Pets are not the same as babies

[Hoosier_Daddy]

We would not marry family members or people who do not have the mental capacity to consent. Adopted children do not come from their adopted parents It is not for anyone to presume to tell anyone how to love a pet or that their pet is not family…

My pets are family too. My human family would not presume to tell me otherwise. You can love your human family as well as your pets. It is not mutually exclusive.

You cannot love them the same. One is a human soul who is created in the image and likeness of God, to be happy with him in heaven. The other is something that poops in the corner.

We do not worship creation, but the creator.

 

[Sarcelle]

It’s not good for the animal to be anthropomorphized either. This is a common mistake people make with animals, to try to train them as though they were children. They are not, they do not understand your words and they do not form associations the way people, even small children, do. The result can often be a very confused and nervous animal and a very upset human.

That said, I indulge in that sort of language often enough.

Yes.

I used to watch Cesar Millan. A lot of times, owners had problems with their dogs because they dealt with their dogs like they would deal with children, instead of on terms the dog will be able to understand.

 

[gardenswithkids]

I had a cat go missing several years ago, and a woman from the place I’d bought him from (they found out he was missing because they sent his “foster father” to check up on him after I’d “adopted” him) lectured me on how it was just like my toddler had gone missing and how I was a bad “mom” blah blah blah.

I said “No, my cat is not like a toddler. He isn’t human. He’s an adult animal, a good mouser, and he can fend for himself. I’m not his mother, I’m his owner, and though I am responsible for taking care of him, he is nothing like a human child and doesn’t need to be thought of or treated like one.”

He was found several weeks later in perfect health in a neighbor’s garage. Honestly, the lesson I learned was to avoid getting pets from people who think pets are “babies.” But I don’t think you need to correct someone unless they are attacking you. This company had their lawyer calling me and they were making veiled threats if I didn’t find my cat. It was ridiculous.

Clearly that crazy person from whom you got your cat did not understand cats. Cats are not “adopted”. Cats do the “adopting”.

A couple times in my life a stray cat has decided to adopt our family. One just took to living in our back porch, hunting birds and other critters in our yard. After she killed a snake, my husband decided we could keep her, but she’d decided first that she wanted to keep us.

It took about two decades before my offspring achieved the level of independence which that cat displayed from the first day she set her paws in our yard.

 

[severus68]

You cannot love them the same. One is a human soul who is created in the image and likeness of God, to be happy with him in heaven. The other is something that poops in the corner.

We do not worship creation, but the creator.

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

Humans void too so ? Yes, humans are made in the image of God , never said otherwise. So with that and the gift of superior intelligence, we have the responsibility to try to make the world a better place by aspiring to be more Christlike, not indulge in arrogance.

I will not dignify your last statement with a response.

 

[severus68]

You misunderstand, I wouldn’t be violent -my mother would. Because comparing her daughter to a dog and really meaning it (and trust me I’ve grown up with this acquaintance she really meant it) would cause my mother to go into a rage. Didn’t say it was ok, just said that’s what would happen.

This person used to be a good friend but over time I realized she is unbalanced (not just about pets). While we were still friends she invited me to go to a healing Mass with her and mentioned she was bringing her dog. When I responded “To Mass?” She says “What? He’s sick and its a healing Mass.” I mentioned I’d be working that day. She’s still my facebook friend but I have it so she doesn’t show up in my news feed. Mainly because she went on an immature rant about another childhood friend and aired this person’s dirty laundry all over facebook knowing this persons own children would read this stuff, secondly because she puts up about 40+ pet rescue pictures per day on her facebook. So not balanced. I don’t unfriend her because that would cause more drama too. I’m very selective on who I allow as friends on facebook these days.

I see. I think people should be more careful as to what they post on facebook in any event.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

Humans void too so ? Yes, humans are made in the image of God , never said otherwise. So with that and the gift of superior intelligence, we have the responsibility to try to make the world a better place by aspiring to be more Christlike, not indulge in arrogance.

I will not dignify your last statement with a response.

ok

 

[Arlotus]

You misunderstand, I wouldn’t be violent -my mother would. This person used to be a good friend but over time I realized she is unbalanced (not just about pets).

secondly because she puts up about 40+ pet rescue pictures per day on her facebook. So not balanced. I don’t unfriend her because that would cause more drama too. I’m very selective on who I allow as friends on facebook these days.

I think your friend might just be a very compasionate person. Animals are part of God’s creation, and animal rescue is part of working for God. Saying she is not balanced because of that… I do not see the logic. Many saints were very ‘extreme’.

 

[EasterJoy]

I was referring to the manner in which you responded to the poster. I laugh off little barbs like the one you just tried to throw at me… This is an anonymous public forum and it is so easy to write at length to put down others. Please remember that some never come back to post on threads again.

