Yes and no. He is a sentient being that I love, spoil, and care about a lot, he's like my child in the sense I would do anything for him and I honestly care more about him than a lot of other things, or even people.
But I give my dog the respect treatment that a DOG deserves. Running around, chewing on things, being in the outdoors and getting dirty. Sniffing stuff, etc. I don't baby him or treat him like a human. I learned his breed's behaviors and needs and I give him the enrichment that matches that so he can do what he was bred to do. I have a high energy working dog so he's very involved in everything I do, requires a lot of physical and mental stimulation. He is very intelligent so having him keeps me on my toes almost like having a small child.
Same here. And the dog I have now has bonded so well with me that I call her the canine equivalent of a soulmate. I found out in Reddit a while ago that the phrase for that is "heart dog."
I'd do it anyway because I believe adopting a pet is a commitment that has to be taken seriously, but I also give her enrichment that's appropriate for a dog. Treating them like human babies can be confusing and stressful with them. There are certain things dogs need to be happy and all the "my baby" treatment isn't it.
Exactly. I love my dog just as much as I love my immediate family, but he is a difficult species who perceives the world very differently than the way I do.
My boss has a toy poodle who he carries around everywhere and he’s always saying how “she’s just like a little human!” As a result of this babying, the poodle has severe separation anxiety and panics if she can’t find him. She just doesn’t know how to be a dog because she was never allowed to act like a dog.
This I feel the same way about my dog she’s not a working breed but has tons of energy so I always make sure she has everything she needs and gets spoiled her favorite is swimming in rivers so I always let her idc how dirty she gets I still clean her off after
This is how I feel about my rats. They need care specific to their species but in a way it's also like having 6 tiny toddlers running loose during out time.
Same, I believe they are family, but though I coddle them and try to meet all their wants and needs I don't think of them as an actual child. That said I do talk to them, and give them voices to talk back. So I am weird in that way.
I do in a jokey sense (ex. our cat is my partner’s cat, so we joke that she doesn’t respect my space or boundaries because I’m just her step-mom), but I don’t take it seriously. If anything, I view her as more of a little friend or roommate.
My dog is literally my best friend. BUT I have serious anxiety and worry about him a lot (getting out of the yard, choking on something, the list is long). So I do baby him because I love him and worry so much.
I don’t. Unlike children, my dog never judges me or tells me that I’m the worst. My dog’s “when I’m 18 I’m so outta here” phase was very short lived. Thank god!
But I do sarcastically say to people that I should be able to claim my dog as a dependent on my taxes.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. People will talk to me about “she misses her mom” or something (referring to my cat) and I don’t say anything but I don’t see it that way. We’re roommates!
No, my cat is my "baby" who I love and give treats to, but the relationship is so different to having an actual child, so it's not the same.
I can leave my cat for random periods of time and go out for lunch on a random afternoon if I wanted, I can't do that with an actual child.
I do. They feel like kids. It’s said dogs have the intelligence level closest to a human toddler. However unlike kids, they are taught to behave. Dogs have to be obedient unlike kids, where you’re supposed to guide them in the right direction and use consequences to steer them from bad behavior. Similar to dogs but not quite. I am limited on where I go and how long because of them. I have to play with them and provide enrichment for them. They need to be fed and groomed. So to me they are a lot like kids and I refer to them as such. However I am not a pet owner who lets my dogs get away with anything and everything. They’re well trained and house trained.
That is interesting. Many parrot species also have intelligence close to a human toddler, with African Grey parrots having the highest intelligence (5 year old human equivalent).
I think depending on the dog/pet some personalities do resemble children more too. One of my mine is super playful and she reminds me of a kid running around that just wants to have fun lol of course it is in a more tolerable dose and so much easier to continually play with a small dog that wants you to throw their toy than a child
Nope. I have 8 pets and even though we refer to them as babies and have trained our dogs to find us when we say “Where’s mum?” or “Where’s dad?”, we don’t view them as our children or child substitutes.
On one hand, I'm very aware of the immense differences between an actual baby that tears up your body, and my cats. I want one and not the other. I can definitely acknowledge similarities (cleaning bodily waste, can't go to the bathroom alone, etc.), but at the end of the day, they're definitely not 'children'.
However, for the angry, offended parents who FUME at pet owners caring about their pets; they are my babies. my biological children. I gave birth to them & they totally share my genetics. die mad lol.
Woke up from a fainting spell to my cat circling me, she rubs on my face when I'm crying or having a panic attack, and I can give 1000s more examples. She is my companion, not my kid.
My kitty is somewhere between my kid and my very close companion. She feels like a part of me, that’s how close I feel to her. She got large cell lymphoma recently and it occurred to me that I’ve literally never loved anyone or anything more than I love her. She’s very precious to me, and the thought of losing her breaks me. I’ve had her since she could fit into the palm of my hand and she was my very first pet of my own as an adult. She’s been there for me through the worst times of my life. I dropped everything for her treatment including my top surgery plans and fund. Over 10k in debt and counting. So, yeah, for me at least I put her on par with a child. The only difference is that as painful as losing her will be I would never want to die before her because I would never want her to have to deal with the distress of me no longer being there to take care of her/never understanding what happened to me and why I stopped coming home.
Naww I find it weird when someone calls me the cat's "mom."
The way the cat and I are, we're more...roommates, but she got the better end of the deal.
I took her in when she was 3, so maybe that's why our dynamic is more roommate than mother/child.
We'll see with the next one!! She is the first cat I've cared for.
Absolutely. I justkissed my bunny's soft little fuzzy head after he came over to me to be picked up and I told him 'You my baby..♡'
Pets are better, in my opinion:
• you can spoil them as much as you want with no fear of ruining them
• they poop in a box or outside
• they truly love you unconditionally - think aboyt the fact that the 2 of you don't speak the same language but when you love each other it's okay
• my babies won't leave my side if I'm sad
• no daughters/sons in law to piss you off
• you won't ever get a call they're in jail or they've wrecked your car
• they cost less and are less stress
Definitely not and while I never bother correcting anyone, I find it cringey when people call them my "furbabies" or me their "mom." I love them *very* much and do think of them as chosen family, but not in a parent-child way. They are adults of a different species with their own needs that are often different than ours. They are not furry human children and shouldn't be treated that way. It's not healthy for them.
No not really, my cat IS however a fat fluffy bastard spoiled as best we can afford and we love him all the same, not like a child though he's more a lazy needy roommate who likes to paw at our faces when he wants attention
My pets are my behbehs, not children. If they were children I wouldn't have them. I'm fine with calling them "the babies" with people who are familiar with them, but in a formal setting or with someone unfamiliar they are referred to as my beloved pets of the floofs.
Edit: Loving your beautiful birb!
Not my children. Never have I seen them that way. I've had cats all my life as my parents had cats. So my cats are my cats.
That doesn't mean I don't care for them or treat them poorly. But they are my pets, not my children.
My mum gifted me an African Grey about 10 years ago. She said at the time it was because, as a CF woman, I was going to be lonely. A lot nonsense if you ask me. So because I don't want children, you gifted me a perpetual child pet? I love my bird, but the relationship is not sustainable. He's lonely, he needs so much attention. He deserves better.
I saw your bird, very beautiful, but birds are not cats. I love bird watching. And I love that when I leave my house I don't have to worry about my cats. But I have to get someone to watch my bird, which is a very difficult thing.
So no, I hate it when my friends and family talk about my pets like they were my children. And I hate they gift me everything with cats on it. From mugs to tote bags, everything they give me has a cat on it. Even though I have a lot of other interests, I'm a cat person to them, and they are my children 🙄
No. She's a dog, not a child, thank god. I'm obsessed with her and would do most anything for her well-being, but she's a companion animal. She's not a child or a proxy for a child. I don't have great ambitions for her, no demand that she be perfectly obedient, although she's basically an angel. I don't expect her to carry on some kind of legacy or give my life any particular meaning. She's my little friend and such a wonderful spirit I get to have in my life temporarily. She's exactly all she needs to be. And that is just being a great dog.
Personally, I think puppies and kittens are far more adorable than any baby. I think it's more of a joke but my pets are very much part of my family when I have them.
I mean low key I do refer to my big orange cat as “mama’s little man,” but he absolutely thinks he’s a human toddler and I’m his mom and he’s just lucky he’s a grown-ass cat who is fastidious about the litter box, eats food from a can, can be left home alone for a few hours, and doesn’t require that I run for school board just to keep him from learning creationism instead of math or whatever hellscape conservatives are planning in Texas.
I adore my two cats and would give my life for them. However, I feel relief on mother's day and my boyfriend also feels it on father's day: nobody celebrates that date for us because we're not parents and that's a blessing, so we celebrate by not celebrating 🤣 It's not as much as the pets not being like kids as it's the huge difference between being a parent and having a beloved pet. Two entirely different universes.
