I wonder if perhaps she is unable to have children and if that might explain a little why she is so sensitive regarding this matter.
100% it is no where near the same thing. I have had 3 children and over the years I have had 7 cats and at one point had 3 cats at the same time and all raised from Kittens and I can tell you that having 3 cats is no where near the same as having one baby.

I have a dog who was shaken vigorously as a puppy and she has slowly lost her sight, she is also a diabetic. I have to get up at 4am every morning to give her a tablet then up again at 5 to feed her and give her an injection. It is very hard work but I would never compare the two as being equal.

I have long found it quite offensive when people compare having pets to having kids. It’s like calling babies or kids animals. And I’m sorry, but they’re very different experiences with very different levels of responsibility. I get that pet owners feel strongly about their pets, and that’s valid. Comparing it to parenting is not.

I don’t think you should have called her out on it. I know it would be a frustrating view to listen to as there really isn’t a true comparison to having humans as a responsibility and I agree. There may be underlying issues. Maybe she is trying to validate her decision not to have any or may be trying to have one and it’s not working out. I’d maybe apologise and try to move on.

Personally I think the right way to handle this situation is to just accept the cat mum with her thoughts and feelings about it. There is no need to confront or correct her way of thinking. Certainly when you are friends I would expect that you can accept each others different opinion and can be tolerant towards each other.

I feel like for those who don’t have their own children, to them they have really nothing else to compare it to. So yes, their pets are like their children. I was definitely like this too with our fur baby before kids. It was a lot of work! But nothing compared to raising my kids now

I totally understand wanting to feel included in conversations, especially when you’re the only one without kids in a group of mums. It can be awkward and isolating. But comparing being a “cat mum” to actual parenting is a huge stretch. Yes, pets take effort, and we all love them like family but raising a human baby is on a whole different level.

Sleepless nights, feeding struggles, teething, emotional regulation, milestones, development concerns none of that applies to cats. You can leave a cat at home for hours or go away for a weekend with a sitter. You can’t do that with a newborn. It’s not the same kind of physical or emotional labour.

That said, I do think she might have just been trying to relate in the only way she could, even if it missed the mark. It probably came from a place of wanting to belong, not trying to be disrespectful. Still… there’s a time and place, and that moment was really about supporting the mum-to-be—not making it about pet parenting.

I have heard people say this in the past and i think people who don’t have children will never understand what it is like to have kids until you have them, myself included. I never got it until i had a child of my own. Pets can be demanding and there is a lot of work involved but nothing is the same as raising a child.

There may indeed be underlying reasons or a considered choice for not having children. Everyone approaches motherhood and parenthood in different ways. In this situation it would not bother me in the slightest or make me feel uncomfortable to have someone talk about their experience and responsibilities in caring for much loved pets. The priority would be inclusion and looking after relationships and making the experience memorable and fun for the expecting mum.

She may adore her cat but the love of a child is a completely different level of love. You cant explain it in words you can only live it to understand.

I absolutely adore my cat, she’s my first born in my eyes, but there is no comparison to having a cat and a baby. While it could be that the sister was feeling left out I don’t think that means drawing silly comparisons to contribute in conversation. Some people won’t hear otherwise though

At any gathering with family or friends it is so important to be inclusive and facilitate everyone contributing to a conversation. Respect with family and friends means listening to them and not putting them down in front of others. Is there harm in everyone sharing their personal stories and feeling included and not excluded.

I 100% agree that the sister is delusional if she thinks that having a pet is the same as a child. The thing is animals are pre-programed with instincts and we aren’t. Animals are able to function perfectly fine on their own without our interference from only a few months old. An animal doesn’t need any assistance to live it’s daily life and only requires feeding, somewhere comfortable to sleep and changing the litter if we’re talking a cat.
All that aside, the sister was obviously feeling left out, even if what she was saying was ridiculous and maybe they could have just let her go instead of pulling her up.

I think it might have been best to let her contribute to the conversation even though you may not agree with what she was saying. She probably does feel like she was belittled in front of others. I would arrange a coffee meet up and apologize for any hurt feelings.

Personally what you said was maybe not wrong, but it is the question if it needed to be said at all and if it needed to be said there and then. By saying it there in the group, you kind of belittle her in front of your mutual friend group. Besides this, for some people cats and dogs are just as important as children