I grew up with a younger sister, and there were typical sibling dynamics between the two of us. We went from being the best of friends one moment to completely annoyed with one other five minutes later. I’m sure, even in large families, the situations play out similarly.
I share my home with two human children and three feline kids. Sometimes I laugh at how much they act like real siblings. Some of the parallels are kind of uncanny. Here are 5 of the ways I’ve noticed.
1. They sometimes hang out together
This is no big deal, I suppose. Our cats are pretty social, and can often be seen chillin’ with the humans in the house. My human kids sometimes sit on the sofa and watch TV together, and I’ll notice at least one of the cats almost immediately join them. It’s one of those happy-mom moments when I realize maybe I didn’t raise complete beasts — they really can get along!
2. The older ones don’t want the younger ones in their rooms
I remember banning my younger sister from my bedroom because she’d always get into my “stuff.” I didn’t want her messing up the “order” of things. Please note, I use the word “order” very loosely. My room usually looked like a bomb went off inside of it. Currently, Phoebe is the annoying younger sister who always wants to get inside my kids’ rooms. It drives them crazy when she slips in because she walks all over the dresser tops and desks, knocking things over. I can always tell when she’s sneaked in because I hear, “Phoebe!”
3. The younger ones want to do what the older ones are doing
My younger sister always wanted to be where I was, hang out with me and my friends and do everything I was doing. My cats are the same way with my kids. They assume everything the bigger kids are doing must be “cool.” Speaking from the viewpoint of an older sibling, sometimes this is OK, and other times it’s downright irritating.
4. The younger ones are loud when the older ones want to sleep
My two teenagers like to sleep in, sometimes until noon on the weekends. The cats sometimes don’t make that easy. They meow, they loudly bat toys and wrestle, and they romp around the house like wildcats. Occasionally the wrestling includes a slam against one of the sleeping kids’ bedroom doors. Younger human siblings always seem to be loud — they watch TV loudly and aren’t always conscious of using their “indoor voices.” This can make the joy of sleeping in not quite so joyful.
5. There’s an older sister who’s a great listener
The older sibling has more life experience, if only by a couple of years. Some younger siblings seek advice from the wisdom of the elder brother or sister. Our Saffy is just like that big sister with a great listening ear. She’s 14 and lounges on my bed for a good part of the day. I sometimes see my kids curl up with her for a snuggle. She doesn’t run away, and she purrs happily when they speak to her. She’s the kind of big sister in which you can confide. And she’s great at keeping secrets.
Do your human kids and cats act like siblings? Tell us about it in the comments!
Read More by Angie Bailey:
- 5 Tips for Helping Your Kids Start a Pet-Sitting Business
- I’m Raising My Son to Love Cats, No Matter What Society Thinks
- 6 Tips for Planning the Perfect Cat-themed Party for Kids
- 5 Ways Cats Are Great Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Kids
- 5 DIY Projects You and Your Kids Can Make for Your Cats
Learn more about your cat with Catster:
- Weird Cat Facts: 8 Reasons Your Cat Likes to Lick You
- 10 Sounds That Cats Make — and What They Mean
- 8 Things to Try When Your Cat Won’t Eat
Featured Image Credit: Luidmila Kot, Pixabay