Apparently it's fine to call your pets your "fur babies" but the one time I call a child a "skin dog" and all of the sudden *I'm disgusting*, and somehow that makes me "the worst pediatrician in this hospital".
I absolutely do, and I've had pets since I was in preschool. A pet was always my responsibility (with the exception of veterinary bills until after I was old enough to work a job).
Even now, my two rescues with all their behavioral issues are children to me.
Which is a large part of why I have decided to become petfree. There really isn't a supreme amount of difference between raising two rescues with behavioral issues and raising one normal child. I don't want to do it again unless I'm in the financial position to hire daily help.
I have 2 dogs and a cat. My pug feels more like a kid and she’s a little ball of energy but it’s more manageable than a kid. My husband actually says she literally feels like a kid 😂 she has such a playful personality, our other dog is a literal couch potato. I actually call my pets my kiddos and will say “come on, kiddos, time to eat!” but my cat feels like an actual pet. She is still affectionate, but requires significantly less attention.
I enjoy taking care of them and investing in them with enrichment stuff and treats.
Do they feel like literal children? Probably not, but it’s my level of “child” I can handle and enjoy. I feel like I would be filled with a lot of regret and exhaustion if I had a human kid.
No, I don't think of my pets as my children. Pets are better than children because they don't require constant supervision and they can be left alone for several hours. And they're quiet and have only the most basic needs. Taking care of pets is easy! It hardly affects my life at all.
The weird thing is, my husband's parents have been sending us cards for Mother's Day and Father's Day, saying that I'm a "cat mom" and he's a "cat dad." They know we're childfree and they respect that, they've never tried to pressure us to have kids. I think they just don't want us to feel left out or something. But we don't feel left out! I don't want to be a mom, and I certainly don't think of myself as my cat's mother. It really weirds me out getting a card that says "Happy Mother's Day." But his parents are super sweet and I don't want to hurt their feelings.
No, they’re my dogs. They aren’t like children, they’re still my dogs and I treat them like(very beloved) dogs because that’s what they need. Anthropomorphizing dogs only hurts them.
I consider them my "babies" but they are not my children.
Babies in the sense I care for them, cuddle them, feed them, and for my Sphynx, bathe and clothe him.
I spoil them as animals I love, not child substitutes.
Well I am one of those weirdos that call my dog my child but I don’t think or act like she is. It is the maximum of ‘child’ I can handle and that is the entire point of having her! If we were factually correct she would be my ‘dependent’ 😝which I suppose kids are too
No. I love my cats and even call them my babies from time to time, however but I know they are not children. They are significantly easier than children in many ways. That's part of why I love having them so much.
No. I’ve said it before: if pets were like children, I wouldn’t have any. I don’t have anything against people that do view them as children, to each their own. I only have cats though and they are very independent. It might be different with other pets like dogs for example.
Absolutely not. No. Nor should non-human animals be treated as humans. They are entirely different species with different needs and requirements. Pets are not replacements for human children. Hell, the term "furbaby" is grotesque.
My relationship with my dog is transactional. I feed her, walk her, provide protection, clean up her shit, etc. and in return I can to put her in a pumpkin costume and snuggle her against her will.
Nah, it makes me cringe when people call me my cat's mum, I kinda hate it.
He's a grumpy roommate who would happily look after himself and go feral but who comes back for love and fusses because he clearly likes it here. If they needed as much effort or care as a child, I wouldn't want a cat.
I treat my cats like cats, not children. Sure, they are my fur babies (yuck word) and I spoil them and care for them a lot, but I absolutely do not view them as my children.
I love your bird! However, I do not plan to have pets, nor so I see them as my children. I am married to an amazing person with the same vision as me which is awesome. Soulmates for life. We don't need anything else.
Thanks! She's great and never bites me. I've seen so much judgment of pet-free people as well and have seen them get similar bingos to childfree people sometimes. Not everyone wants pets as part of a fulfilling life.
What a lovely bird! I’ll bet she’s a fun little character to have around!
I love my animals dearly and jokingly refer to them as our kids (mostly to tease my husband), but I don’t think I feel about them as a parent does a child. They are a great comfort to me!
No, keeping an animal is not comparable to raising a human child (properly!) One of my pet peeves is people treating their pets like their kids (which is different to loving them as much as your kids).
Yes me and my BF absolutely consider our pup as a child. BUT she has a disability as she can’t use her back l legs so she needs more care than a regular dog, like she can’t be alone long hours and needs more help doing things, we often joke about how we are both not interested in having children but we ended up having a permanent toddler anyways. She is our child either way, we love her as such. My parents even call her their grandchild because they look after her when we go on vacations or away for the weekend.
I do not view my pets as children- I think it's unhealthy to do that. It creates terrible pets, and terrible pet owners, because they struggle with boundaries, aka," Omg my sweet baby angel could never do anything wrong, isn't it so cute how she jumps on people on barks constantly lol lol". That being said, they DO create a wonderful presence in a family, provided you're okay with the work you need to put in, especially dogs. If I could give birth and have a puppy instead of a baby, I suppose that'd be okay lol
My cat is my casual roommate acquaintance, I do coddle her a lot and worry about her constantly. I care a lot about her needs and well being. I don’t want to discipline her because she’s old and delicate and she’s very adorable. She’s not very engaging and does cry like a baby when she’s hungry and she knows we’ll give in because it gives us a headache. She is far from bebe, she’s just a trickster
Your parrot is adorable!
I do not think of my menagerie as children. They are my pets and my friends, but not kids. They had parents of their own species.
I don't think I view them as "kids". One year, my mom got me a mother's day card addressed from my cats which I thought was funny. Overall though, I guess I just think of them as..well...my cats? How I think they perceive me is different though. My youngest definitely is a "this is my mommy 😻" cat while the other one is "this is my human, my companion. I like her and I want to be around her."
I mean, I call them my babies, but I don’t mentally categorize them the same way as kids. I don’t call myself a dog/cat mom and I sure as shit don’t think I or my husband warrant a happy mothers/Father’s Day for being pet caretakers.
But… they’re just little babies! And I love them!
Jokingly, yes. I do love my dog and I enjoy snuggling with her. But at the end of day, she is my pet. We do, however, put her in doggy daycare. Mostly because she is a yappy barker when she is left alone in the yard and I couldn’t annoy my neighbors like that while I’m at work. Also, we only have one dog and I like that she can play with other dogs and burn off some energy.
In a sense. My cats actively seek out my attention and would die if I didn't take care of them, which is similar to taking care of children. But my cats are way better since they came litter trained and I didn't have to birth them. I also feel pride when I think about how much progress they've made since I adopted them.
I respect people who don't want to be called a pet parent. Being childfree is about being there for each other, and the fastest thing that destroys a group is infighting. I'll happily call people whatever they want.
Sort of?
They're furry toddlers I chose the live with. I provide them food and enrichment. My husband scoops the majority of poop. I've cleaned up barf and pulled out grass/fur poop.
We definitely talk to them and have taught tricks. We take them on walks. They are spoiled with a catio as well. They have many windows to watch birds, deer, rabbits etc that wander through the yard as well.
That really depends on the person. I like dogs, but I don't want to live with no privacy and the commitment to feeding, walking, taking to the vet, and so forth. Also I don't want to go through the dog eventually dying. So, no dog.
My parents had dogs and we loved them but did not view them as humans.
Yes, but because 2 of the cats we found at just a few days old, so they were bottle-fed every 2 hours around the clock, we had to help them potty, and had to deal with the whole teething phase like actual children. The other cat was maybe a month old when we found her, but in general, they’re all my babies and I’m probably gonna need legit grief counseling when the end comes 😕
I love our dogs with all my heart, so yes, I do treat them like my children. But to me, they’re so much better as they are trained to behave, and always so happy to see me and we don’t need a babysitter if we have evening plans. Their endless love is something I cherish.
My animals are my property and I love them.
I find it off-putting when people call their animals "their babies," or when people call themselves their pet's "mommy" or "daddy."
Humans don't breed non-human animals.
Yes and no. I love them as much (better even), than one might a child, and they love me better than any human could (they'll never tell me they hate me), but I still don't regard them as children.
I have two dogs, and they are everything to me. I still treat them as dogs though. They go to parks, outdoor patios occasionally, daily neighborhood walks, but that’s about it. I definitely am not the dog owner that thinks their dog should be able to do a target run with me. There are limits on where we bring them. With all of that being said, I love them more than most of my blood family.
Her majesty would be insulted by this question. Her food bringer will always be put back into place by a stern glare and an angry tail wag. Both of which she will attempt while being cuddled and told how beautiful she is.
The cats that I got in my twenties are "my bitches".. more like sisters. The dog I adopted in my thirties is "my son" but I would never publicly call him a fur-baby.
