Posted on 12/16/2022 12:08:40 PM PST by nickcarraway
DEAR ABBY: My sister doesn’t want children. I fully support her decision, and I’m happy she knows herself well enough to make it. She does, however, have what she refers to as her “fur babies.” She has a wonderful, generous heart and is very charitable. My children have been blessed by their aunt’s generosity.
SEE ALSO Couple holding two parts of broken heart. Dear Abby: My wife left me for my best man My issue is: Lately, she has made a few comments about how I don’t bring holiday gifts for her dogs. It’s remarks like, “Well, my fur babies don’t get gifts from their aunt.” Am I missing something here? Should I feel guilty for not adding her pets to my gift list because she considers them equal in value to human children? I can’t think of her dogs like I do my nieces and nephews. Am I wrong? — AUNT OF FUR BABIES?
DEAR AUNT: You may not consider your sister’s dogs as equal to human children, but she does. Gift-giving is supposed to be reciprocal. Your sister has been generous with your children, and you now know it bothers her that her “fur babies” have been overlooked. When the next gift-giving cycle rolls around (I hear there are great sales going on now) drop by a pet store. It is the kind thing to do, and it shouldn’t break the bank.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Do you have a thing against saplings?
No, I’d like to get one if I had more room.
No, but I am entitled to my opinion on things, as are you.
I bet you’re a load of fun.
Actually, you'd win that bet. Most people I know don't judge me on the things they disagree with me on in social internet forums.
not a lot of space?
bonsai
When my kids were young, we would hang Christmas stockings for them and the dog!
Oh Jeez. Where’s the spirit of Christmas? Buying her pets some treats and toys isn’t going to break the bank.
I like to bring bacon treats when I visit people with dogs over the Christmas holidays. Dogs like bacon, this cannot be denied.
Not just dogs!
Same here. My cats are my darlings, but I think anyone buying gifts for them is weird. They don’t know it’s Christmas. All they know is that tree with the dangly things MUST DIE.
Oh, for crying out loud, Scrooge. Cough up the four bucks for the toy mouse if it makes your sister happy. God forbid you should buy your sister a cheap present at Christmas. Piker.
Anyway, we stuff their stockings (yeah, we put them up for them...a couple of catnip mice, and a catnip kick-stick each in there, and they have a good Christmas morning!
They are brothers from the same litter. I sure have become attached to these guys.
They don't act like regular cats, and are very mellow and social. Most cats, if there is a loud and unexpected sound, become very startled and hyper-alert. These two, I knocked a can of soup from the top shelf of the cabinet near the ceiling onto to the top of the washing machine right below it.
You can imagine the sound that made. I was looking right at them when it hit, and neither of them even so much as blinked. I have owned and interacted with a lot of cats in my life, and that is unusual behavior. The lighter colored one is very intelligent,but giving him a good head rub is like juggling a chain saw! He gets worked up and attacks The Hand.
The black one? Never. Of all the animals I have owned in my life, he has perhaps the gentlest temperament of any animal, dog or cat. Funny.
Visitors are always initially attracted to the handsome light colored Admiral Halsey, but they end up giving all their attention to the tuxedo cat, Mr. Inky.
Well, if you’re going to splay yourself here as so rigid and moralistic over something so simple, I guess you’ve got judgement coming.
And they’ll be your friends forever.
Sorry you feel that way. Have a blessed evening.
We hang stockings for the pets in the family, but we usually don’t buy them anything. They are not hairy children, after all.
This does not have to complicated. Just buy them a big box of dog treats and wrap it up. The dogs don’t freaking care and will be more grateful than most children as long as they can eat it.
I enjoy my pets.
They are pets. They have good lives.
I don’t adopt them. I bought them.
I have children and I have pets. They are different.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.