Do you own a Furkid?

[babycakes]

The topic on Steve Wright in the afternoon

Definition: furkid n. A pet treated as though it were one's child.

First I said yes as Denis is babied and spoilt like a child and I won't be having children but I know he is a cat and he does cat things (and I haven't replaced a child I want cats not children).and although I do things to make him comfortable I wouldn't do things such as not go on holiday (and put him in a cattery, I have trawled for the right cattery mind), but is this caring for your cat or is he a furkid??? What about yours?

[angieh]

I heard this item on the radio too, Babycakes!

I was in the car with my OH and said immediately "Merlin isn't a furkid!" but my OH disagreed and said he was!!! (We were going off to the vet to get Merlin some special food at the time). I agree with your definition and would say that I follow a very similar thought pattern!

[Jac]

Although I love my two dearly I know they are cats at the end of the day.
They wouldn't stop me going o holiday ect.
I'm with your definition BC

[Soupie]

Mine are spoiled rotten and I adore them but they are always treated as the cats they are :D

[angieh]

Is the term "furkid" just a slightly more grown up equivalent then of "furbabies" - should we NOT use that term? I had thought of it as a term of endearment!

[babycakes]

I thought so Angie (I think other people are just taking the mickey out of people loving their animals really)

[smudgley]

Well I have 3 cats - Emily, Smudge & Bluebell. I treat them all the same. :cool:
HOWEVER! My husband has 2 cats - Emily & Smudge and a furkid called Bluebell :oops: Hate to admit it, but it is true.:roll:

[babycakes]

Well I have 3 cats - Emily, Smudge & Bluebell. I treat them all the same. :cool:
HOWEVER! My husband has 2 cats - Emily & Smudge and a furkid called Bluebell :oops: Hate to admit it, but it is true.:roll:


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Yes I think you are definetely right there

[dandysmom]

Mine have always been spoiled, but I don't think of them as surrogate children, they are cats, companion animals who I dearly love. And furbabies is just a term of endearment IMO, and I'll continue to use it.....

[babycakes]

Mine have always been spoiled, but I don't think of them as surrogate children, they are cats, companion animals who I dearly love. And furbabies is just a term of endearment IMO, and I'll continue to use it.....


And a lovely term it is too cos it sums up what they mean to us X

[Tanya]

Oli is my baby! He is very spoilt by myself and my OH. I think we do treat him like a child because we never leave him for long periods of time and he stops with family if we go away for a weekend. We havent actually had a proper holiday ever, but I think if we do go away we will probably have someone stop at the house to look after him. :)

[babycakes]

Oli is my baby! He is very spoilt by myself and my OH. I think we do treat him like a child because we never leave him for long periods of time and he stops with family if we go away for a weekend. We havent actually had a proper holiday ever, but I think if we do go away we will probably have someone stop at the house to look after him. :)

I worried about going away the first time and cried all the way to the cattery (which I spent weeks looking for) and cried all the way home but once I got the first one out of the way ( and knew I had found a good carer) I have been fine. He is my world and actually got more loving when he came back from the cattery like I was his recuer (can't spell that)

[Tanya]

I worried about going away the first time and cried all the way to the cattery (which I spent weeks looking for) and cried all the way home but once I got the first one out of the way ( and knew I had found a good carer) I have been fine. He is my world and actually got more loving when he came back from the cattery like I was his recuer (can't spell that)

ahhh, that is so sweet!

[dandysmom]

I've mentioned occasionally on here that I don't do holidays, so maybe gave the impression that it was because of the cats. No, I simply dislike traveling! I want to sleep in my own bed at night; odd, perhaps, but just don't like it, that's
just weirdo me! I will admit I've told people sometimes when I wanted to get out of a planned excursion that it was because I didn't want to leave the cats, that was an excuse....

[babycakes]

I've mentioned occasionally on here that I don't do holidays, so maybe gave the impression that it was because of the cats. No, I simply dislike traveling! I want to sleep in my own bed at night; odd, perhaps, but just don't like it, that's
just weirdo me! I will admit I've told people sometimes when I wanted to get out of a planned excursion that it was because I didn't want to leave the cats, that was an excuse....


I have never read that about you Eileen. That's not wierd that you don't like to travel, that's you. we are all different and that makes up a good world. x I love to travel and did worry about leaving my cat beofre hand and I read somewhere (may have even been in cat confidential) that owners are wierd and treating their animals like children if they don't want to go on holiday cos of them. That stopped me in my tracks and I think I always went out of my way to say I wasn't that person...I hated going to work when I first got Denis cos I didn't like to leave him on his own, in the past they were really my mums cats you see so someone was always at home with them.