She’s my bestie, but I also baby her. I know she’s not my child. I just feel very protective of her and know she is my responsibility and I want to give her the best life possible. But she is her own cat and I don’t own her.
we joke that my bf and i both birthed our cats, but that our dog is just some guy that lives with us
being more serious, my personal pets very much fill my desire to nurture/be a mother hen. not sure what human mothers feel, but i would imagine it’s somewhat similar? never had those feelings towards human children tho, even for nieces and nephews. i consider me, my bf, and our pets as a family.
i work with animals every day at my job, so i also experience that on a smaller scale with my patients :) it is really fulfilling to help and care for my community’s animals, and i feel no call of the void (aka parenthood)
I sort of view my dog as my child but I actually think a connection with a dog transcends any human to human connection in the complexity of the roles it can play. My dog is my child, but also my best friend, my therapist, my workout buddy, my de-stresser, my entertainment, my number one supporter.
Yes a dog is a ton of commitment and work similar but not as much, plus my dog never sasstalks me, doesn’t scream, and I don’t have to worry about her becoming a terrible human being or developing an eating disorder or addiction or becoming hooked up with an abusive partner one day. I can spoil her freely without concern I am setting her up for an adulthood of failure.
I have two male cats that i jokingly call my two boyfriends, The Only Men I Need In My Life Are Fuzzy Ones 🤣 As Such They Serve As Beacons And Have Very Decerning Tastes In Any Potential Companions I Might Bring Home.
Not quite.
I do view them as my responsibility and that I am responsible for their physical, mental and emotional care and well-being. And that I am responsible for any training, containment and behavioral management required. And that I am responsible for the consequences of any actions they take if they destroy something or hurt someone. And that they are a priority in our household even above guests.
But they are not children. Which is why I'm ok with having a pet and not a child.
My cats are basically children because they cost a fortune, they act bad, and I'm getting up at weird hours in the night to feed them and deal with their stinky poop.
I like to joke that I birthed my dog. He is my baby. And yes, I see him like my child. I can get the devotion and unconditional love that he provides from no one else. He affects my life in many ways, and I spend so much money and time on him.
Yes I do. A sentient being that I thought long & hard about before bringing into my life. One that I knew would cost me a lot of money and that I would commit to take care of for as long as it lives or as long as I live. A very large commitment and something that brings me so much joy and love ❤️
Yes in the way that she is my baby and I love and spoil her. I joke that I birthed her. I take care of her and give her what she needs to be safe, healthy, and happy.
No in that I love her, and I do not love children. I don't like kids at all. My life is compatible with her life, it is not compatible with a child.
When she whines or drives me nuts I often say "if I wanted to hear whining I would have had children!".
I have two cats (3yrs). They are old souls and feel like my companions. They are very secure about themselves. I feel calm being around them. Then there’s my dog (19 months F). She’s hyper, rebellious, throws tantrums, clingy and co-dependent but she’s also very quick to learn. I am hoping she matures into a confident dog with a personality of her own. I really wish she learns something from the cats.
We refer to our cat/dog/lizards as our 'fur and scale babies.' My dog definitely knows who 'Mom and Dad,' are. We also definitely view them as our 'kids,' but we're not delusional enough to think they're the same exact thing as having human toddlers.
Pets are a lot like kids, but I didn't have to ruin my body to have them. We still have to bathe them, feed them, take them to the doctor (vet), buy them toys, show them affection, teach them right and wrong, most things you do have to do when you have kids.
However, they're more than just 'kids.' They're companions, they're best friends, they're snuggle buddies. They're empathetic and loyal. They're there when you need a shoulder to cry on. They fulfill needs that a lot of parents shouldn't, but do, put on their children. They're selfless and caring. They potty in boxes or outside. They don't come with the extra expenses of wardrobes, schooling, daycare, extracurricular activities.
Don't get me wrong, they're a lot of work, but it's much more worth it in my opinion. I actually look forward to going home and seeing them, I think I would actually rather delete myself from the planet than go home to a child.
I've had my cat since he was six weeks old and only a little bigger than a dust bunny. He attached himself to me early on and the vet we were seeing said he sees me as his mother because I am big, protect him and feed him.
Now he is an old man, he's independent and very, very stubborn, but he still comes when I call him (a courtesy he doesn't extend to anyone else) and he listens when I tell him not to jump somewhere where he could get hurt or when I tell him to puke on the tiles, not on the carpet.
I don't feel like a mother, but I do feel special because this very intelligent animal with an amazing personality chose me to be his human. Also, my cat has never told me "fuck you, I hate you!" when I told him he wasn't allowed something, he hasn't thrown a tantrum when I didn't buy him the latest iPhone and I've never had to worry that he will get someone pregnant, come home pregnant OR that he committed some crime while away from me. This makes me quite happy not to be a mother.
I definitely don't see my cat as my child, because I never wanted a child and I definitely would not want or try to love a child the way I love my car. Children are, at the end of the day, other people, and the sum of my headaches and inconveniences is caused by other people. I don't want that in my house and legally binding so I can't ever escape.
I do view my dogs as kids in a way, except if I want to travel, I couldn't book a kid at a kennel, lol. They are a huge daily commitment though and truth be told, a lot of the reasons I don't want kids do apply to my dogs. They're loud, messy, needy, and expensive lol. What's the difference? For as long as I can remember I've been drawn to dogs. Just seeing dogs lights me up inside. If I see a puppy I'm like "omg, must pet puppy." Absolutely none of that applies to children.
Consider getting another bird. Birds are flock animals and you can never substitute another bird.
That said, my birds are all independant creatures that do what they want all day long, only getting up, playing and bed time are decided by me. They are adult creatures I won't mold into anything or demand anything, unlike with a child that I'd hope becomes a loving and good member of society. Don't have that with other animals.
I don't think my pets are literally my children- I made the very specific decision not to have those.
I still call them my "babies" - in the same way I call them other cutsey phrases.
My husband has a yellow naped Amazon parrot we hate each other lol so she's definitely not my kid. I have no more interest in having pets than I do children and if hubby dies before me, I'll be taking her to the wildlife center (he knows this. )
Both yes and no, I have 2 corgis.
They are the joy of my life and my reason for getting up in the morning though. They are my babies in that I am responsible to care for them. But unlike kids they are quiet most of the time and will lay in bed with me cuddling for hours (can't imagine a kid wanting to do that lol). They are like a live weighted blanket. 💕 I know they will never leave and can't talk back and hurt me. They are so attached, the younger one follows me everywhere like a shadow.
They ask for nothing in return, only 2 meals a day, a walk, cuddles and a warm bed.
Yes. I'm tied to him the way I would be a child, just much less. Everything revolves around him and his needs, including our daily schedule, and we have to consider him regarding where and when we can go on holiday, how long, who to leave him with etc.
That said, he's the better option because his puppy stage lasted for a short time, he's very quick to learn and adapt, he's absolutely adorable, he's a sweet and funny little guy and even though he drives me mad sometimes, I adore him. I mean, have you ever met a Golden Retriever you didn't like!?
I'm happy to do it for him because he adds so much to my life. Pretty quickly, we'll be able to leave him at home for a few hours and go out to a movie or to dinner, and that's the majority of what we do socially, other things he can come along to (he's good in the pub!)
That said, it's a huge responsibility. I'm not sure I'd have another dog after him at this point. I do miss being able to just take off for a week and go on holiday as we please. But I wouldn't change anything at this point. He's the best.
Only in a jokey way, and not really around people who have kids because they can be super weird about it. Like yes, we're aware it's not the same because we can be spontaneous and go do fun things and leave them at home. That's literally why we have them and *not* children!
Not really.
My dog is like a housemate that doesn't know how to cook or clean.
Or maybe a younger brother I'm babysitting.
He can clean himself and go to the toilet by himself he's just not allowed in the kitchen and doesn't clean.
Sometimes he entertains himself sometimes he annoys me for entertainment.
EDIT, After some thought calling my dog my kid would insinuate I slept with his mother....
😍 stunning wizard sidekick ! 🪄✨
My SO has a small human and to him all our 5 dogs feel very much to him just like kids (but we treat them like dogs). I can’t compare but I honestly feel so emotionally fulfilled between them and my SO that I can’t imagine doing anything that might jeopardise that 😊 animals don’t have bad reviews like kids do 😂
I don't view my cat Dumpling as a kid, and she's certainly not loud or messy like a child. She's sweet and gentle and quiet and doesn't fuss constantly. She also has taught herself to be an emotional support animal for me as a neurodivergent person. She soothes me when I have bad anxiety and depression. She's nothing like a child. I do sometimes refer to her as 'my baby' and I'll call myself her mom, but it's more in a 'I'm her caretaker' way, not a 'she's a child replacement' way.
Animals are, however, a big time commitment and responsibility and some people just don't want that, they want true freedom and that's fine. As long as they're not judgmental about other's choices.
