Do you consider your cats to be your children?

[rgwanner]

I consider myself a cat parent because I provide for my cats. Since they are inside cats they are completely dependent on me. I consider them my children in that sense, but they are different from human children and I do realize that. They are not going to grow up

, get married, go to college, have kids, etc. I have a grown daughter and our relationship is totally different.

My cats are part of my family, and provide me with much companionship and happiness. I cannot imagine living without my cats. I agree with di and bob that I would rather spend time with 100 cats than 10 small children.

When I say that my cats are my kids it is just a way of saying how much they mean to me. They help me to deal with stress of my life.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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In His wisdom, the Lord didn't see fit to give me children, but if He had, I'd probably care almost as much about them as I do about my cats.

I've known quite a few people over the course of sixty-four years - some prideful, some envious, some lazy or greedy or lascivious or esurient or unkindly - and these qualities seem endemic to Humans.

I've also known just about a hundred cats, and what I know of them is that they Love from the Heart - fiercely, unconditionally - in a way no Human ever will - or even can. Cats wear their kindliness and gentleness wrapped around themselves like their own skin - not in the way people do - as a piece of clothing, to be thrown off when anger better suits them.

Humans are, by Nature, proud - prideful in our accomplishments, prideful in our appearance, and prideful even when we do a good deed. I've watched my cats help newcomers when they've joined the clowder - helping to make the other feel at home and safe, only because they seem to understand that it's the right thing to do.

Cats are patient and sharing with one another; the liberality which they display in the sharing of food and toys and of warm, sunny spaces with one another is Heartwarming. Cats have never read Luke 6:8 - they're oblivious to the promise of an Heavenly Reward for the righteous - they simply Live and let Live.

Byron said of Boatswain - his Newfoundland interred at Newstead Abbey - that his dog possessed, "beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the Virtues of Man without his Vices." This is simply the way of the Animal Kingdom - and in particular, of the companions we Love and hold dearest.

Nope - they're not my children, but If I'd had a child, and that child had grown to embody even a ghost of the virtue of my cats, I should have thought that child fine and fair and rich beyond all measure.
.

 

[WJB]

I consider myself a mom to my human son. I consider myself an adopted Mom to all of my furbabies. For example when we got our dog he had puppy mange bad! He was bald! The vet wanted to do a chemical dip that would only take a few hours. We turned him down and went all natural and it took us 4 months to make him healthy. Willie my cat was outside a doctor's office sleeping beside dead sinlings trying to keep warm. He is deaf now because of his health at 2 weeks old but is now a beautiful healthy big boy at 1 years old... To make a long story short I adopted a kitten to give Willie a friend and she was covered in fpeas, works, and ribs showing.... A few days later finding out her brother was going to go to the pound I adopted him. So no I'm not their mom, I'm their adopted Mom to all of my animals and I will love and protect them until the end.

 

[Azazel]

I really do not like it when people anthropomorphize their pets. Pets are not people and I think that it disrespects the inherent dignity of the human person when people truly place the love and respect of animals on the same level of a human person. I love all my pets dearly, but not to the same extent that I love another human person. If people jokingly call them furkids or whatever that's fine, but there are people who seriously replace having children with owning pets and that is just wrong. I don't like to be called Mom. It makes me uncomfortable because I know some people mean that seriously. We need to uphold the dignity of human life and not lower ourselves to the level of an animal or raise an animal to the dignity of a human person.

Feeling like a caregiver to a pet is not the same as mistaking an animal for a human.

Caring for animals on the same level as humans lowers the dignity of humans? Wow.

 

[MeganLLB]

Feeling like a caregiver to a pet is not the same as mistaking an animal for a human.

Caring for animals on the same level as humans lowers the dignity of humans? Wow.

https://nypost.com/2014/04/10/more-young-women-choosing-dogs-over-motherhood/
This is what I'm talking about- people replacing children with pets. It's dehumanizing and horrifying to think that people seriously would be so selfish.

 

[Katie M]

https://nypost.com/2014/04/10/more-young-women-choosing-dogs-over-motherhood/
This is what I'm talking about- people replacing children with pets. It's dehumanizing and horrifying to think that people seriously would be so selfish.

