IJBM: People who treat adult pets like they're their little babies.

AnneBeeche

Okay, it's one thing if said pet actually is a baby, but when people talk to their fully adult (even senior!) pets in baby speak and coddle them like babies and even call themselves "mommy". They're not babies, dude. They're adults. And unless you adopted them and cared for them when they were still juvenile, you're not really their mommy either.

I've also seen the term "furbaby" tossed around, which disturbs me ever so slightly.

People are entitled to do whatever they want with their pets so long as they're not harmed, but this is just one of those little things that bugs me.

Bee

I referred to exactly one of my dogs as a puppy for his whole life.

He, uh...he played the part convincingly enough.

Malkavian

I treat my pets like friends. I make them fight the pets of other people to gain status symbols.

Hatter

I try to treat my cat with some dignity.

But when he looks up at me with those big yellow eyes and meows in a happy greeting, I start to make baby noises and call him my oogy boogy woogy bear, and he drapes himself across my shoulder and starts to purr, and I dance around my living room until I realize that I look ridiculous.

Besides, my cat licks his own balls. He didn't have too much dignity to begin with.

Malkavian

Oh like you wouldn't love the ability to give yourself a blowjob.

Hatter

Of course I would love that ability. But I'd do it with a portal gun, so there's at least some dignity.

AnneBeeche

Hey, at least his balls are clean. :Þ

I don't know how to describe the way I treat my cat besides "I treat her like a cat". I pick her up and pet the living daylights out of her, but that's actually fairly consistent with how animals like cats show affection for each other anyway.

I also like to annoy her occasionally by tugging on her ears and tail or mocking her when she's whining, but that's just general sort of thing one gets from being a family member.

The_Edge

My oldest cat is 2 years old and he suckles on a fuzzy blanket of his when he wants to be pet. This is his only bit of kitten-ish behavior. My wife and I do treat our cats like cats most of the time, but they are just so freakin' cute.

Counterclock

@Anne: Except... isn't there something with Parents seeing their children as cute little kids even when their children grow up?

MadassAlex

I talk to pets normally. Insofar as talking to them is normal. <_<

I do pet them and hug them a lot, though. But I'll be hugging a puppy and saying, "You are such a freaking idiot, you know that?" and stuff. Stupid adorable puppies. -_-;

AnneBeeche

Counterclock: Yeah, that bugs me too.

Icalasari

My (dead) cat used to suckle on fingers and drool everywhere. Even up to the day she was put down

AnneBeeche

D'aww.

Poor cat. I feel for you.