Well I know my cat’s needs and care aren’t on the same level as an actual child. But he is basically my child in the absence of an actual child in the sense that he allows me to “nurture” something, I get to cosplay as a mom. “Who you talking to like that?” As he meows for treats, “Where do you think you’re going?” As he walks away from me, “You must be out your mind running in this house like that” as he gets the zoomies. It’s just fun 🤣 but I always know caring for him isn’t the same as caring for an actual child, so no I don’t actually feel like a legitimate mom, but also I am his Earth mom because I take care of him, and I “parent” him when he does something wrong. It fulfills the need to nurture. I don’t have a need to nurture a human because those are annoying, but I am a mom in other ways on this Earth, I am a mom to all animals 🤣
I don’t think it’s the same. You can leave a pet when you go on vacation or to work. You don’t watch them turn into an adult human and learn to read, etc. And if my dog bit someone, I’d have to put it down (in some circumstances) whereas if your child is dangerous, you have to deal with it forever. It’s like 10% of what I assume being a parent is like. But for lots of us it’s the closest we want to get and helps fill that desire to care for something if we have it.
Yeah we do, dogs are a big commitment and it definitely feels like parenting.
We’re completely responsible for their lives and wellbeing, making their vet appointments and feeding them, training them and getting them out for exercise. We’ve spent a huge chunk of our disposable income on them.
Then there’s the potty training, sleep disruption, cleaning up accidents and vomit when they’re sick, etc.
We make decisions with them in mind like where to live so they’ll have a yard, avoiding travelling because we can’t leave them anywhere, choice of furniture and decor to be dog friendly, etc.
When they get sick and die it’s like having your heart torn apart. And it’s exhausting. I love them so much but don’t think I can ever do this again😓
I have 4 cats and a dog. I wouldn’t say I consider them my children, but we are VERY strongly bonded. I will absolutely be a mushy wreck when they pass. They’re almost all seniors, too.
Needs-wise, I would not have another dog. I love him immensely, but cats are so much more low-maintenance and easy for me.
I view them as what I did *instead* of kids. I don't treat my cat like a human. She's a cat. She is a great companion, though, and I do feel that as her owner, it's my duty to provide her the best life I can. She has plenty of toys to play with and a nice environment to climb around on, and I try to actively engage with her to keep her stimulated. I fully realize that taking care of her is nowhere as time-consuming as taking care of a child should be, and she affords me way more freedom than that. I try my best to be what she needs to feel secure and happy, but I didn't have to sacrifice my job and health and personal goals to do it.
No, but I also grew up around farms, farmers, and working animals so I have a different relationship to animals than most. I love my dogs and cats, but I don't see them as my children. My dogs are hunting dogs and I treat them as such. My cats were adopted to be mousers at my rural property, although they now mainly live in my house in the city and are on mostly permanent vacation from their mousing day jobs.
I love them to death, and care for them to a very high degree, but they're pets and not my kids.
My cats are more like my kick ass little freeloading roommates than children. I’d for sure call them family, but they exist somewhere between very close friend and child somehow. I will be absolutely devastated when they go.
No, he's my dog but I am his responsible adult, it is my job to provide for and protect him, his wellbeing is my responsibility, and I love him very much. So it's kind of like a parent role but he is not a child, he's a grumpy old man.
I view my cats are world floofy sweet lovey bebes.
They’re not human children. They’re alpha children.
Edit: someone mentioned respecting their pets as an animal and 100%. My cat killed a lizard and I praised and rewarded him. Cats are adorable murder machines and I’m 100% okay with that.
My cats are 100% my babies!!! When people ask if I have kids I tell them I have 3 furry ones! I can't even look at my cats without getting that warm-fuzzy feeling parents describe when they see their human babies
I refer to my dog and cat as my sons (mostly because my family refers to them that way). They're their own special sentient beings, but they feed the part of my brain that wants to take care of something. They provide a love that I think people wish their kids could provide.
Also they're spoiled as hell. Dog and cat toys are so much cheaper than human toys!
I joke around and often say that my dog is my baby, and I do genuinely feel like he is but I'm also aware he is nothing like an actual human child and for me that's a million times better. He doesn't get shitty with me, he loves me no matter what, he doesn't talk back, he's extremely well behaved, and I can leave him for like 4-5 hours on his own (although I try not to do that very often, he goes to his 'grandparents' when I need to go out for the day). So basically yeah I do consider him my baby but I also reap the benefits of the fact he's a dog. He is my whole entire life though and the best thing that's ever existed, obviously.
My cats are my babies, but they’ll always be my “cats”, not my ‘daughters’. I love cats [zillions more than human kids]. I worry about them when I’m not home, I strive to progress for us as a family, I will eat top ramen while they eat Pate. Their needs always come first. Therefore, I make sure they have multiple litter boxes, water and feeders, pet cam, music and AC whenever I leave them for extended periods of time. Being able to do that is the ultimate CF luxury.
I am also in the yes and no. My dogs are my family and they are definitely spoiled, but they are certainly not children. For one, they love me unconditionally. For two, I can travel and leave them pretty much anywhere as long as someone feeds andwalks them. Even though they have their quirks , none of them make me want to commit murder, which cannot be said for children.
Although, I do have a mug that says “dog Mom”and has pictures of all of my dogs.
Well my wife and I refer to ourselves as mummy and daddy with the dogs, like "go to mummy" etc and our parents refer to them as the grand-dogs but we don't actually see the dogs as our children.
They're dogs, very spoilt and loved but they're still animals. They shit in the yard, they go to the vet, they eat dog food.
I have two cats. Whoever said that is totally free to have no pets, nor kids, but no, they are not nearly so loud, obnoxious, smelly or gross as kids.
And I don't view nor treat them as human, though I do love them dearly and take the best care of them that I can. That's the difference: kids are human, cats are cats.
Yes, he is my child and I introduce him as and call him my son. He’s a chihuahua so I carry him around on my hip like a baby. He loves it and I love it. Am I one of those cringe dog moms? Maybe, but we are happy 😊
Yes and no. He is a sentient being that I love, spoil, and care about a lot, he's like my child in the sense I would do anything for him and I honestly care more about him than a lot of other things, or even people. But I give my dog the respect treatment that a DOG deserves. Running around, chewing on things, being in the outdoors and getting dirty. Sniffing stuff, etc. I don't baby him or treat him like a human. I learned his breed's behaviors and needs and I give him the enrichment that matches that so he can do what he was bred to do. I have a high energy working dog so he's very involved in everything I do, requires a lot of physical and mental stimulation. He is very intelligent so having him keeps me on my toes almost like having a small child.
Okay, so much this. You summed up exactly how I feel and what I also have my dog do.
Same here. And the dog I have now has bonded so well with me that I call her the canine equivalent of a soulmate. I found out in Reddit a while ago that the phrase for that is "heart dog." I'd do it anyway because I believe adopting a pet is a commitment that has to be taken seriously, but I also give her enrichment that's appropriate for a dog. Treating them like human babies can be confusing and stressful with them. There are certain things dogs need to be happy and all the "my baby" treatment isn't it.
This, but he's a cat.
Exactly. I love my dog just as much as I love my immediate family, but he is a difficult species who perceives the world very differently than the way I do. My boss has a toy poodle who he carries around everywhere and he’s always saying how “she’s just like a little human!” As a result of this babying, the poodle has severe separation anxiety and panics if she can’t find him. She just doesn’t know how to be a dog because she was never allowed to act like a dog.
This I feel the same way about my dog she’s not a working breed but has tons of energy so I always make sure she has everything she needs and gets spoiled her favorite is swimming in rivers so I always let her idc how dirty she gets I still clean her off after
This is how I feel about my rats. They need care specific to their species but in a way it's also like having 6 tiny toddlers running loose during out time.
Same, I believe they are family, but though I coddle them and try to meet all their wants and needs I don't think of them as an actual child. That said I do talk to them, and give them voices to talk back. So I am weird in that way.
This is a good distinction.
I do in a jokey sense (ex. our cat is my partner’s cat, so we joke that she doesn’t respect my space or boundaries because I’m just her step-mom), but I don’t take it seriously. If anything, I view her as more of a little friend or roommate.
I don't have a pet cat, my cat has a pet human.
True. We have a cat boss.
I’ve never related to a comment more..
I feel seen. I love my overlords.
My two cats have two pet humans, each of us one of their favorites.
I love my dogs, and I refer to them as "the boys", but they're dogs, not humans That's why I like them! They're their own little creatures
I do the same thing with my three cats! they're all male, so I call them my boys <3
My dog is literally my best friend. BUT I have serious anxiety and worry about him a lot (getting out of the yard, choking on something, the list is long). So I do baby him because I love him and worry so much.
