does it drive you crazy when people refer their pets as their kids?

[elrohwen]

I don't think childless people are trying to say that their pets are actually like children, or that they think the love is the same. I think there's just a maternal caring part of having pets that is similar to having kids. I know that I will love my future child far more than my rabbits, but that doesn't mean that I can't heap love and affection on my rabbits because, at the moment, they're the closest thing I have to kids. They are one of the major outlets of the love and caring that I will someday need when I have human children.

It's also easy to see pets as our "babies" or "kids" because most animals act kind of like 2 year olds. They just have a young spirit and goofy attitude that reminds us of little kids.

 

[KimberlyH]

I''ve always thought it odd when people do so, but it doesn''t offend me. And my reaction was the same regarding the thread Monnie mentioned. I''ve had pets I''ve adored but the comparison to children just doesn''t click in my head.

 

[Cehrabehra]

It doesn''t drive me crazy - but I don''t know anyone who has children who does this.

When my daughter was a newborn I had this crazy woman tell me that she loved her dog more than I loved my child (as if you can quantify that) because she''d had her dog for 5 years and my daughter was just a baby. I remember thinking I loved my cat as much as people loved their children, but after having one I realized that was just ignorance talking lol

But there''s no reason to rain on anyone''s parade if that is the pinnacle of adoration to them

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/9/2010 3:17:58 PM
Author: kenny
Yeah, some people get so carried away with their dogs.

oh but yours are so freaking cute! Of course they''re the exception

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/9/2010 3:20:21 PM
Author: dreamer_d
Nah. I thought of our dogs as our kids before we had a kid. Now the dog is just our dog

I relate to this - and the love for my animals didn''t change or decrease in any way... it just got overshadowed!

 

[zoebartlett]

It doesn''t bother me at all. There are many other things that drive me crazy but that''s not one of them.

 

[tigian]

doesn't drive me crazy. I have 2 furry kids, but I don't refer to them as so. I'm sure when we have kids, the dogs will be dogs. Sorry DF, for offending you.

 

[decodelighted]

Yes, pups are very different from babies/children/people ... and I generally *far* prefer *pups*. There are us oddballs who connect to animals *more* than other folks.

I cry WAY MORE OFTEN over tragic *pet* stories than I do over tragic *kid* stories. And oogle cute *pups* WAY MORE OFTEN than cute *babies*. Its what I *identify* with -- and most probably my reactions would be different if I had a different frame of reference. I''ve always had a strong link to dogs though. There are photos of me at five with my puppy in a cradle clearly meant for a *doll baby*. The die was cast EARLY.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/9/2010 7:47:40 PM
Author: tigian
doesn't drive me crazy. I have 2 furry kids, but I don't refer to them as so. I'm sure when we have kids, the dogs will be dogs. Sorry DF, for offending you.

not offended. i just can't view pets and childrens in the same category.

 

[ksinger]

It doesn''t offend me, but I think it''s pretty silly. My husband and I snorted in stereo at one recent ad directed at "pet parents". We are childless AND animal lovers, but feel we have a pretty good handle on fact that these are animals, not people. Animals enrich our lives and the ones we live with we love and care for and spoil a little bit, but they are still animals, not people. People treating animals like humans and thowing their hands up in - quite frankly - stupidity, and helplessness when they aren''t is why Cesar Milan is probably a millionaire.

We recently lost our black lab, Duke. We were and still are, sad. He had a very definite and unique personality. But about 3 weeks ago, we went through the lab rescue, and found a new black lab. He''s a good dog, but very different from Duke, but still with those wonderful lab qualites. He''s helping fill the void left by Duke''s passing. And of course he''s helping us cut down on our dishwashing water usage.

(just kidding: we don''t ONLY use the "puppy pre-wash")

 

[Blackpaw]

Im with you, Deco

i get very upset over sad animal stories, and ive been known (on more than one occasion) to approach a gorgeous pup out walking and not realise the owner also had a baby in a pram...

