I think for most people the answer is that pets are not considered peers. They have gender but we will never consider them on a level with human adults - maybe on a level with human babies or young children. We love and prize them, but we don’t give them equal rights and respect. Just like with children.
It probably doesn’t help that we also spay/neuter them at birth, which not only prevents them from ever becoming reproductively viable adults, but also affects their hormonal development permanently. I’m no biologist but it may be accurate to say they never fully mature, even if they do eventually age.
FWIW I personally have two human kids and I refer to our German shepherd as the 3rd grownup in the house. I do say “good boy” but I also say “hey man” and call him “old man.”
my cat always acts like she’s a year old and is pretty small for a cat (we assume she’s the runt)
when we got her the pound said 2 years old (info from previous owner) but when we took her to the vet we got told that she’s actually about 5She’s about 7-8 now and still looks just as adorable as when I got her!!
edit: this image also shows her bent whisker that got messed up when she tried to stick her head in the food container as I was shutting it.
I have a dead cat. 🤷♂️
How long have you had it?
I have a little man cat, he’s my little guy.
Speak for yourself. I’ve got two brother cats and I refer to both of them as little kitty cat mans.
He’s just a lil guy
Because kitties are forever babies 🤗
Because they are all fur babies. Always.
Same reason I refer to my 14-year-old dachshund as a puppy.
Because he’s my puppy.
My cat was an “old man cat” for a while before he passed.
Anyhow, a “man cat” just sounds like a cat who dresses up like a man and fights crime
I believe you’re thinking of Catman
respect my authoritay
Yes, but Lady Cat and Gentleman Cat just sounds like cats being fancy. And cats are fancy.
You haven’t met my chonker
fancy chonker
He is not fancy
He reminds me of Missouri
Shape wise? Or because he particularly enjoys barbecue?
The people
That’s still fancier then mississippi
Worse food tho
Man cheetah
or a human/cat hybrid. like splice.
The only true man cat is Idris Elba in Cats
“And that’s where you’re wrong, buddy. Damn I look good.”
Fishy fishy
I’m gonna eat you little fishy!
because they stay smol!
I can hold onto many feelings and ideas at once.
My orange baby boy is an old man.
Mama Trump, is it you?
You can call your cat anything you want, they still won’t come.
That’s when you break out the tuna can. Try to see them resist that shit
Because their real name sounds like a food pouring into the bowl.
Define “grow up”. Their personality changes with age but they remain fixated on their care giver(s) similar to children for as long as you let them.