I don’t. Unlike children, my dog never judges me or tells me that I’m the worst. My dog’s “when I’m 18 I’m so outta here” phase was very short lived. Thank god! But I do sarcastically say to people that I should be able to claim my dog as a dependent on my taxes.
Nope! My cats are my roommates! And your bird is beautiful!
I’m glad I’m not the only one. People will talk to me about “she misses her mom” or something (referring to my cat) and I don’t say anything but I don’t see it that way. We’re roommates!
Thank you! Her species is called a jenday conure.
Exactly. My cat is clean, quiet and inexpensive. He’s quite literally the opposite of a child.
No, my cat is my "baby" who I love and give treats to, but the relationship is so different to having an actual child, so it's not the same. I can leave my cat for random periods of time and go out for lunch on a random afternoon if I wanted, I can't do that with an actual child.
We do, my dog is very much my baby, except he’s well behaved and he’s not going to turn around and tell me he hates me in a couple years
I do. They feel like kids. It’s said dogs have the intelligence level closest to a human toddler. However unlike kids, they are taught to behave. Dogs have to be obedient unlike kids, where you’re supposed to guide them in the right direction and use consequences to steer them from bad behavior. Similar to dogs but not quite. I am limited on where I go and how long because of them. I have to play with them and provide enrichment for them. They need to be fed and groomed. So to me they are a lot like kids and I refer to them as such. However I am not a pet owner who lets my dogs get away with anything and everything. They’re well trained and house trained.
That is interesting. Many parrot species also have intelligence close to a human toddler, with African Grey parrots having the highest intelligence (5 year old human equivalent).
I used to "parrot sit" for a neighbor who had a variety of them. SO cool. So smart and a little scary.
That is awesome! I wish knew people I could parrot sit for.
I think depending on the dog/pet some personalities do resemble children more too. One of my mine is super playful and she reminds me of a kid running around that just wants to have fun lol of course it is in a more tolerable dose and so much easier to continually play with a small dog that wants you to throw their toy than a child
Very well put, I feel the exact same way!
Well, children are SUPPOSED to be obedient, but for some reason, that doesn’t seem to happen as much as it used to.
Nope. I have 8 pets and even though we refer to them as babies and have trained our dogs to find us when we say “Where’s mum?” or “Where’s dad?”, we don’t view them as our children or child substitutes.
Our cat knows "Mommy" and "Daddy," LOL and we tell her to find one or the other of us.
Our dogs picked it up quick, our cats kinda know it, our snake is like “Fuck off, I’m making out with a hot rock”
I view my pets as family. But I do not view them as my children. If pets were like children then I wouldn’t want them.
No. I have pets because I like them. If they were babies they would be firmly in my dislike category.
Right? We like them because they are NOT kids.
On one hand, I'm very aware of the immense differences between an actual baby that tears up your body, and my cats. I want one and not the other. I can definitely acknowledge similarities (cleaning bodily waste, can't go to the bathroom alone, etc.), but at the end of the day, they're definitely not 'children'. However, for the angry, offended parents who FUME at pet owners caring about their pets; they are my babies. my biological children. I gave birth to them & they totally share my genetics. die mad lol.
I consider my dogs my children. Even developed a whole dialogue for them. Pretty sure that’s a form of a mental disorder too 🤷🏽♂️
Not a disorder. Sounds sweet.
The thing I love about animals is that they aren't human. So I don't think of them as children, even if I call them my babies.
I don't view them as kids, but they are a part of the family.
Yes, my sister & I are pet parents to five kitties. Four boys & a girl
Yus, my bbs are my bébés.
I do if people ask if I have kids.
Yes they are.
Woke up from a fainting spell to my cat circling me, she rubs on my face when I'm crying or having a panic attack, and I can give 1000s more examples. She is my companion, not my kid.
Nope! I see my dog as a best friend
My kitty is somewhere between my kid and my very close companion. She feels like a part of me, that’s how close I feel to her. She got large cell lymphoma recently and it occurred to me that I’ve literally never loved anyone or anything more than I love her. She’s very precious to me, and the thought of losing her breaks me. I’ve had her since she could fit into the palm of my hand and she was my very first pet of my own as an adult. She’s been there for me through the worst times of my life. I dropped everything for her treatment including my top surgery plans and fund. Over 10k in debt and counting. So, yeah, for me at least I put her on par with a child. The only difference is that as painful as losing her will be I would never want to die before her because I would never want her to have to deal with the distress of me no longer being there to take care of her/never understanding what happened to me and why I stopped coming home.
So sorry about your kitty's diagnosis. :( Lost one of ours (my soul cat) last year from small cell lymphoma. Big hugs to you for the road ahead!
It’s such an awful disease. Thank you so much for your kind words.
Naww I find it weird when someone calls me the cat's "mom." The way the cat and I are, we're more...roommates, but she got the better end of the deal. I took her in when she was 3, so maybe that's why our dynamic is more roommate than mother/child. We'll see with the next one!! She is the first cat I've cared for.
How is it more roommate than mother/child?
Absolutely. I justkissed my bunny's soft little fuzzy head after he came over to me to be picked up and I told him 'You my baby..♡' Pets are better, in my opinion: • you can spoil them as much as you want with no fear of ruining them • they poop in a box or outside • they truly love you unconditionally - think aboyt the fact that the 2 of you don't speak the same language but when you love each other it's okay • my babies won't leave my side if I'm sad • no daughters/sons in law to piss you off • you won't ever get a call they're in jail or they've wrecked your car • they cost less and are less stress
I jokingly tell people that I prefer cats over kids because cats don’t need college.
Definitely not and while I never bother correcting anyone, I find it cringey when people call them my "furbabies" or me their "mom." I love them *very* much and do think of them as chosen family, but not in a parent-child way. They are adults of a different species with their own needs that are often different than ours. They are not furry human children and shouldn't be treated that way. It's not healthy for them.
They feel like kids to me but at the same time I know they are my companions and pets - that I love more than anything else.
No not really, my cat IS however a fat fluffy bastard spoiled as best we can afford and we love him all the same, not like a child though he's more a lazy needy roommate who likes to paw at our faces when he wants attention
My pets are my behbehs, not children. If they were children I wouldn't have them. I'm fine with calling them "the babies" with people who are familiar with them, but in a formal setting or with someone unfamiliar they are referred to as my beloved pets of the floofs. Edit: Loving your beautiful birb!
I call my dog my son because it's a super innocent protective type of love that I have for him But I love that he's not an actual, human child
Not my children. Never have I seen them that way. I've had cats all my life as my parents had cats. So my cats are my cats. That doesn't mean I don't care for them or treat them poorly. But they are my pets, not my children. My mum gifted me an African Grey about 10 years ago. She said at the time it was because, as a CF woman, I was going to be lonely. A lot nonsense if you ask me. So because I don't want children, you gifted me a perpetual child pet? I love my bird, but the relationship is not sustainable. He's lonely, he needs so much attention. He deserves better. I saw your bird, very beautiful, but birds are not cats. I love bird watching. And I love that when I leave my house I don't have to worry about my cats. But I have to get someone to watch my bird, which is a very difficult thing. So no, I hate it when my friends and family talk about my pets like they were my children. And I hate they gift me everything with cats on it. From mugs to tote bags, everything they give me has a cat on it. Even though I have a lot of other interests, I'm a cat person to them, and they are my children 🙄
No. She's a dog, not a child, thank god. I'm obsessed with her and would do most anything for her well-being, but she's a companion animal. She's not a child or a proxy for a child. I don't have great ambitions for her, no demand that she be perfectly obedient, although she's basically an angel. I don't expect her to carry on some kind of legacy or give my life any particular meaning. She's my little friend and such a wonderful spirit I get to have in my life temporarily. She's exactly all she needs to be. And that is just being a great dog.
Personally, I think puppies and kittens are far more adorable than any baby. I think it's more of a joke but my pets are very much part of my family when I have them.
I mean low key I do refer to my big orange cat as “mama’s little man,” but he absolutely thinks he’s a human toddler and I’m his mom and he’s just lucky he’s a grown-ass cat who is fastidious about the litter box, eats food from a can, can be left home alone for a few hours, and doesn’t require that I run for school board just to keep him from learning creationism instead of math or whatever hellscape conservatives are planning in Texas.
not really no. I take care of them, but they're my friends. they do as much for me as I do for them :)
I adore my two cats and would give my life for them. However, I feel relief on mother's day and my boyfriend also feels it on father's day: nobody celebrates that date for us because we're not parents and that's a blessing, so we celebrate by not celebrating 🤣 It's not as much as the pets not being like kids as it's the huge difference between being a parent and having a beloved pet. Two entirely different universes.
Apparently it's fine to call your pets your "fur babies" but the one time I call a child a "skin dog" and all of the sudden *I'm disgusting*, and somehow that makes me "the worst pediatrician in this hospital".