Referring to pets as ''kids'' is just an expression, for anyone to take issue with it shows they have nothing better to do than gripe

Any animal can have a kid yanno?!

 

[KimberlyH]

i don''t think there''s anything wrong with preferring animals over children, it''s humanizing them that i find odd. and i felt the same before i was even sure i wanted kids. it''s not like i percieve it as a threat to my relationship with my daughter, it''s just my gut reaction when i observe someone referring to or treating their animal like a human.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/9/2010 8:07:43 PM
Author: decodelighted
Yes, pups are very different from babies/children/people ... and I generally *far* prefer *pups*. There are us oddballs who connect to animals *more* than other folks.

I cry WAY MORE OFTEN over tragic *pet* stories than I do over tragic *kid* stories. And oogle cute *pups* WAY MORE OFTEN than cute *babies*. Its what I *identify* with -- and most probably my reactions would be different if I had a different frame of reference. I''ve always had a strong link to dogs though. There are photos of me at five with my puppy in a cradle clearly meant for a *doll baby*. The die was cast EARLY.

Ditto-nothing gets me like a sad pet story. I have to close my eyes and cover my ears and sing LA LA LA LA when the sad SPCA commercials come on. I''m more of a cat lady than a dog lady, though, and nothing gets me like an adorable kitty face. And I definitely like cats more than I like most people. My friend and I were just discussing this-we both agreed that we''d rather stay home and hang out with our cats than go out and hang out with people we don''t like that much.

I don''t really think of my kitties as actual children, but I do call them my babies or my baby kittens, and me and my husband refer to each other as mom and dad on occasion!

I don''t really care what people call their pets or their kids, for that matter.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 6/9/2010 8:45:38 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 6/9/2010 8:07:43 PM
Author: decodelighted
Yes, pups are very different from babies/children/people ... and I generally *far* prefer *pups*. There are us oddballs who connect to animals *more* than other folks.

I cry WAY MORE OFTEN over tragic *pet* stories than I do over tragic *kid* stories. And oogle cute *pups* WAY MORE OFTEN than cute *babies*. Its what I *identify* with -- and most probably my reactions would be different if I had a different frame of reference. I''ve always had a strong link to dogs though. There are photos of me at five with my puppy in a cradle clearly meant for a *doll baby*. The die was cast EARLY.

Ditto-nothing gets me like a sad pet story. I have to close my eyes and cover my ears and sing LA LA LA LA when the sad SPCA commercials come on. I''m more of a cat lady than a dog lady, though, and nothing gets me like an adorable kitty face. And I definitely like cats more than I like most people. My friend and I were just discussing this-we both agreed that we''d rather stay home and hang out with our cats than go out and hang out with people we don''t like that much.

I don''t really think of my kitties as actual children, but I do call them my babies or my baby kittens, and me and my husband refer to each other as mom and dad on occasion!

I don''t really care what people call their pets or their kids, for that matter.

But Thing, you KNOW your cats would abandon you in a heartbeat for better digs, chow and permissiveness. My Birman (who lived for 19 years), abandoned me....ME!

for my MOM! The traitorous little rat. Of course my mom spoiled her utterly rotten and she bossed my mom around terribly. My mom adored her.

I still miss that cat, and my mom...well...I miss her 1000 times more. Yeah, I''m more of a cat lady too, but DH and I are negotiating breed at present. He wants a Russian and I want another Birman.

 

[iheartscience]

Nope, my kittens love me to bits! They almost always all hang out in whatever room I''m in. Even when I get out of the shower all 3 are in the bathroom waiting for pets. They love me tons and would never leave me!

 

[MissGotRocks]

Date: 6/9/2010 3:17:58 PM
Author: kenny
Yeah, some people get so carried away with their dogs.

I love those little munchkins - if you ever need a sitter. . .

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I think it''s pretty silly, but it doesn''t drive me crazy by itself. If perfectly normal people want to think of their dogs as their kids, then no big deal. It''s the odd people who really believe that their dogs are equivalent to children and treat them as such or insult parents of real children by implying it''s the same type of bond that are ridiculous in my opinion.

