When people refer to themselves as parents... of pets, and say it's the same as having kids

To start off, I love my kittens. I am however aware that they are animals, and it is not the same as having a child.

I understand for some people they spoil their pets or family does the whole "where are the kids" thing when people don't have kids, so they call them their babies, but at the end of the day, pets are not children.

You can love your pets to bits, would do anything for them, but you aren't a parent. Parents have children. Children are human.

I will add, I don't think being a parent makes you special, that having kids makes you special or that you are entitled to special parent privileges. I hate when people start sentences with "as a parent" but when at the end of thr sentence you don't even have a kid... It's weird.

Edit: The main thing that bugs me is people calling my cats my kids. I have had to explain to others, with human children, that someone was referring to my cats. It was really uncomfortable.

I also find it odd how many people here think I would mistreat an animal if I didn't consider it my child...