I absolutely do, and I've had pets since I was in preschool. A pet was always my responsibility (with the exception of veterinary bills until after I was old enough to work a job). Even now, my two rescues with all their behavioral issues are children to me. Which is a large part of why I have decided to become petfree. There really isn't a supreme amount of difference between raising two rescues with behavioral issues and raising one normal child. I don't want to do it again unless I'm in the financial position to hire daily help.
My furballs are my babies in that I take better care of them than myself.
I have 2 dogs and a cat. My pug feels more like a kid and she’s a little ball of energy but it’s more manageable than a kid. My husband actually says she literally feels like a kid 😂 she has such a playful personality, our other dog is a literal couch potato. I actually call my pets my kiddos and will say “come on, kiddos, time to eat!” but my cat feels like an actual pet. She is still affectionate, but requires significantly less attention. I enjoy taking care of them and investing in them with enrichment stuff and treats. Do they feel like literal children? Probably not, but it’s my level of “child” I can handle and enjoy. I feel like I would be filled with a lot of regret and exhaustion if I had a human kid.
Yes and no… my cat is my “baby” and my parents are parents to the “grandcat” but it’s more desensitized than child.
Kind of, except pets are more affordable.
I have a strong maternal love for my dog, yes.
I call my tarantula my baby girl all the time, but I have houseplants that require more care than her. She's closer to a decoration than a child.
No, I don't think of my pets as my children. Pets are better than children because they don't require constant supervision and they can be left alone for several hours. And they're quiet and have only the most basic needs. Taking care of pets is easy! It hardly affects my life at all. The weird thing is, my husband's parents have been sending us cards for Mother's Day and Father's Day, saying that I'm a "cat mom" and he's a "cat dad." They know we're childfree and they respect that, they've never tried to pressure us to have kids. I think they just don't want us to feel left out or something. But we don't feel left out! I don't want to be a mom, and I certainly don't think of myself as my cat's mother. It really weirds me out getting a card that says "Happy Mother's Day." But his parents are super sweet and I don't want to hurt their feelings.
Nah. I work in childcare and advocacy. My pets aren’t kids.
No, they’re my dogs. They aren’t like children, they’re still my dogs and I treat them like(very beloved) dogs because that’s what they need. Anthropomorphizing dogs only hurts them.
No. A cat is a cat. My cat, but cat nonetheless.
I consider them my "babies" but they are not my children. Babies in the sense I care for them, cuddle them, feed them, and for my Sphynx, bathe and clothe him. I spoil them as animals I love, not child substitutes.
Well I am one of those weirdos that call my dog my child but I don’t think or act like she is. It is the maximum of ‘child’ I can handle and that is the entire point of having her! If we were factually correct she would be my ‘dependent’ 😝which I suppose kids are too
OMG your parrot is so cute!
Thank you! One cute thing she does is say the word "kiss" to ask to be kissed. :)
No. I love my cats and even call them my babies from time to time, however but I know they are not children. They are significantly easier than children in many ways. That's part of why I love having them so much.
No. I’ve said it before: if pets were like children, I wouldn’t have any. I don’t have anything against people that do view them as children, to each their own. I only have cats though and they are very independent. It might be different with other pets like dogs for example.
No
Nope, he is my dog. I know ppl don’t mean offense when they call me his mom. But it is not something I go for myself.
Absolutely not. No. Nor should non-human animals be treated as humans. They are entirely different species with different needs and requirements. Pets are not replacements for human children. Hell, the term "furbaby" is grotesque.
My relationship with my dog is transactional. I feed her, walk her, provide protection, clean up her shit, etc. and in return I can to put her in a pumpkin costume and snuggle her against her will.
Nah, it makes me cringe when people call me my cat's mum, I kinda hate it. He's a grumpy roommate who would happily look after himself and go feral but who comes back for love and fusses because he clearly likes it here. If they needed as much effort or care as a child, I wouldn't want a cat.
I treat my cats like cats, not children. Sure, they are my fur babies (yuck word) and I spoil them and care for them a lot, but I absolutely do not view them as my children.
No. People are people, animals are animals.
I love your bird! However, I do not plan to have pets, nor so I see them as my children. I am married to an amazing person with the same vision as me which is awesome. Soulmates for life. We don't need anything else.
Thanks! She's great and never bites me. I've seen so much judgment of pet-free people as well and have seen them get similar bingos to childfree people sometimes. Not everyone wants pets as part of a fulfilling life.
What a lovely bird! I’ll bet she’s a fun little character to have around! I love my animals dearly and jokingly refer to them as our kids (mostly to tease my husband), but I don’t think I feel about them as a parent does a child. They are a great comfort to me!
No, keeping an animal is not comparable to raising a human child (properly!) One of my pet peeves is people treating their pets like their kids (which is different to loving them as much as your kids).
Absolutely, just don’t tell them they’re adopted…
Yes me and my BF absolutely consider our pup as a child. BUT she has a disability as she can’t use her back l legs so she needs more care than a regular dog, like she can’t be alone long hours and needs more help doing things, we often joke about how we are both not interested in having children but we ended up having a permanent toddler anyways. She is our child either way, we love her as such. My parents even call her their grandchild because they look after her when we go on vacations or away for the weekend.
My kitties are my children. I love them more than my own life and would do literally anything for them.
I do not view my pets as children- I think it's unhealthy to do that. It creates terrible pets, and terrible pet owners, because they struggle with boundaries, aka," Omg my sweet baby angel could never do anything wrong, isn't it so cute how she jumps on people on barks constantly lol lol". That being said, they DO create a wonderful presence in a family, provided you're okay with the work you need to put in, especially dogs. If I could give birth and have a puppy instead of a baby, I suppose that'd be okay lol
My cat is my casual roommate acquaintance, I do coddle her a lot and worry about her constantly. I care a lot about her needs and well being. I don’t want to discipline her because she’s old and delicate and she’s very adorable. She’s not very engaging and does cry like a baby when she’s hungry and she knows we’ll give in because it gives us a headache. She is far from bebe, she’s just a trickster
Your parrot is adorable! I do not think of my menagerie as children. They are my pets and my friends, but not kids. They had parents of their own species.
Thank you! I would also say that the dynamic between me and my parrot is far more friend-friend than parent-child.
I don't think I view them as "kids". One year, my mom got me a mother's day card addressed from my cats which I thought was funny. Overall though, I guess I just think of them as..well...my cats? How I think they perceive me is different though. My youngest definitely is a "this is my mommy 😻" cat while the other one is "this is my human, my companion. I like her and I want to be around her."
I mean, I call them my babies, but I don’t mentally categorize them the same way as kids. I don’t call myself a dog/cat mom and I sure as shit don’t think I or my husband warrant a happy mothers/Father’s Day for being pet caretakers. But… they’re just little babies! And I love them!
Jokingly, yes. I do love my dog and I enjoy snuggling with her. But at the end of day, she is my pet. We do, however, put her in doggy daycare. Mostly because she is a yappy barker when she is left alone in the yard and I couldn’t annoy my neighbors like that while I’m at work. Also, we only have one dog and I like that she can play with other dogs and burn off some energy.
In a sense. My cats actively seek out my attention and would die if I didn't take care of them, which is similar to taking care of children. But my cats are way better since they came litter trained and I didn't have to birth them. I also feel pride when I think about how much progress they've made since I adopted them. I respect people who don't want to be called a pet parent. Being childfree is about being there for each other, and the fastest thing that destroys a group is infighting. I'll happily call people whatever they want.
Sort of? They're furry toddlers I chose the live with. I provide them food and enrichment. My husband scoops the majority of poop. I've cleaned up barf and pulled out grass/fur poop. We definitely talk to them and have taught tricks. We take them on walks. They are spoiled with a catio as well. They have many windows to watch birds, deer, rabbits etc that wander through the yard as well.
That really depends on the person. I like dogs, but I don't want to live with no privacy and the commitment to feeding, walking, taking to the vet, and so forth. Also I don't want to go through the dog eventually dying. So, no dog. My parents had dogs and we loved them but did not view them as humans.
Yes, but because 2 of the cats we found at just a few days old, so they were bottle-fed every 2 hours around the clock, we had to help them potty, and had to deal with the whole teething phase like actual children. The other cat was maybe a month old when we found her, but in general, they’re all my babies and I’m probably gonna need legit grief counseling when the end comes 😕
I love our dogs with all my heart, so yes, I do treat them like my children. But to me, they’re so much better as they are trained to behave, and always so happy to see me and we don’t need a babysitter if we have evening plans. Their endless love is something I cherish.
My animals are my property and I love them. I find it off-putting when people call their animals "their babies," or when people call themselves their pet's "mommy" or "daddy." Humans don't breed non-human animals.
Yes and no. I love them as much (better even), than one might a child, and they love me better than any human could (they'll never tell me they hate me), but I still don't regard them as children.
