Are Pet Guardians "Humanizing" Pets By Spoiling Them?

I don’t care if kitties were born with a silver spoon in their mouth having a pedigree as long as my arm, or if their parent’s background isn’t hoity-toity. As long as they meow (even silently) and purr, I become instantly smitten with these amazing creatures. And, smitten as I am, I have no doubt that I’ve been put on Earth to cater to the whims of felines, spoiling them whenever possible.

I can spend hours thinking of new ways to spoil our two kitties in order to enrich their environment. Thankfully, today with the huge assortment of Internet shopping malls carrying just about anything a cat could need or want, it definitely makes my quests a lot easier. 

This said, while purrusing the items for sale at one of my favorite online kitty boutiques the other day, I had to ask myself this question: when it comes to showering our cats with gifts and humanizing pets, is it possible to go too far?  And to answer this question that wracked my brain, I was compelled to do some research

According to the opening statement in an item recently published on the Huffington Post regarding the humanization of pets, Drew Guarini  wrote, “Ancient Egyptians likely worshiped cats, and it seems modern civilizations aren't that different. In fact, we may be taking our love of these furry creatures to the extreme: We're now treating them as humans, if recent pet products are any indication.”

Although I have to admit I had to grit my teeth while reading the article, I had to agree with the author. Some kitty guardians sometimes go way overboard when showering cats with gifts, almost to the point of humanizing them.

Some examples of what I am talking about can be found routinely on the Internet. For instance, the high-hat department store Hammacher Schlemmer sold a pet highchair which allowed the family’s fur companion to join them at the dining table. While it sold for a nominal cost of $50, regretfully, for some pet guardians, the item is no longer available.

This British Website offers cats and dogs the opportunity to play in cardboard vehicles. For a mere $30, pets may ride around in fire trucks, airplanes, tanks, and of course drive around in a “Catillac”, an automobile that is appropriately named.

For cat guardians who hate leaving their beloved felines home alone without entertainment for long periods will be over-the-top pleased with this item. Since bored kitties can get into trouble doing things which may not be acceptable to their humans, the Cat Sitter DVD series is available on Amazon.com. Its purpose is to “keep hyperactive cats focused on TV”, or as a means of amusement when their pawrents are not around.

To get a preview of the “Cat Sitter” DVD, watch the short video uploaded to YouTube by chrisilstrup.

While these products may appeal to sophisticated pets, as far as this writer is concerned, these toys are more than likely targeted to tickle the fancy of their guardians. What do you think? Do people go overboard humanizing their pets? Tell us in a comment.