I was not putting them down, and I apologize if they took it that way (which I do not know that they did). I honestly wanted to know if they understood why a pet, who might feel much more like a support in one’s life and which in any case may be entirely worthy of a very deep affection and is obviously worthy of care, still does not have the same dignity as a human being.

It is not as if this is common knowledge; that is, that it is taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that “One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.” (2418) There is a lot of confusion out there on this point. Some people think that there is nothing wrong with regarding pets and humans in essentially the same way, as if pets were merely persons with different capacities than humans, but some others forget that kindness towards animals marked some of the greatest saints.

 

[severus68]

I was not putting them down, and I apologize if they took it that way (which I do not know that they did). I honestly wanted to know if they understood why a pet, who might feel much more like a support in one’s life and which in any case may be entirely worthy of a very deep affection and is obviously worthy of care, still does not have the same dignity as a human being.

It is not as if this is common knowledge; that is, that it is taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that “One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.” (2418) There is a lot of confusion out there on this point. Some people think that there is nothing wrong with regarding pets and humans in essentially the same way, as if pets were merely persons with different capacities than humans, but some others forget that kindness towards animals marked some of the greatest saints.

It was the manner in which you addressed the poster. We can’t really lecture people even if we disagree with their views.People know that animals are not human. Somehow I do not think it is a matter of the “dignity” of a pet versus that of a human being. It is about caring and showing love.

That statement in the Catechism, I for one, am aware of. I believe it just means that you cannot for example, ignore the care of your children (human to make it clear ) while lavishing a pet with everything. How can the Church monitor or control affection?

 

[Bruised_Reed]

It was the manner in which you addressed the poster. We can’t really lecture people even if we disagree with their views.People know that animals are not human. Somehow I do not think it is a matter of the “dignity” of a pet versus that of a human being. It is about caring and showing love.

That statement in the Catechism, I for one, am aware of. I believe it just means that you cannot for example, ignore the care of your children (human to make it clear ) while lavishing a pet with everything. How can the Church monitor or control affection?

Also, sometimes pets are more receptive to attention and affection than family members. And they are more enthusiastic to see us. My mom told me about my cat waiting for me to come home from work. My schedule was irregular so the cat wasn’t tuned into the time so I assume she must have heard my car from blocks away. She would sit waiting front of the door and when she heard my car door, she would get up and go sit on the couch, like she was there the whole time. But lately I arrive to find her squirming around on the floor, wanting to get some rubs and scritchies.

 

[JennyAnne]

I’ve heard plenty of people refer to their pets as their “babies” and it doesn’t bother me. I consider our cat part of the family (even though I didn’t think quite that way when hubby brought him home ) and I think it’s just a way of showing affection. It’s not about human dignity - it’s about affection and love for an animal.

 

[aloe]

Depends on my relationship with them.
If it sounds like they are trying to relate the best they can and all they have is a pet then just let it slide, smile, and move on. I have pets and babies and they really are alike in many ways, but pets are so much easier. But if someone has never had kids they might not know and that is ok. Some people really treat their pets a lot like babies and toddlers in a way and cherish them a lot.

 

[DarkLight]

Depends on my relationship with them.
If it sounds like they are trying to relate the best they can and all they have is a pet then just let it slide, smile, and move on. I have pets and babies and they really are alike in many ways, but pets are so much easier. But if someone has never had kids they might not know and that is ok. Some people really treat their pets a lot like babies and toddlers in a way and cherish them a lot.

Even as someone who knows better I’ve found myself blurting out stupid pet/baby comparisons on occasion. Mostly when I end up in a situation where I feel like I have to say something but I have no idea what to say because I’ve never had kids and frankly I don’t like babies all that much (I like kids just fine but infants seem very…drooly and smelly and a tad confusing).

 

[NeedsMercy]

I haven’t said that you cannot be pro life and an animal activist!!! I my own self, am fully pro life and pro animals. But there are people that have their priorities messed up and are fully pro abortion while being animal activist. I know three specifically. One of them to the extreme that she is a full vegetarian because she is against killing animals for food but she supports abortion fully up until birth. The other one I know not that long ago posted on FB something that all life is precious and that it should be a crime to euthanize any animal…but she thinks it is perfectly fine to kill an unborn baby. That is the kind of people that based on the OP’s post that I have a problem with and those are the ones who are problematic, not someone who simply calls their Pets my babies.

I’m sorry if I offended you. Yes, some people do confuse the priorities. Maybe I am thin-skinned because I hear “if you’re for animals, you’re probably against the unborn” all the time. It’s just that it is unfair to extrapolate to a whole group of people from limited personal experience. That’s all I’m saying.

 

[rayne89]

I think your friend might just be a very compasionate person. Animals are part of God’s creation, and animal rescue is part of working for God. Saying she is not balanced because of that… I do not see the logic. Many saints were very ‘extreme’.