[Erin]

All my animals are my babies they are all spolied rottern and I will go without if there is something that they need.I dont go without holidays though or nights out but if ever anything was ever wrong with any of them when I was due to travel or go out then my plans would be cancelled,my babies come first.Yes I do say I treat my animals like babies (the cats more so than the dogs) so do I have furkids?.........Yes 5 absolutely gorgeous one,who I wouldnt be parted with for all the money in the world :-D

[babycakes]

All my animals are my babies they are all spolied rottern and I will go without if there is something that they need.I dont go without holidays though or nights out but if ever anything was ever wrong with any of them when I was due to travel or go out then my plans would be cancelled,my babies come first.Yes I do say I treat my animals like babies (the cats more so than the dogs) so do I have furkids?.........Yes 5 absolutely gorgeous one,who I wouldnt be parted with for all the money in the world :-D

And that is the absoloute reason that we get them isn't it?? To love them spoil them learn from them and to be part of your family

[Grete]

Interesting discussion :) My cats are like surrogate children to me because I can't have any but to be honest, if I could, I don't think I would anyway.

They mean the world to me, I baby them, worry about them, talk to them, love them, but I think that is just being a good pet owner.

They are my babies and I would do anything for them - but I know they are cats at the end of the day and treat them accordingly :) We do go away and leave them with people checking in on them but not that often as I am another who doesn't like travelling much.

I don't think I am OTT but my husband might disagree ;)

People will poke fun at anyone whose actions they don't understand and I love the term Furbaby or Furkid as it is so apt.

But I don't treat them like humans :) (IMO cats are far nicer than most humans!).

[Jules]

I love my cats like they are my children but i dont treat or think of them as children. :D

[Jac]

I have read all the replays in this and to me they all say the same thing.
We LOVE our animals;)

[Elaine]

My cats are cats, I love them dearly, spoil them rotten and wouldnt be apart from them. As Eva is very talkative, I do tend to have conversations with her as if she were human, simply for my own amusement:lol: . I try to understand them as cats, although i still dont understand why Eva ****s on the floor:lol: . The only time I was very doubtful about taking a holiday was when Winston was ill, I was afraid I'd never get the chance to say goodbye, but I did go on holiday and he was always here on my return, bless his old bones. We have a pretty good set up by where Graham and I have different ideas on what a holiday should be and so we very rarely go away together, so one of us is always here, no need for cattery's. I dont think Eva would cope with a cattery anyway.
No, they are not furkids, they are my highly amusing and very beautiful cats.

[mumof3]

I have 4 children and 9 grandchildren so my 3 kittens are not surrogate children, they are just very loved CATS!

[PoshPuss]

I chose my doggie Bron and my cat Posh, chose us! :-))

They are both furkids but they share in a happy extended family hom, where their 'aunties' sit them and 'cousins' pet the. Although they are not human, I give them the same love and regard as I do my human family. They get the same attention to their health, and other basic needs met. You can't put a measure on love and compassion and it should extend to all creatures.

I think think the term 'furkids' is a fun way of saying, I care for them as I would another person; and if truth be told I prefer my furkids than many 'flesh kids' I could think of... except my own of course!

[yola]

For a long time before I had the boys, I was fairly certain that I would not have children - not a 'feeling', but medical (almost) fact. And I desperately wanted them.

So the cats, especially Balie who has always been 'my' cat, is probably the definition of a furkid as intended in the discussion. He has been indulged, cuddled, brushed, hand-fed, spoilt, has slept on my pillow, been carried around . . . I've never done stuff like dressing him up or silly stuff like that, he's always been a cat, but he has had significant slices of attention.

Now, he is still loved (as is Fifi), cared for and fussed and when the house was broken into, my first terror was as to whether they had got out :shock: but they are no longer the 110% focus they used to be.

[catsmum]

I see mine as friends in fur coats :lol: We don't have kids and they are not substitute children but I love them dealry and would go to the ends of the earth for them. We're not saying never to children but at the moment and for the immediate future it is "cats not kids". I do feel differently about Jefferson, we have a strong bond but I know he is a cat but I love him dearly. I had an ache when we lost Jasper and Amber. it is so different when they are your pets and not the ones you lost as a child when you lived at home. Your pets are your responsibility and you make the decisions and are responsible so I guess perhaps my maternal instincts are towrds my cats but they are not a substitute. I love the term furkids it is really cute :p I think you have to have a happy medium balance between the 2 :p

[Daisy-Doo]

Nope, mine are definitely not a baby substitute. They are my little companions, and I feel very privileged to have them in my life. I try to do the very best for them within my means, and I love each and every one of them dearly. They get a good diet, attention when they want it, and a cozy place to sleep. They roam through the house as they please and sleep wherever they want. But I don't see them as children.
I can no longer go on holiday because of one of my ferrets, as he eats things he shouldn't and I dare'nt take the risk of leaving him with anyone else. I would be devastated if anything happened to him.

However, I'm definitely in the minority here, as I loathe the terms 'furbabies' and 'furkids' for animals. Sorry, no offence meant to anyone that uses them, as it's each to their own, but that's all a bit sickly for me. I have 7 companion animals....Two cats and five ferrets.
Mine are what they are - 7 truly wonderful, carnivorous predators:)

[Darky]

I do consider my pets as children of sorts, because I'm horribly maternal for a bloke. However, I am sensible enough to see them as animals, because if I didn't I don't think I'd be able to care for them properly.

Pets are also a hobby to me, and I love researching how best to care for them - though, I'll probably be the same when I have kids. XD

They always seem 'more than just pets', though, due to the level of companionship that they provide.