While I disagree with the idea of getting pets because they're "easier", not everyone is cut out for parenthood. As I stated earlier in the thread, I don't like children. Give me a cat any day.

 

[Jayflower]

.
In His wisdom, the Lord didn't see fit to give me children, but if He had, I'd probably care almost as much about them as I do about my cats.

I've known quite a few people over the course of sixty-four years - some prideful, some envious, some lazy or greedy or lascivious or esurient or unkindly - and these qualities seem endemic to Humans.

I've also known just about a hundred cats, and what I know of them is that they Love from the Heart - fiercely, unconditionally - in a way no Human ever will - or even can. Cats wear their kindliness and gentleness wrapped around themselves like their own skin - not in the way people do - as a piece of clothing, to be thrown off when anger better suits them.

Humans are, by Nature, proud - prideful in our accomplishments, prideful in our appearance, and prideful even when we do a good deed. I've watched my cats help newcomers when they've joined the clowder - helping to make the other feel at home and safe, only because they seem to understand that it's the right thing to do.

Cats are patient and sharing with one another; the liberality which they display in the sharing of food and toys and of warm, sunny spaces with one another is Heartwarming. Cats have never read Luke 6:8 - they're oblivious to the promise of an Heavenly Reward for the righteous - they simply Live and let Live.

Byron said of Boatswain - his Newfoundland interred at Newstead Abbey - that his dog possessed, "beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the Virtues of Man without his Vices." This is simply the way of the Animal Kingdom - and in particular, of the companions we Love and hold dearest.

Nope - they're not my children, but If I'd had a child, and that child had grown to embody even a ghost of the virtue of my cats, I should have thought that child fine and fair and rich beyond all measure.
.

1CatOverTheLine This is very, very beautifully written!

 

[Jayflower]

I really do not like it when people anthropomorphize their pets. Pets are not people and I think that it disrespects the inherent dignity of the human person when people truly place the love and respect of animals on the same level of a human person. I love all my pets dearly, but not to the same extent that I love another human person. If people jokingly call them furkids or whatever that's fine, but there are people who seriously replace having children with owning pets and that is just wrong. I don't like to be called Mom. It makes me uncomfortable because I know some people mean that seriously. We need to uphold the dignity of human life and not lower ourselves to the level of an animal or raise an animal to the dignity of a human person.

Since when are humans superior to cats, or any other living creatures, for that matter? Every living thing has an equal right to be here on Earth, from human beings to the tiniest little ant.

 

[muffy]

Since when are humans superior to cats, or any other living creatures, for that matter? Every living thing has an equal right to be here on Earth, from human beings to the tiniest little ant.

Exactly right!

Every living creature's life is just as important to them as our life is to us.

 

[Willowy]

https://nypost.com/2014/04/10/more-young-women-choosing-dogs-over-motherhood/
This is what I'm talking about- people replacing children with pets. It's dehumanizing and horrifying to think that people seriously would be so selfish.

I mean, I'm not going to speak for everyone, but if I couldn't have cats or dogs, I still wouldn't have kids. We can say I'm "replacing" kids with cats, because I spend my time and money on taking care of them, but that doesn't mean I'd run right out and have 10 kids if cats and dogs didn't exist.

Do you think everyone who chooses not to have kids is selfish? Or only those with pets?

 

[Azazel]

https://nypost.com/2014/04/10/more-young-women-choosing-dogs-over-motherhood/
This is what I'm talking about- people replacing children with pets. It's dehumanizing and horrifying to think that people seriously would be so selfish.

People aren’t required to have babies. It doesn’t make you selfish to decide not to have a baby or to adopt a pet instead of a baby (by the way, most people who don’t have babies and have pets aren’t “replacing” babies with pets, they just happen to have pets but don’t want babies). If anything, it’s not selfish at all to not contribute to overpopulation and bring someone into a tumultuous world. It’s honorable to instead dedicate yourself to caring for animals in need.

