Can Real Babies and Fur Babies Coexist?

For nearly three years, I have been researching and writing a book on the changing status of dogs and cats in society. The book’s central premise is that pets are becoming people, not only in our homes but also in the eyes of the law. Couples, especially when they don’t have their own kids, are ever more likely to turn their pets into surrogate children. They send them to doggy day camp, spend thousands on food and veterinary care, and create legal trusts to care for them should they themselves die. But what happens when real children enter the picture? Do we stop treating our pets like offspring when we finally have offspring of our own?

For me, the question has been a purely hypothetical one—until now. Last week, my wife gave birth to twin girls. The newborns join a family that already has two babies: our cats, Jasper and Jezebel. Like many couples, we spoil our pets. We buy them premium food, the latest toys, and take them for hour-long walks every day. (Yes, you can walk a cat. More on that, perhaps, in a future post.) Six years ago, when Jasper went into kidney failure, we rushed him to the pet emergency clinic and spent more than $3,000 on tests and medication. We cried. We lost sleep.  We took a few days off work. Would we do the same thing today?

So far, I think we would. Just a couple weeks before my wife delivered, Jasper’s kidneys acted up again. Though my wife was having trouble getting around, we both took him to the vet clinic, where they kept him for a couple of days—and another couple thousand dollars worth of testing and treatment. I nearly missed my brother’s wedding because of it. A few weeks later, as I scribble out a rough draft of this blog post, I’m out walking my cats while my wife watches over two sleeping infants. Jasper and Jezebel are as much a part of our family as they’ve ever been.

And yet, I wonder what the next year will bring. As the babies take up more of our love and attention will we still find time for the cats? We will still spoil them as much as we used to? Will there still be enough room in our hearts for both fur babies and the real thing?

I’d love to hear about your experiences. How have your feelings towards your pets changed since you brought children into the world? Have your cats and dogs become the older siblings—or the ugly stepchildren? Have you hit upon any tips to keep everyone happy? Please share your thoughts in the comments section!