There is a long history of behaviors. She takes in way more animals than she can afford, numerous animals she’s had put to sleep for assorted reasons. Her animals develop health problems because she can’t afford to care for them properly. And she just keeps getting more. She uses to the animals to fill her emotional needs.

Once she asked she could bring one of her dogs over when she visited. I told that was fine but not in the house please (it was summer) because we have cats. So when she comes over she brings her dog (who is almost blind) and says lets go look at Rayne’s cats. I thought she was being funny and was just going to leave her dog in the yard. She followed me into my house with her dog and one of my cats attacked the dog before she even fully got in the door. When I tried to grab the cat because the poor blind dog didn’t know what was happening the cat attacked me because it was so afraid. Her poor dog ended up all bloody and and I was scratched and bleeding (and internal seething). I felt sorry for her poor dog but totally angry because she done exactly the opposite of what I asked.

If she had compassion she wouldn’t have trashed another friend publicly on facebook, nasty stuff about her two children having different dads and that this person supposedly doesn’t pay her bills. Why did she feel the need to do this? Because she started dating friend’s marriedcousin. Even though this friend advised her not to. And when she got dumped -she invited herself to a family gathering with this cousin and his wife. Friend asked her not go because it would awkward (and she wasn’t invited in the first place)and suddenly she was trashing this woman all over facebook like immature teenager. That’s when I decided it was time to end the friendship. I didn’t unfriend her because honestly I was worried about the drama. She called the police on this friend and said she was being stalked and intimidated -when it was completely the other way around. Yep, that would be unbalanced in my eyes. There was a lot of stuff over time. The animal rescue thing became obnoxious because it was taking up my entire news feed on facebook. Of animals all over the country, every.single.day. This woman is a teacher (although she gets fired regularly) I don’t know when she has the time.

 

[NeedsMercy]

As far as the notion that these people who equate pets with people are generally pro-life regarding their pets but decidedly un-pro-life when regarding people, at least among the people I know I can’t think of a single one who doesn’t fit this stereotype.

Utter nonsense. It’s a stereotype, and an offensive one at that. There are people here on this thread that are animal lovers and pro-life. Don’t be so quick to judge from limited personal experience.

 

[severus68]

Also, sometimes pets are more receptive to attention and affection than family members. And they are more enthusiastic to see us. My mom told me about my cat waiting for me to come home from work. My schedule was irregular so the cat wasn’t tuned into the time so I assume she must have heard my car from blocks away. She would sit waiting front of the door and when she heard my car door, she would get up and go sit on the couch, like she was there the whole time. But lately I arrive to find her squirming around on the floor, wanting to get some rubs and scritchies.

I totally agree and I know what you mean. My former neighbours told me that they always knew when I was on the way home by the sight of my dogs lined up at my gate.

 

[Havard]

I find the subject of animals very interesting. I do believe we shouldn’t raise animals if we can’t feed them and give them proper shelter and space, but how much of our our affection do we owe them? One thing that always comes to my mind is that many of us eat pork, and we always hear that pigs are smarter than dogs and cats. And some say certain pig breeds make great pets. So if the same breed of animal is potentially food or pet (but hopefully not both?), then what does it say about our relationship with it? Or perhaps there is no tension, maybe some of the Native Americans had it right in believing that eating an animal and using its skin/fur in a sustainable way was a part of appreciating it and respecting it?

 

[EasterJoy]

Even as someone who knows better I’ve found myself blurting out stupid pet/baby comparisons on occasion. Mostly when I end up in a situation where I feel like I have to say something but I have no idea what to say because I’ve never had kids and frankly I don’t like babies all that much (I like kids just fine but infants seem very…drooly and smelly and a tad confusing).

The English language routinely uses the same word for uses from the mundane to the sublime–I love chocolate and I love my wife and I love God. You can call your orchids or your roses or your bonsai your “babies,” and that is not inherently offensive.

No, it is the false equivalence that is the problem. If the person the OP was talking about really could not see the difference between a baby and a dog, or argues that it is more important to save eagle nestlings than unborn babies, that is a problem.

It is OK to not enjoy children, and it is OK to try to a deter a parent from going on and on about their parenting difficulties because you have no experience and have no idea what to say to their complaints. I’d stick with “I’ll have a better idea what to do with him when he starts talking, I’m sure…”

 

[NeedsMercy]

No, it is the false equivalence that is the problem. If the person the OP was talking about really could not see the difference between a baby and a dog, or argues that it is more important to save eagle nestlings than unborn babies, that is a problem.

Saving **both **is important. Yes, saving the unborn is, spiritually-speaking, on a higher plane, but everybody has their own ministry. Some advocate for the unborn. Some advocate for animals. Both are necessary and correct.