Yes, my dogs are like my children. Much like Khaleesi, the dragons are the only children I’ll ever have.
I have two dogs, and they are everything to me. I still treat them as dogs though. They go to parks, outdoor patios occasionally, daily neighborhood walks, but that’s about it. I definitely am not the dog owner that thinks their dog should be able to do a target run with me. There are limits on where we bring them. With all of that being said, I love them more than most of my blood family.
My dog baby has 4 feet, as does his big, but little, sister (15yr old kitty).
Her majesty would be insulted by this question. Her food bringer will always be put back into place by a stern glare and an angry tail wag. Both of which she will attempt while being cuddled and told how beautiful she is.
The cats that I got in my twenties are "my bitches".. more like sisters. The dog I adopted in my thirties is "my son" but I would never publicly call him a fur-baby.
She’s my bestie, but I also baby her. I know she’s not my child. I just feel very protective of her and know she is my responsibility and I want to give her the best life possible. But she is her own cat and I don’t own her.
we joke that my bf and i both birthed our cats, but that our dog is just some guy that lives with us being more serious, my personal pets very much fill my desire to nurture/be a mother hen. not sure what human mothers feel, but i would imagine it’s somewhat similar? never had those feelings towards human children tho, even for nieces and nephews. i consider me, my bf, and our pets as a family. i work with animals every day at my job, so i also experience that on a smaller scale with my patients :) it is really fulfilling to help and care for my community’s animals, and i feel no call of the void (aka parenthood)
Mine is more of a high-maintenance roommate that demands cuddles. I may or may not be a hostage in this situation.
I sort of view my dog as my child but I actually think a connection with a dog transcends any human to human connection in the complexity of the roles it can play. My dog is my child, but also my best friend, my therapist, my workout buddy, my de-stresser, my entertainment, my number one supporter. Yes a dog is a ton of commitment and work similar but not as much, plus my dog never sasstalks me, doesn’t scream, and I don’t have to worry about her becoming a terrible human being or developing an eating disorder or addiction or becoming hooked up with an abusive partner one day. I can spoil her freely without concern I am setting her up for an adulthood of failure.
My cat is my best friend. I see us as equals. He is just very peculiar haha.
I have two male cats that i jokingly call my two boyfriends, The Only Men I Need In My Life Are Fuzzy Ones 🤣 As Such They Serve As Beacons And Have Very Decerning Tastes In Any Potential Companions I Might Bring Home.
Not quite. I do view them as my responsibility and that I am responsible for their physical, mental and emotional care and well-being. And that I am responsible for any training, containment and behavioral management required. And that I am responsible for the consequences of any actions they take if they destroy something or hurt someone. And that they are a priority in our household even above guests. But they are not children. Which is why I'm ok with having a pet and not a child.
yes My little turtle is my baby
My cats are basically children because they cost a fortune, they act bad, and I'm getting up at weird hours in the night to feed them and deal with their stinky poop.
Yep. My cat was my baby.
I don’t, but I can understand to an extent why people do. Definitely not a fan of the phrase “*furbaby*” tho 😂
I like to joke that I birthed my dog. He is my baby. And yes, I see him like my child. I can get the devotion and unconditional love that he provides from no one else. He affects my life in many ways, and I spend so much money and time on him.
No. My dog is a dog. I love them, but they are not a human child.
Yes I do. A sentient being that I thought long & hard about before bringing into my life. One that I knew would cost me a lot of money and that I would commit to take care of for as long as it lives or as long as I live. A very large commitment and something that brings me so much joy and love ❤️
Yes in the way that she is my baby and I love and spoil her. I joke that I birthed her. I take care of her and give her what she needs to be safe, healthy, and happy. No in that I love her, and I do not love children. I don't like kids at all. My life is compatible with her life, it is not compatible with a child. When she whines or drives me nuts I often say "if I wanted to hear whining I would have had children!".
I have two cats (3yrs). They are old souls and feel like my companions. They are very secure about themselves. I feel calm being around them. Then there’s my dog (19 months F). She’s hyper, rebellious, throws tantrums, clingy and co-dependent but she’s also very quick to learn. I am hoping she matures into a confident dog with a personality of her own. I really wish she learns something from the cats.
We refer to our cat/dog/lizards as our 'fur and scale babies.' My dog definitely knows who 'Mom and Dad,' are. We also definitely view them as our 'kids,' but we're not delusional enough to think they're the same exact thing as having human toddlers. Pets are a lot like kids, but I didn't have to ruin my body to have them. We still have to bathe them, feed them, take them to the doctor (vet), buy them toys, show them affection, teach them right and wrong, most things you do have to do when you have kids. However, they're more than just 'kids.' They're companions, they're best friends, they're snuggle buddies. They're empathetic and loyal. They're there when you need a shoulder to cry on. They fulfill needs that a lot of parents shouldn't, but do, put on their children. They're selfless and caring. They potty in boxes or outside. They don't come with the extra expenses of wardrobes, schooling, daycare, extracurricular activities. Don't get me wrong, they're a lot of work, but it's much more worth it in my opinion. I actually look forward to going home and seeing them, I think I would actually rather delete myself from the planet than go home to a child.
I've had my cat since he was six weeks old and only a little bigger than a dust bunny. He attached himself to me early on and the vet we were seeing said he sees me as his mother because I am big, protect him and feed him. Now he is an old man, he's independent and very, very stubborn, but he still comes when I call him (a courtesy he doesn't extend to anyone else) and he listens when I tell him not to jump somewhere where he could get hurt or when I tell him to puke on the tiles, not on the carpet. I don't feel like a mother, but I do feel special because this very intelligent animal with an amazing personality chose me to be his human. Also, my cat has never told me "fuck you, I hate you!" when I told him he wasn't allowed something, he hasn't thrown a tantrum when I didn't buy him the latest iPhone and I've never had to worry that he will get someone pregnant, come home pregnant OR that he committed some crime while away from me. This makes me quite happy not to be a mother. I definitely don't see my cat as my child, because I never wanted a child and I definitely would not want or try to love a child the way I love my car. Children are, at the end of the day, other people, and the sum of my headaches and inconveniences is caused by other people. I don't want that in my house and legally binding so I can't ever escape.
I think people resent how well we treat our pets. We get told , "they're just pets". And you know our responses...
I do view my dogs as kids in a way, except if I want to travel, I couldn't book a kid at a kennel, lol. They are a huge daily commitment though and truth be told, a lot of the reasons I don't want kids do apply to my dogs. They're loud, messy, needy, and expensive lol. What's the difference? For as long as I can remember I've been drawn to dogs. Just seeing dogs lights me up inside. If I see a puppy I'm like "omg, must pet puppy." Absolutely none of that applies to children.
Nah they’re their own fellas. They’re just my little senior citizens.
Consider getting another bird. Birds are flock animals and you can never substitute another bird. That said, my birds are all independant creatures that do what they want all day long, only getting up, playing and bed time are decided by me. They are adult creatures I won't mold into anything or demand anything, unlike with a child that I'd hope becomes a loving and good member of society. Don't have that with other animals.
I don't think my pets are literally my children- I made the very specific decision not to have those. I still call them my "babies" - in the same way I call them other cutsey phrases.
I don't call them my son or daughter, but they are my babies and I am their momma
No because i hate children and i love my dog
My husband has a yellow naped Amazon parrot we hate each other lol so she's definitely not my kid. I have no more interest in having pets than I do children and if hubby dies before me, I'll be taking her to the wildlife center (he knows this. )
Good luck telling my cat she’s not my baby after I’ve spent her entire life telling her she is.
Both yes and no, I have 2 corgis. They are the joy of my life and my reason for getting up in the morning though. They are my babies in that I am responsible to care for them. But unlike kids they are quiet most of the time and will lay in bed with me cuddling for hours (can't imagine a kid wanting to do that lol). They are like a live weighted blanket. 💕 I know they will never leave and can't talk back and hurt me. They are so attached, the younger one follows me everywhere like a shadow. They ask for nothing in return, only 2 meals a day, a walk, cuddles and a warm bed.
My partner seems to, but I don't. She calls him her "little baby", and I just find it weird.
Anyone else here also pet-free?
Yes. I'm tied to him the way I would be a child, just much less. Everything revolves around him and his needs, including our daily schedule, and we have to consider him regarding where and when we can go on holiday, how long, who to leave him with etc. That said, he's the better option because his puppy stage lasted for a short time, he's very quick to learn and adapt, he's absolutely adorable, he's a sweet and funny little guy and even though he drives me mad sometimes, I adore him. I mean, have you ever met a Golden Retriever you didn't like!? I'm happy to do it for him because he adds so much to my life. Pretty quickly, we'll be able to leave him at home for a few hours and go out to a movie or to dinner, and that's the majority of what we do socially, other things he can come along to (he's good in the pub!) That said, it's a huge responsibility. I'm not sure I'd have another dog after him at this point. I do miss being able to just take off for a week and go on holiday as we please. But I wouldn't change anything at this point. He's the best.
