Where do you fall on the "fur children" way of describing certain pets? I feel like this falls into a vaguely similar group of mannerisms that probably mildly infuriate a number of folks.
I have a cat. He is a pet. Not a fur baby or child. I am not a cat. He's too old to be a baby. Young cats are kittens, not babies. I also very dislike doggos and kiddos.
Not sure why I wrote all that like a four year old. Maybe because that's how I view the intelligence level of those that feel the need to use that kind of language.
Admittedly, I too say it unironically. When my cat asks for cuddles, demands to be picked up and hugged. I have every right to call him a fur baby. He definitely acts like one.
That and just "kid" because he is definitely a kid. It also sounds close to the ukrainian word for cat so it's kind of perfect
My wife has a 14-yr-old cat that she refers to as "my old man baby". The cat's mannerisms and age fit the name. That said, the phrase weirdly straddles a few categories in this discussion.