 

[MeganLLB]

People aren’t required to have babies. It doesn’t make you selfish to decide not to have a baby or to adopt a pet instead of a baby (by the way, most people who don’t have babies and have pets aren’t “replacing” babies with pets, they just happen to have pets but don’t want babies). If anything, it’s not selfish at all to not contribute to overpopulation and bring someone into a tumultuous world. It’s honorable to instead dedicate yourself to caring for animals in need.

Im just going to have to disagree with that. I do not believe in the use of artificial contraceptives, birth control, sterilization, or abortion. I believe in responsible natural family planning and the avoidance of pregnancy should only be considered for grave and serious reasons within the bonds of holy matrimony.

The dignity of one human person surpasses that of all the material world.

 

[MeganLLB]

Since when are humans superior to cats, or any other living creatures, for that matter? Every living thing has an equal right to be here on Earth, from human beings to the tiniest little ant.

Since humans were made in the image and likeness of God and have a soul and God chose to take the form of man in the person of Jesus forever elevating the dignity of man, and not cats thats since when.

 

[Azazel]

Im just going to have to disagree with that. I do not believe in the use of artificial contraceptives, birth control, sterilization, or abortion. I believe in responsible natural family planning and the avoidance of pregnancy should only be considered for grave and serious reasons within the bonds of holy matrimony.

The dignity of one human person surpasses that of all the material world.

What does having pets have to do with abortion and contraception?

I can see that we are clearly going to disagree here based on differing belief systems and so this conversation is probably going down a rabbit hole. According to your belief system I am most likely going to hell.

 

[Azazel]

Since humans were made in the image and likeness of God and have a soul and God chose to take the form of man in the person of Jesus forever elevating the dignity of man, and not cats thats since when.

I worship my queen cat.

 

[Katie M]

Im just going to have to disagree with that. I do not believe in the use of artificial contraceptives, birth control, sterilization, or abortion. I believe in responsible natural family planning and the avoidance of pregnancy should only be considered for grave and serious reasons within the bonds of holy matrimony.

The dignity of one human person surpasses that of all the material world.

So, according to you, I should never get married? Again, not everyone would make a good parent. It's better for someone to recognize that early, rather than after the fact. Marriage is about love and companionship, first and foremost.

 

[furmonster mom]

I am very glad that we live in a society where we have the ability to make these kinds of choices for ourselves.

I knew a long time ago that I was not mommy material. I simply do not have the patience to deal with children for long periods of time. My temperament is not conducive to raising a productive member of society. I make a good "auntie", but not a mommy. nope. nope. nope.

Cats, on the other hand, I get. And they get me. And so, by the way, does my husband. So, I am the Furmonster Mom. My friends know this, accept this, and even occasionally ask me for advice for their own furmonster parenting. Anyone else who has an issue with it can... take a flying leap.

We do, after all, live in a free society where we can make these decisions for ourselves.

 

[muffy]

People aren’t required to have babies. It doesn’t make you selfish to decide not to have a baby or to adopt a pet instead of a baby (by the way, most people who don’t have babies and have pets aren’t “replacing” babies with pets, they just happen to have pets but don’t want babies). If anything, it’s not selfish at all to not contribute to










overpopulation and bring someone into a tumultuous world. It’s honorable to instead dedicate yourself to caring for animals in need.

Excellent post. No one had better say I am being selfish because I do not want to over populate the world with kids.

 

[Azazel]

Excellent post. No one had better say I am being selfish because I do not want to over populate the world with kids.

I honestly feel like it’s more selfish to bring a child into the world only because you believe it’s your “duty” in life. Meanwhile, the world is going to and there’s way too many people here in the first place.

 

[MeganLLB]

So, according to you, I should never get married? Again, not everyone would make a good parent. It's better for someone to recognize that early, rather than after the fact. Marriage is about love and companionship, first and foremost.

The word "matrimony" comes from the root latin word for "mother" and literally means the "installation of motherhood." The first purpose of marriage is to bear children, the second purpose is to help your spouse get to heaven. Children are the "supreme gift of marriage." In my religion, you are asked a set of questions before your consent. One of the questions is "Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?" If you are not willing to have children, you cannot be married. You cannot purposely choose to never have children within marriage because that is the whole reason for matrimony, and literally what the word means.