I had a really funny conversation with SS5 the other day, thought I would share. I am a cat person - always have been. So when I moved in 8 months ago I brought with me 2 cats. Keep in mind that I don't have kids of my own so before I met BF my cats were my family. And I do take pet adoption very serious. But I don't think it's the same as having kids, cats are much easier But it's a serious obligation you have to take care of the pets you take in. And yes they should be treated like family - all be it small furry family.

I do however blame BM for this conversation. She insists that the kids call her FDH - dad. Even though they are not married yet. We don't encourage them to call me mom. but i had made up my mind when I moved in that I wouldn't change my relationship with my cats - to them I am 'mom'. And I do say things like, "come to mommy' and 'mommy loves you'. I also started calling BF 'Daddy (Name)' in relationship to the cats, mainly because he wasn't sure he would like them in the beginning but now he loves them. So when SS5 asked me if I was really the cats mom, i said yes. but they were adopted. I kind of explained how adoption worked then conversation moved on. Later SS5 asked me if the cat was his step-sister. I said no, because his dad and I were not married (yet). If we got married then the cat (kind of) would be his step-sister. So then he asked me when we were getting married. I told him BF hadn't asked me yet and to ask him when we were getting married.

it's funny because BM has dogs, but they are treated more like property or accessories than Family. And I am waiting for her to go off about me calling the cats step-siblings. But I figure if she can call her man step-dad before the wedding then my cat can be a step-sister after a wedding

Plus I want to promote a strong loving relationship between the boys and our pets. If you wouldn't pull your brother's hair then don't pull the cat's hair. And my cats don't bite or scratch - fair is fair. Shortly after moving in SS3 has my girl cat by the tail and she was just a crying for help (but she didn't bite him surprisingly). I went over to them and broke it up, then made SS3 pet her and say sorry.