 

[Amethyste]

Date: 6/9/2010 3:01:14 PM
Author:Dancing Fire
i notice most couples w/o children refer their pets as their kids.

lunch time!!

Doesn't bother me a bit - perhaps they call them "kids" cause they sort of act like them ( in a 4 legged kind of way... ):

Cry for food - demand attention - puke on the carpet - make pooey messes,
they play with things that they are not supposed to - they get themselves in situations where only you can save them - they fight - they cry - they act crazy - they wake you up in the middle of the night 'cause they are hungry - they turn up their nose on food you put in front of them that you worked hard for - they come to you only when they want something - they worry you when they don't feel well...

Should I keep going?


PS: Perhaps many couples out there CANNOT have kids... It hurts to know you cannot have kids - that you will never be able to create with your soulmate a little baby that is the reflection of your love... It really hurts inside. All that love and caring, can be turned onto your pets, and it is easily done - in their eyes, they are "kids", or the closest they'll be able to experience full time without adopting or Foster caring... I understand how they feel and I happily accept that they lovingly attach the "kid" word to their pets...

 

[galeteia]

Date: 6/9/2010 9:36:52 PM
Author: Amethyste

Date: 6/9/2010 3:01:14 PM

Author:Dancing Fire

i notice most couples w/o children refer their pets as their kids.

lunch time!!

YEAH!! They are called ''kids'' cause they act like kids!!!!:


Cry for food - demand attentions - puke on the carpet - make pooey messes,

they play with things that they are not supposed to - the get themselves in situations where only you can save them - they fight - they cry - the act crazy - the wake you up in the middle of the night cause they are hungry - they turn their nose on food you put in front of them that you worked hard for - they come to you when they need something - they worry you when they don''t feel well...


Should I keep going?

Yup.

This is why, despite absolutely LOVING dogs and having severe puppy lust, I have told SO we cannot have a dog unless we are old and retired. A dog is like a 2 year old that will never grow up, and anyone who does not treat them with the same care a toddler would need shouldn''t get a dog. Cats don''t get separation anxiety, whereas dog not only do, they are used in psychology testing on the very subject!

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 6/9/2010 4:00:46 PM
Author: Liane
I''d never call my pets ''kids.'' I like my pets.

hahaha Love it.

It would annoy me if someone talked about their kids nonstop - whether they were furry or not!

I adore my cat - but I just never say to other people my kid...I might say my baby...but it''s more of a cute/endearment name than referring to him as my child. Although I do tell my friends with kids that I will start taking pictures of my cat for holiday greeting cards so they can hang him on their fridge.

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 6/9/2010 8:45:38 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 6/9/2010 8:07:43 PM

Author: decodelighted

Yes, pups are very different from babies/children/people ... and I generally *far* prefer *pups*. There are us oddballs who connect to animals *more* than other folks.


I cry WAY MORE OFTEN over tragic *pet* stories than I do over tragic *kid* stories. And oogle cute *pups* WAY MORE OFTEN than cute *babies*. Its what I *identify* with -- and most probably my reactions would be different if I had a different frame of reference. I''ve always had a strong link to dogs though. There are photos of me at five with my puppy in a cradle clearly meant for a *doll baby*. The die was cast EARLY.

Ditto-nothing gets me like a sad pet story. I have to close my eyes and cover my ears and sing LA LA LA LA when the sad SPCA commercials come on. I''m more of a cat lady than a dog lady, though, and nothing gets me like an adorable kitty face. And I definitely like cats more than I like most people. My friend and I were just discussing this-we both agreed that we''d rather stay home and hang out with our cats than go out and hang out with people we don''t like that much.


I don''t really think of my kitties as actual children, but I do call them my babies or my baby kittens, and me and my husband refer to each other as mom and dad on occasion!

I don''t really care what people call their pets or their kids, for that matter.

