I have to say I am not a big fan of family pets and don’t believe that you should ever get your kids a pet. Sod the whining and the pleading and the puppy dog eyes and crocodile tears they shed when they are begging you for a hamster, a fish or a kitten.
I wish I had the heart to tell my own kids to sod off at these times and we have sadly and much to my dismay become the owner of a few family pets along the way.
Having Pets Is A Bad Idea
First it was fish; I spent a small fortune on a tank and the pretty little ornaments for them. We choose tropical and I have to say they did look rather beautiful. I read up about how to care for them and was rather proud of our little family pets. One night the water felt a bit cold so despite sticking to what the book advised I turned up the temperature that would make them snuggly warm and feel more tropical. Of course the kids woke to found all their pet swimmers floating at the top of the tank, all dead. I had fried them.
Then there were the 2 hamsters, horrid little furry things that have big teeth and always sink their teeth into me. We had one that always escaped and I was far too scared to pick it up so the husband and I would chase it with the dustpan and brush and sweep it up and then tip it back into its cage. That one lasted just over a year before it snuffed it. I sent the husband to get a replacement for it so we didn’t have to tell the kids. The only problem was there had been no golden colours so he came back with a brown one. Of course the kids caught on straight away.
We had to go through the process of grieving for a hamster that I had never bloody liked anyway. I wished we had just told them the truth; at least we would not have ended up with this evil second hamster. It’s not as if they are even pretty, talented or do anything. They are not entertaining to watch and I have never felt the need to hold it. It died not long after we got it, what a waste of money that was.
The kids wanted a cat so like an idiot I gave in eventually and we got a kitten, it was rather cute and the thing showed me how much fun it was going to bring to our family on the day I went to collect it. On the way home it shit all over its cat box that I was carrying it in and thought it would be fun to lie in it. I had to put on 2 pairs of rubber gloves and pin it down to wash it. Boy cats do not like baths do they?
The kitten grew and so did the kittens it went on to have, we did rehome them all and I admit the cat was loved by the kids. Sadly we lost her a few months ago after she was hit by a car.
Stupidly we agreed to take on two eight week old kittens; the kids promised and crossed their hearts that they would take care of them. They are now 5 months old and driving me up the wall. I cannot let them outside until they are 6 months old and have had a trip to the vets as we don’t want more kittens. The little sods escape at any given moment. You can’t leave a window or door open without them running around the garden while you try to catch them.
I have always been the one left to feed and clean up after all the pets we have had. As much as I love animals I don’t think anyone should feel the need to get their kids a pet, honestly they are more bother than anything else.
“Mum can we get a dog” they asked the other day
“No you bloody can’t” I told them
So off they go to Matt and ask him. I saw him reading the notice of dogs for sale in the pet shop the other day and I have warned him, we don’t need a dog. If he gets one he will be the one sleeping in the dog house.
About The Real Supermum
We have a dog. He’s brilliant with the girls and he’s a good guard dog.
The girls want to get hamsters and rabbits and all that and I said not a bloody hope. We have a dog that is enough. They don’t ask anymore because they know what the answer will be, it will be a firm no and if they ask again they will be made tidy their rooms.
I grew up in the country with hens and chickens and cats and dogs and a cow. I loved having animals! Saying that some people are just not animal people.
I didnt feel the need to have or get mollie a pet, it was my oh thar decided we needed a frigging dog so wen our lo was 7m he went and bought a puppy with the understanding thar h walked it every day and cleaned up after it. Needless to say he doesnt get walked and i have to moan to get him ti clean up. Hes also eaten about 8 pairs of shoes! The only upside is that my LG loves him bt i wouldn’t choose to have another pet x
Well maybe if you were somebody who understood how to look after your animals you would have a better time of it. Reading about your treatment of your “pets” is shocking. I absolutely agree that in your particular case, a family pet is a bad idea – poor animals!
Not to sound flippant but looking after a cat is pretty easy, sadly it decided to walk across a busy road!
As for the fish well what can I say a misjudgement – sorry I am guessing you have never made a simple mistake?
As for hamsters they dont live very long – simple!
As for my pets being “Poor animals” I assure you the 2 cats we have a better lifestyle than me!
My kids aren’t really old enough to bug us for pets but to be honest they don’t need to.
It’s me bugging the OH!
So far we have a dog, cat, 2 fish tanks, rabbit and we did have two rats but they’re being sold today as we don’t have the room for them
I grew up with animals of all types. Gotta agree, it was my dad doing most of the work with them though x
Iv always grown up with lots of pets but when reanne was 10 months old I decided I wanted a puppy a cavalier king Charles she was fab with reanne but very nervous in th flat I lived at the time so my mom had her and she’s still a nervous little thing bless a lol..I then decided to buy reanne a kitten last year.she loves him and even feeds him sometimes lol. Pets can be hassle and I refuse to have another yet lol x
Ooh someones a bitch! She must be the animal in her house !
