(PETS vs. KIDS)can pets really replace kids in a relationship??????

[jego ryu 0]

Can pets really replace kids in a relationship?

There comes a time in every couples relationship when they want a little more in life -- something to fill the void. fancy cars, exuberant material objects and world travel aside, there are few things that can fill that chasm better than a baby... or a puppy.

Pets in particular cats and dogs, are often purchased as surrogate children by couples who aren't quite ready or willing to commit to an actual human being. But instead of treating their pet like an animal, it becomes their child, complete with silly outfits, parental doting, and excessive pictures shown at every social gathering.Do you consider your pet to be an animal or a family member? Should animals be treated like children? Can you really replace having a child with buying a pet?

[Mags 112]

Animals are family members, without a doubt. Do I prefer children to animals? Nope, I'd rather have more cats than another child.

Do I dress up my pets? Not a chance. If animals were supposed to wear clothes they wouldn't have fur coats to keep them warm. I think dressing up animals is cruel and disrespectful, personally.

[Leafgal 3]

Animals are family members, without a doubt. Do I prefer children to animals? Nope, I'd rather have more cats than another child.

Do I dress up my pets? Not a chance. If animals were supposed to wear clothes they wouldn't have fur coats to keep them warm. I think dressing up animals is cruel and disrespectful, personally.

I second that. Love my kids, gone and on their own now. Love my cats, and wouldn't dress them up.

[MissStacey 1]

I come from a family of dog lovers. There were always dogs in our home growing up- they were family. They were allowed to sleep in bed with us (on a cold winter night having 2 or 3 dogs snuggling with you in bed really is wonderful) and nowhere in the house was forbidden to them.

Now that we have a puppy here in the U.S.- I really do feel "complete". I really don't have a strong urge to have a child, I don't think I have the patience for them. I know it would be different and I would feel different if I did have a baby- they say it is different when it is you own child. Perhaps one day.

I am perfectly content with my little baby pup.

[Omizo_Tusha 0]

I will never love animals more or better than my kids. Kids are special and future of our world.

[almaty 19]

always more fond of my animals than my son////

[Mags 112]

I will never love animals more or better than my kids. Kids are special and future of our world.

Actually, judging by the average attitude of children today, our world would be better if ruled by cats.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I have grown up with pets all my life - mainly cats, although we had a dog when I was very young. My parents grew up with pets. My brother and I both have multi-cat households as did my parents until my Mom died a few years ago. My husband grew up with dogs and then had both dogs and cats as an adult. Are animals surrogate kids? Maybe for some people, but that isn't the main reason why people have pets, nor is it the reason I have my cats. They are indeed, as Mags said, family members in their own right and not a substitute for human children. If I had wanted children, I would have had children. I didn't. But I did want cats because I enjoy their companionship. Do I dress them up and turn them into pretend children? Not on your life. They are perfectly happy as cats and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Edited April 11, 2008 by Kathryn41

[MissStacey 1]

I harassed my mother and sister for so long to get their passports done. I was even willing to fill out my moms applications and drive her downtown to the passport office while I was in Canada.

I get back to US and continue bugging them about it.

I get a puppy. They go to the passport office the next day.

That's how my family rolls.

[Ban Hammer 13,641]

pets behave better anyways.

[Nagishkaw 510]

pets behave better anyways.

[AtlantiCat 0]

I've no interest in producing offspring, nor have I ever had any interest in doing so. However, I've had pets from a very young age and they've always been a part of the family. I don't dress them up or take them out. I simply take care of them. They mightcouldmaybe be a substitute for kids, but since baby humans have never appealed to me (dirty, messy, needy things), I couldn't honestly say.

[Jenn! 918]

We plan to have kids someday in the near future, but for now we just have our two kitties. I love them to death, but I feel very strongly about not confusing my feelings for them with my feelings for people. They are still animals. It upsets me when people put animals over people.

[Jo1973 0]

Pets are part of the family, we have a dog who is our child and we have a 4 month old baby. I wouldn't replace either of them as they are both our children.

The only time I dress the dog up is when she is on heat and that usually consists of a doggy diaper lol. Quite funny seeing an 80 - 90lb dog with a diaper on.

[Mrs.J06 4]

I once watched a woman come out of a Dairy Queen with two blizzards and an ice cream on a cone.

She walked to the car, handed the blizzard to her husband and fed the ice cream to the dog. I was surprised the dog didn't get to sit in the front, while hubby had to sit in the back seat...

Do some people treat their pets like kids? Yes. Are they doing them a favour? Hell no.

Having a pet and allowing it to have a good life appropriate to the species is the way to do it IMO.

We don't want to have kids, but in no way does our dog get treated like a child! The only analogy between the two is that the dog needs to behave, too! Unfortunately too many people have misbehaving dogs AND kids nowadays.