Ditto every word here...and I am more of a cat girl too (they''re so easy to take care of!)...but I love ALL animals...

 

[luv2sparkle]

Doesn''t bug me, but I don''t really get it. But then I have a bunch of real kids.

I have to say, I do love seeing pictures of Kenny''s furbabies. They have so much personality and are just so darn cute.

 

[VRBeauty]

I didn't generally refer to my cats as "kids" in conversations with other people, but I often refered to them as "kids" when I was addressing them.

But I have a small backyard pond and there was a time when it was home to several goldfish. I NEVER referred to them as kids! Furry kids... yes. Scaly kids... never!

BTW I'm now down to a single cat. I won't be referring to her as "kid," I'll just be calling and referring to her by her name, Maya. Which is another way of saying that I think "kids" is a sort of shorhand: for most people, it's not meant to say in any way that keeping and taking care of cats is in any way similar to the responsibility of raising children.

 

[AGBF]

This thread is making me miss my dog (who is deceased) like crazy. I loved that big guy! I used to lie down on his bed with him and have a huge armful of dog because he was so nice and big. My husband would always object and yell at me to get up off the dog''s bed and, "stop doing piggish things" (the guy''s Italian...what does he know about dogs?). He was my big guy and my sweetie and my baby. Does that count?


Deb/AGBF

 

[ksinger]

Date: 6/9/2010 9:00:37 PM
Author: thing2of2
Nope, my kittens love me to bits! They almost always all hang out in whatever room I''m in. Even when I get out of the shower all 3 are in the bathroom waiting for pets. They love me tons and would never leave me!

Yes, go ahead: delude yourself. I did the same thing and look what it got ME. sniff. My mom always said it was that I didn''t treat our kitty right.

Then after awhile, kitty took off her clever "sweet kitty" disguise that she wore for my mom at first, and started being her real bitchy little self. And my mom loved her even MORE. Traitorous, both of them.

 

[waxing lyrical]

Eh. I wouldn't say it brothers me. That definitely isn't how I am with my cats. My pets aren't my kids. They aren't anywhere on the same plane. Losing a pet is not the same thing as losing a child. That is for damn sure.

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

My cats are my children right now. I call them my kids furbabies sometimes, and yes, kids, but usually only with other cat people. As for people with children not calling their cats kids, my parents do. For a long time there were 5 kids, now that we have moved out, my parents have three. I think if there were a fire, mom would have to seriously consider whether she would save my brother or the cats.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/9/2010 11:26:23 PM
Author: VRBeauty
I didn''t generally refer to my cats as ''kids'' in conversations with other people, but I often refered to them as ''kids'' when I was addressing them.

But I have a small backyard pond and there was a time when it was home to several goldfish. I NEVER referred to them as kids! Furry kids... yes. Scaly kids... never!


BTW I''m now down to a single cat. I won''t be referring to her as ''kid,'' I''ll just be calling and referring to her by her name, Maya. Which is another way of saying that I think ''kids'' is a sort of shorhand: for most people, it''s not meant to say in any way that keeping and taking care of cats is in any way similar to the responsibility of raising children.

This reminded me of a pet peeve of mine... I say "my kids" all the time and it doesn''t register at all as weird to me but when I hear people say "my kid" it just sends white trash shivers down my spine. I have no idea why I have that in my head but "my kid" just sounds so ignorant to me. Or like you''re talking about a goat.

 

[merilenda]

I refer to my cats as my babies all the time. I don''t think it takes anything away from those who have kids. Also, my SO''s mom has two dogs that she refers to as her children and always refers to herself as their mother. She also calls my SO their brother.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:11:59 AM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy
My cats are my children right now. I call them my kids furbabies sometimes, and yes, kids, but usually only with other cat people. As for people with children not calling their cats kids, my parents do. For a long time there were 5 kids, now that we have moved out, my parents have three. I think if there were a fire, mom would have to seriously consider whether she would save my brother or the cats.