had my daughter. I still love my dog. She's snoring on her bed, I mean, my couch, right now. But in no way does my love for my dog compare to my love for my daughter.

 

[maelstrom]

You mustn't have children then. So I don't think you can really say that. If you do have children then I am so sorry for them.

Well the government says it's not your child. You can't claim it on your taxes.

No, I do not have human children, nor do I want them. Contrary to what entirely too many people think, people without human children ARE capable of love.

Well, if the GOVERNMENT says she's not my child... Look, I don't want to get my cat a social security number and claim her on my taxes. But she is my baby and I love her. If you honestly have such a big issue with that, then *I* feel sorry for *YOU*.

 

[Beth76]

I did the bolding. Sigh, cuz we all know that people that don't have kids are unfeeling, and incapable of understanding true familial love. So if you love a pet as much as another human being you must not have kids...

Oh please. She said she loves her cat as much as any parent loves their child. If she doesn't have children, she can't possibly know. And if she does have kids and she puts her pets on the same level, I feel bad for the whole family. That's just messed up.

 

[maelstrom]

I did the bolding. Sigh, cuz we all know that people that don't have kids are unfeeling, and incapable of understanding true familial love. So if you love a pet as much as another human being you must not have kids...

Exactly. Anyone who is childfree is just incapable of love. Human children are the basis of all emotion! I am just a disgusting waste of human flesh because I have not spawned. How dare I love my cat?!

 

[Beth76]

No, I do not have human children, nor do I want them. Contrary to what entirely too many people think, people without human children ARE capable of love.

Well, if the GOVERNMENT says she's not my child... Look, I don't want to get my cat a social security number and claim her on my taxes. But she is my baby and I love her. If you honestly have such a big issue with that, then *I* feel sorry for *YOU*.

Hey, you have no children, then I have no issue. You can think what you want. I was just concerned for your children if you had them, which you don't, so we're good.

BTW, we've had our new cat for about 3 weeks and I love her to death! I hate to say this but she is the best cat I've had and I've had cats ever since I was born. She's awesome and I love her and my kids love her and now I can't imagine life without her. She's still just our cat.

 

[Buckalew11]

When DD asked "do you love Nicki more than me?" I said, "No, I love you both the same."

Honestly, I thought when I had a child that my relationship to my dog would change. I had Bucky (hence my screenname) back then and he was my first "baby". I remember DH bring him over to the shop when I was pregnant with DD before vacation one year to say goodbye before we boarded him and I got a bit teary. A girl I worked with said ,"I'll be glad when you have that baby so you can put that canine in its place!" I was shocked at her statement.

Maybe I do not know how to love right.

I truly seem to love my DH, DD and my dogs the same way... a lot.

Sure I would choose DD's life over the dog's and all that but the love seems so much the same---just love. Oh well.

My mom loved her dog a lot too. Maybe it does do damage.

 

[beckmrk04]

I don't doubt that people without (human) children love their pets as though they are their (fur) children.

But, I can honestly say- and maybe this is just me and other people are different- I had my dog for a year before I had my daughter, and I thought I loved her like my kid. I just didn't know to what capacity I was going to love my kid. It's different. It's... instinct. I didn't have to choose to love my dd. I just do. Overwhelmingly. I still love my dog, but it's not the same kind of love. And I'm just being honest about my situation.

That said, I do not in any way mean to demean anyone's love for their pets. If they are your *children*- then treat them as such, and love them with all your hearts. Your kids deserve nothing less.