to not want to get a pet for the DC's...

[MooMooFarm]

I grew up in a household with various pets. We (as in the chidren) would always promise to look after them ourselves, do the feeding, walking, whatever, but within a few weeks or sometimes days of getting a new one, it would always be up to our poor mum to look after it.

After leaving home I had a cat for a few years, so obviously then had to do the 'looking after' myself, including clearing up the puke/poo/wee and the half dead mice and birds (urgh). You can probably tell I didn't enjoy it much.

Since having children we've not had any pets, and I haven't missed the experience. I don't dislike animals, but I do dislike the hassle I have already mentioned above! And the older I get, the more I don't like things being messy and dirty (yes I'm probably a bit OCD). However, our DC have recently started nagging that they really want one, preferably a cat. DH and I would really rather not have one. I'm sure I would end up doing all the clearing up, and there's also the vets bills to put me off.

So - AIBU? Am I denying my children a really valuable experience of living alongside a pet?

Dooinmecleanin my cat died of old age - I didn't do anything horrible to it!

It wasn't a kitten when I got it so was already a good few years old. It had just turned up and kind of gradually moved in with me, which I didn't mind as it was a lovely cat & was really affectionate. Didn't stop me hating it bringing in half dead birds and puking on the kitchen floor though!

On the subject of vets bills - my mum's cat got run over about ten years ago and limped home with its jaw broken. She ended up paying nearly £2000 in vets bills to get its face mended. Either that or it would have had to be put down, and she didn't have the heart to do that as the poor thing was ok apart from the facial injury. She's not particularly well off and it was a big dip into her savings, but as she wasn't on benefits she either had to pay up or the cat would have 'got it'

I didn't think you'd done anything horrible to it . I thought you might have rehomed it if you didn't like it much that's all

My cat doesn't bring home dead animals. He's a rubbish hunter. My dog did bring in a dead rat's head last week. I don't even want to know what happened to the rest of it

OP, YANBU. Our DD would give a kidney for a dog or a cat but we have said a firm no. In the past she's had hamsters, gerbils, tortoise and fish. She and I are moving to England (she doesn't know yet) so the animal would have to be quarantined which costs pounds. Once she is responsible enough to clear out a litter tray she can have a kitten.

YANBU at all! We have been through the whole pet thing and ended up with the entire responsibilty for an animal which started out as the kids pet because they lose interest after a few days. Its hard enough having kids and a home and work and just general life to be having to worry about pets too.

YANBU. Parents should only get a pet if the parents want one as they will be the ones doing the work once the novelty wears off.