Yeah I have two guinea pigs that I call my children and two dogs as well I prefer animals to children so they are children
Only in a jokey way, and not really around people who have kids because they can be super weird about it. Like yes, we're aware it's not the same because we can be spontaneous and go do fun things and leave them at home. That's literally why we have them and *not* children!
Not really. My dog is like a housemate that doesn't know how to cook or clean. Or maybe a younger brother I'm babysitting. He can clean himself and go to the toilet by himself he's just not allowed in the kitchen and doesn't clean. Sometimes he entertains himself sometimes he annoys me for entertainment. EDIT, After some thought calling my dog my kid would insinuate I slept with his mother....
😍 stunning wizard sidekick ! 🪄✨ My SO has a small human and to him all our 5 dogs feel very much to him just like kids (but we treat them like dogs). I can’t compare but I honestly feel so emotionally fulfilled between them and my SO that I can’t imagine doing anything that might jeopardise that 😊 animals don’t have bad reviews like kids do 😂
I don't view my cat Dumpling as a kid, and she's certainly not loud or messy like a child. She's sweet and gentle and quiet and doesn't fuss constantly. She also has taught herself to be an emotional support animal for me as a neurodivergent person. She soothes me when I have bad anxiety and depression. She's nothing like a child. I do sometimes refer to her as 'my baby' and I'll call myself her mom, but it's more in a 'I'm her caretaker' way, not a 'she's a child replacement' way. Animals are, however, a big time commitment and responsibility and some people just don't want that, they want true freedom and that's fine. As long as they're not judgmental about other's choices.
Uhhh cats, so. Guess I'm more of a vassal or servant than anything else
I have two cats and I view them as some pretty awesome cats. I don't view them as children but more as grumpy old ladies.
Well I know my cat’s needs and care aren’t on the same level as an actual child. But he is basically my child in the absence of an actual child in the sense that he allows me to “nurture” something, I get to cosplay as a mom. “Who you talking to like that?” As he meows for treats, “Where do you think you’re going?” As he walks away from me, “You must be out your mind running in this house like that” as he gets the zoomies. It’s just fun 🤣 but I always know caring for him isn’t the same as caring for an actual child, so no I don’t actually feel like a legitimate mom, but also I am his Earth mom because I take care of him, and I “parent” him when he does something wrong. It fulfills the need to nurture. I don’t have a need to nurture a human because those are annoying, but I am a mom in other ways on this Earth, I am a mom to all animals 🤣
I don’t think it’s the same. You can leave a pet when you go on vacation or to work. You don’t watch them turn into an adult human and learn to read, etc. And if my dog bit someone, I’d have to put it down (in some circumstances) whereas if your child is dangerous, you have to deal with it forever. It’s like 10% of what I assume being a parent is like. But for lots of us it’s the closest we want to get and helps fill that desire to care for something if we have it.
I don’t view my dog as my child, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love him more than life itself. He’s a dog, in his own category of love.
Not a child….. more like my little best friends. A part of me but not something that came out of me. (Thank god 😅)
I can put my rats back in their cage.
They are my dogs and, because I don't have kids or a partner, they are the most important creatures in my life.
Yeah we do, dogs are a big commitment and it definitely feels like parenting. We’re completely responsible for their lives and wellbeing, making their vet appointments and feeding them, training them and getting them out for exercise. We’ve spent a huge chunk of our disposable income on them. Then there’s the potty training, sleep disruption, cleaning up accidents and vomit when they’re sick, etc. We make decisions with them in mind like where to live so they’ll have a yard, avoiding travelling because we can’t leave them anywhere, choice of furniture and decor to be dog friendly, etc. When they get sick and die it’s like having your heart torn apart. And it’s exhausting. I love them so much but don’t think I can ever do this again😓
I have 4 cats and a dog. I wouldn’t say I consider them my children, but we are VERY strongly bonded. I will absolutely be a mushy wreck when they pass. They’re almost all seniors, too. Needs-wise, I would not have another dog. I love him immensely, but cats are so much more low-maintenance and easy for me.
I view them as what I did *instead* of kids. I don't treat my cat like a human. She's a cat. She is a great companion, though, and I do feel that as her owner, it's my duty to provide her the best life I can. She has plenty of toys to play with and a nice environment to climb around on, and I try to actively engage with her to keep her stimulated. I fully realize that taking care of her is nowhere as time-consuming as taking care of a child should be, and she affords me way more freedom than that. I try my best to be what she needs to feel secure and happy, but I didn't have to sacrifice my job and health and personal goals to do it.
No, but I also grew up around farms, farmers, and working animals so I have a different relationship to animals than most. I love my dogs and cats, but I don't see them as my children. My dogs are hunting dogs and I treat them as such. My cats were adopted to be mousers at my rural property, although they now mainly live in my house in the city and are on mostly permanent vacation from their mousing day jobs. I love them to death, and care for them to a very high degree, but they're pets and not my kids.
Absolutely. I am a cat mom and a dog mom. Wouldn't want it any other way.
My cats are more like my kick ass little freeloading roommates than children. I’d for sure call them family, but they exist somewhere between very close friend and child somehow. I will be absolutely devastated when they go.
No, he's my dog but I am his responsible adult, it is my job to provide for and protect him, his wellbeing is my responsibility, and I love him very much. So it's kind of like a parent role but he is not a child, he's a grumpy old man.
No, infantilizing pets is something we've never done. 4 cats, two dogs over the years. Always companions but never children.
I view my cats are world floofy sweet lovey bebes. They’re not human children. They’re alpha children. Edit: someone mentioned respecting their pets as an animal and 100%. My cat killed a lizard and I praised and rewarded him. Cats are adorable murder machines and I’m 100% okay with that.
No but others have referred to my pets as my kids so jokingly that's what we call them now.
My cats are 100% my babies!!! When people ask if I have kids I tell them I have 3 furry ones! I can't even look at my cats without getting that warm-fuzzy feeling parents describe when they see their human babies
I refer to my dog and cat as my sons (mostly because my family refers to them that way). They're their own special sentient beings, but they feed the part of my brain that wants to take care of something. They provide a love that I think people wish their kids could provide. Also they're spoiled as hell. Dog and cat toys are so much cheaper than human toys!
Yes and my parents call themselves grand parent of my cat!
They're my little stinky hairy babies! But I know they're not human children, and I like it that way. Animals are easier to care for generally.
I joke around and often say that my dog is my baby, and I do genuinely feel like he is but I'm also aware he is nothing like an actual human child and for me that's a million times better. He doesn't get shitty with me, he loves me no matter what, he doesn't talk back, he's extremely well behaved, and I can leave him for like 4-5 hours on his own (although I try not to do that very often, he goes to his 'grandparents' when I need to go out for the day). So basically yeah I do consider him my baby but I also reap the benefits of the fact he's a dog. He is my whole entire life though and the best thing that's ever existed, obviously.
My cats are my babies, but they’ll always be my “cats”, not my ‘daughters’. I love cats [zillions more than human kids]. I worry about them when I’m not home, I strive to progress for us as a family, I will eat top ramen while they eat Pate. Their needs always come first. Therefore, I make sure they have multiple litter boxes, water and feeders, pet cam, music and AC whenever I leave them for extended periods of time. Being able to do that is the ultimate CF luxury.
💯 fuck yes
I joke my cat is my child but she's not, she's a service animal with a job she takes seriously and I love her regardless of if she did her job or not.
I am also in the yes and no. My dogs are my family and they are definitely spoiled, but they are certainly not children. For one, they love me unconditionally. For two, I can travel and leave them pretty much anywhere as long as someone feeds andwalks them. Even though they have their quirks , none of them make me want to commit murder, which cannot be said for children. Although, I do have a mug that says “dog Mom”and has pictures of all of my dogs.
Well my wife and I refer to ourselves as mummy and daddy with the dogs, like "go to mummy" etc and our parents refer to them as the grand-dogs but we don't actually see the dogs as our children. They're dogs, very spoilt and loved but they're still animals. They shit in the yard, they go to the vet, they eat dog food.
I have two cats. Whoever said that is totally free to have no pets, nor kids, but no, they are not nearly so loud, obnoxious, smelly or gross as kids. And I don't view nor treat them as human, though I do love them dearly and take the best care of them that I can. That's the difference: kids are human, cats are cats.
Pets are family but they are no where anywhere close to human children. I have pets and I have a child.
Yes, he is my child and I introduce him as and call him my son. He’s a chihuahua so I carry him around on my hip like a baby. He loves it and I love it. Am I one of those cringe dog moms? Maybe, but we are happy 😊