Parents who are also pet owners: do you consider yourself a pet parent?

In My Humble Opinion
41

I think that relationships have very fuzzy edges-- actually, a lot of overlap. The relationship with a pet and a child isn’t the same, but there’s some overlap, in that you have chosen to take on a responsibility, and are obligated to care for this creature. They also bestow boundless affection on us, and enthusiastically greet us, like children do up until about the age of four.

There’s other overlap to in relationships that aren’t in any way the same-- and if you said they were the same, it might even be a little creepy. For example, though, most people are in the same age cohort as their spouses, and that is something they also generally share with their siblings. So there is a lot of cultural “touchstoning” with both spouses and siblings. Then there is the way you feel about your siblings and your parents, which isn’t the same, but there is overlap, in that you share a deep history.

There’s spouse/child overlap too, in that these are the people you live and die for.

So I think it’s pointless arguing whether pets are like kids or not like kids. It’s not one or the other; all or none. My son is more important to me than any of my pets, but to be honest, my pets are more important to me than any other child in the world other than my own son.

I don’t like the term “furbaby” either, because there’s something cloying about it, but I get the concept. I just lost a cat about six weeks ago, and it was devastating. My own pets’ deaths have always been huge blows. Losing my parents hurt, and a few other close relatives, but generally, the loss of humans does not upset me as much as the loss of one of my own pets. People who aren’t pet people don’t get that. When an acquaintance, or coworker, or something, dies, it’s not as upsetting as losing one of my own pets.

I don’t think of myself as my pets’ parent, but I do take my responsibility toward them very seriously. I am no more lax in keeping up their vaccines than I am in keeping up my son’s. I am diligent in keeping their dishes and areas clean. Once when the cats’ food bag got wet, I made a trip to the store in the middle of the night, so they wouldn’t have an empty bowl-- but of course, the stores that were open didn’t have their premium brand, so I bought a small bag of Iams, and got their regular stuff ASAP. I know a lot of people who think “Oh, the cats can go without for a half a day.” But they* shouldn’t.* It’s my job to see that they don’t.

I don’t know if I’m making my point clear. Ask me questions if I’m not.

42

You know what I hate more than the term “furbaby?” “Fid.” Some people call their pet bird their “fid” (short for “feathered kid.”) I even heard about someone who actually named their parrot Fid. :smack:

43

No. What I do with them is nothing remotely like parenting. I may occasionally playfully engage in the metaphor, but I’m not being remotely serious. That doesn’t mean I think of them as property, however. I guess the closest thing would be a “caretaker.” I provide them shelter, food, medicine, and affection.

But I don’t have to raise them to be adults and live on their own eventually. I only train them in a way that is beneficial to me. I just don’t think that rises quite to “ownership,” in that it would be wrong for me to outright harm them, when it would not be wrong to harm my own property. Pets come with responsibilities that property doesn’t.

That said, you can use whatever words you want. The only thing I care about is how you treat them. You call it ownership but are a loving owner? I don’t care. You call them your furkid but don’t let them take over your life or treat them as more important than people? That’s fine with me, too.

44

Not even close. They are my pets. I feel affection for my dog and my cats. I care about them and I take care of them. We snuggle at night and that’s nice but there is no way I will ever see myself as their parent even though I have one cat who is convinced I am her mama.

45

My wife and I agree: We are pet owners. We take responsibility for them, and are serious about that duty. But they are our pets, with no more autonomy than we choose to give them. We enjoy them, love them as a part of our lives, feel great sorrow when they leave this vale of tears, inter them in the family pet burial ground, then move on.

Use whatever lingo you want for your pets. Just don’t tell me you know how I feel about my daughter’s chronic fatal illness because you’ve dealt with your pets through their serious health problems.

46

I love our dog and cats, but they’re companions. Part of the family? Yes, but not like my wife and kids at all. And Ginger the dog just lay down next to the couch and farted, which has me feeling less affectionate toward her at the moment.

47

For some reason that I can’t put my finger on, that strikes me as no less of an anthropomorphism than equating it to a parent-child relationship.

48

The moment my daughter was born, the dog and the cat became a potential emergency food supply in the event of societal collapse.

49

Pets can be great comfort in times of trouble. Famine, too.

50

I am sorry I don’t think I could eat my pets. Their food? That’s another matter.
I have emergency rations stored in the event of a catastrophe. I also have pet food rations put up. If the worst happens I will last only as long as my insulin lasts but maybe my family will feed the pets and not consume them. I can only hope.

51

When you put your finger on it, let me know.

I don’t think of animals as dumb cute short furry humans. I do think about them a lot more attentively than most people do. I respect them for what they really are, which means I put a lot of effort into not projecting my human-based notions on to them. They are interesting, complicated beings with their own social lives and emotions which are separate and both different and the same as ours.

I don’t care for the ways many people talk and think about animals.

The ancient bond between humans and the other animals has been debased by the artificialities of our modern world. It was once a lot more serious and complex, back when we ate each other more often.