Ive got a beautiful black cat ive had for 15 years now. I got her before I knew my partner.
I have a 11 year old black cat Tia ( maria the dark spirit), shes part siamese part bitch lol.
I have a white cat Tilly whos 1.
I have a rat named squeaks who we found on our doorstep shaking and in a state so we rescued him. He escaped out of the cage for a week n a half and we found him three days ago by putting chocolate spread on the floor. Hes now back, fed and happy.
We have two russian dwarf hamsters called daisy and poppy who are 10 weeks old. They are very cute.
Ive got three plec catfish. One is a baby, one is bigger and the other is about 21 inches from head to foot. We have a african cichlid and we have a black bristle nose shark.
Keeping tropical fish, the small ones pisses me off. We had a street power cut recently and it was out for six hours. We had one last year too and it took out the guppies and other ones we had. These bigger fish have more staying power.
Emma hasent purposely abused, neglected her animals or fish, shit happens and the kittens she has now she takes very good care of so unless we are in the prescence of the fish whisperer I think a certain commenter should hush!
.s emma get a snake lol
Sorry Emma I don’t agree with this one, kids need to learn about responsibility and grief and caring for something other than themselves and pets are the best way to teach these things, I think if a parent is happy to shoulder the responsibility (which they will have to do at some point) and have the finances in place to care for an animal I think it is a good thing for kids. (We have 2 hamsters and will get a dog but not until the youngest is at lest 5 and better able to understand what it takes to care for an animal.) xxxx
I used to hav cats an all sorts they were just to much hassle with having kids also so got rid then had to get the blurt house fumergated so vowed never to hav anymore until I came across guinea pigs I loved them to boys they were easy to clean very friendly loved cuddles always created us with their squeaks bless em then I got pregnant with trio I wsx in much smaller house then so needed a bigger one also struggled carrying cages out so fav them to a friend of a friend who now cares for them along side ducks an alsorts so they are treated well I via that wen trio are older I will get somemore guinea pigs as they were the
best pets I hav Eva encountered for kids many may say never but I live them they just so cute hehe x
I don’t do pets. I’m so allergic to pet dander if I did own one I’d be hospitalised within a week. I have to take antihistamines and have injections and carry an asthma pump and an epi pen even if I go see my nan and her cat for a few hours. I seriously feel like I’m dying I can’t breathe near them. I had to make mark and Alan before him get rid of their cats while i was pregnant which may sound mean but i cant take antihistamines at the dose i need while pregnant. obviously I know people get attached to their pets but I associate them with pain and discomfort and possible hospitilisation.
xxx
I don’t mind fish. My dad has a huge tropical tank with cichlids and plecos. You made me lol about turning the water temperature up haha!! It’s not supposed to be like bath water
Honestly I thought the water was too cold and even tested it with my elbow
It’s not a baby’s bath it’s a fish tank lmao!! x
I felt sorry for them
couldnt help but laugh when i read this, sorry x i havent got any pets, if it wasnt for the job i am training to do id probably get one for company for me and the children and a good excuse for a walk with the kids and encourage exercise. Altho i hate wet dog smell and having something else to pick up after lol x
I love pets I have 11! My daughter is 16 months and loves them all she runs round with the dogs and sits and pets the horses, I think they are great for distracting them and having fun
Ha ha ha Emma i cant even keep cold water fish alive for more than two weeks, you did good hun!!!!! xx
To be honest I have no desire to buy a pet for my girls cos am pretty sure they’d either seriously injur or kill it! Lol
ive gone through more animals i always get rid of um i just dont do animals my son has a fish tank with guppies and mollys but he feeds um not me lolx
hun you sound like my sister a[art from she spent nearly 300 quid on vet bills for a bloody hamster (MAD WOMAN)
xx
ive always been lucky with my pets had hamsters, rabiits gerbils, stick insect, horses, dogs, birds, now i have cold fish, dog and a kitten NO more animals lol
just explain to the kids that they dog would eat all their toys and wee everywere that will put them off the ideA LOL just an idea….
We have a cat, up til last week we had two but that’s another story :’(
For the most part my kids are pretty good – they take turns helping to feed the cat and play with him.
Now and again my son asks if we can get a dog. Tbh I would love to… but as I always explain because I work the dog would be shut inside or left alone in the garden all day for 3 days a week. I don’t think that’s fair
I wouldn’t get a pet for my kids if they asked, but then we already have a dog and two hamsters!
i had a dog growing up and i loved her but as the child in that situation i was not actually doing much of the caring for her, just the playing. now when people say to me ‘oh arent you getting a dog?’ my reply is ‘no, ive cleaned up enough of other people crap from the boys nappies’
I don’t do pets and won’t be getting any either despite tp,t son asking for one I’ve told him when he moves out he can have one, my partner works full time and me part time and I don’t agree with animals being left alone all day x
Well my kids have two dogs that live at their nans thats how I work ha ha xxx