Pictures Of Animal Parents That Perfectly Sum Up What We’ve All Felt About Parenting
It's not often we see ourselves so perfectly in our animal counterparts, but these worn-out and exasperated pet parents will definitely have you saying "I've been there" as you're reading. All these worn-out critters need is a good 8 hours of sleep and a little privacy. Just like us. They'll probably never get theirs, either. Ah, the joys of parenting.
No, Let Me Just Get It. You're Not Helping.
What's more chaotic than a kid on a destructive rampage? A kid on a helping spree. Though they have really good and sweet intentions, they're really making everything worse when they try and help their parents. We all know what the kitchen looks like when they try and cook you breakfast in bed.
This little kitten saw that her dad was trying to steal food from the counter so she decided she'd help as well. The only problem is she's a little short and she's going to get their cover blown. Quick, act purrfectly natural.
Blink Twice For Help
This mama dog named Snickerdoodle is definitely trying to communicate something with her eyes right? Is it "more kibble?" Is it "take me out on a walk?" No, it may be a subliminal message for you to save her from her kids. Every parent can definitely read between the lines here.
This photo has major Creation of Adam energy. Except, this dog created her puppies and is now reaching towards the person behind the camera for help. It's a new take on a classic Renaissance scene, just with added canine parenting anxiety.
The Face Of A True Warrior
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. This is especially true if you have the soul of a mama dog that's been up for days with 7 puppies hanging off of her. If she got her soul read at that moment it would read "dog-tired."
Do her eyes say "help me" or "end me?" Either way, she's just barely hanging in there with the sheer force of two paws on the ground and a leveling gaze at a human off camera. She's probably questioning why we have time to invent cars but not to help her out.
This Cat Who Just Realized That's Not Her Baby
We've all done it. At some point we've called our kid by the wrong name, mistaken them as someone else from a distance, or accidentally left them in the car for 20 seconds. Very few of us forget our kid, bring home a different one and raise it as our own. But that looks like that's exactly what this kitty mom did.
She was in the middle of bathing her strange feathered kitten when she looked up and appeared to realize this wasn't exactly her baby. The owl looks surprised too. If this isn't my kitten, then whoooo is this?
No Corner Is A Safe Corner When You're A Mother
We've all got our little hidey-holes we go to when we want to be alone. For some of us, it's the supply closet at work and for others, it's far away downstairs in the bathroom when you think no one will find you. They will, by the way. Locked doors don't stand a chance against toddlers.
This dog found this out the hard way when she backed herself into a corner trying to get away from her puppies. Look at that tired out face desperate for some peace and quiet. She's only going to get it when they're all asleep.
If Your Child Never Took Naps You Can Relate To This
We all know what it's like when 8 o'clock rolls around and you're trying to put your child down for bed and they just won't sleep. So you lie next to them and hope their eyes will shut and their limbs will stop flailing. Begging never hurt either.
This adorable parent-child duo is going through those bedtime growing pains themselves. Look how the baby hedgehog is clearly not sleeping while the parent is pretending to sleep. They're definitely trying to will their own tiredness onto their child. Just close your eyes...shhh.
This Dog Babysitter Didn't Sign Up For This
This dog may not be the parent of these rowdy goats, but that makes no difference to them and they're going to treat him like he's family. That means doing parkour stunts off his face and climbing all over him. Doesn't every warm welcome come with a hoof to the face?
This is a screenshot from a 5-minute long video of the goats doing just that. The best part is the dog doesn't wake up at all during the rowdiness. It must be a parent itself and used to sleeping through literally anything.
Motherhood Really Transformed This Cat
Some days you wake up as a mother and you don't feel quite human. Maybe your kid put cereal in your bed while you slept so you would have some bright and early, or maybe you got a solid 20 minutes of sleep the night before and you think you've transitioned into the spectral realm. It happens.
This cat can attest to that. The internet has affectionately dubbed this cat-mom "Cathulu" and yeah, that's pretty accurate for the kind of supernatural being that motherhood's transformed this little lady into.
These Adorable Parents Are Total Lovebirds
No, seriously, they're actually lovebirds. These two are less like the stressed-out parents on this list and more excited about the kids they're having. They must not be running on no sleep and the power of Quaker's apple cinnamon oatmeal yet.
This sweet little goth lady got together with this mango boy and they produced some adorable pastel goth children. There's no mistaking who the parents of these birdies are. Maybe their personalities are half and half too, and they answer every question both punk and gleeful with "whatever, I don't care. Love you."
This Cuddly Husky Cinnamon Bun Of Love
We're used to hearing that moms will give the shirts off their backs for their children, and it's no different for husky-moms over here as well. This wolf-like dog will literally give her body heat to keep her pup nice and toasty during those cold winter months. That's essentially the same thing.
Look at how happy and warm this little pup looks curled up in the center of the cinnamon bun that is his mom. This is a no-stress cuddle zone. Except for the fact that the mom is probably gritting her teeth being an amazing parent.
You've Definitely Made The Face This Stressed Out Opossum Is Making
This opossum has a great expression because it perfectly sums up how all parents feel and how we all feel taking public transportation. Both are exercises in trying to stay calm despite the person beside you spitting on people and throwing their juice on the ground.
Look at how calm her babies are while she's caught in the middle of whatever tornado life has thrown at her. She's probably just gotten back her bill for the chiropractor that she had to start going to because of her kids. Unfortunately, she can't play dead for this one.
This Mama Rhino Learned To Multitask Quickly
A sign of a good leader is that they know how to delegate. Usually, that means assigning tasks like building a presentation. For this mama rhino, it means appointing her child in charge of milk supply and distribution –– to itself while she's sleeping.
Hopefully, she's dreaming about something other than the daily dairy demands of her customers. This poor tuckered out lady deserves a break after the quarter she put in for her team. Moms don't get breaks though, so she'll probably just chew her grass a little slower than usual.
But Mom, Everyone Else Is Going To The Dog Park
There's an age-old struggle between kids and the word "no." No matter how good the question sounds in their head, sometimes it comes out way too wild and the infamous "no" answer from a parent is lurking on the horizon. I'm already 5, what do you mean I can't stay out until midnight with my friends in the 7/11 parking lot?
This puppy looks like it's asking its mom a very important question about where they can go and how much money she can give them to go have fun. Hopefully, the little guy is using his powerful puppy-dog eyes.
Just Hold Still... I'm Going To Close My Eyes For 5 Minutes
We've been making jokes about overtired parents but this is seriously the result. This tired mama bird ran out of caffeine and couldn't get the Keurig brewing in time so it began to power down right on top of its baby, but that's just par for the course, right?
Can you spot the baby underneath its mom? This little guy is taking this impromptu weighted blanket like a champ, probably because he understands and appreciates all the stuff his mama does for him. That's just heartwarming.
The Child Leash Also Exists In The Animal Kingdom
This mama monkey has apparently had enough of her monkey child wandering around the Walmart touching things it's not supposed to touch, so she brought out the animal equivalent of a child leash.
If this doesn't make people re-think putting their kids on leashes, nothing probably will. Hopefully, they know that it makes them look as silly as this monkey. Good luck little monkey. Maybe if you're quiet in the car your mom will still take you out for ice cream.
When They Gotta Go They Gotta Go
You know how kids are –– if they're not announcing to the world they have to use the bathroom then they're going right ahead and using it then and there regardless of what's going on. Looks like that might be true for ponies as well. Either that or this baby is doing a little yoga.
This mom is so used to her kid just going wherever he likes in whatever chaotic state he chooses that she's not even batting an eye as he's going right next to her. Hey, it's better than going directly on her. You've got to pick your battles as a parent.
This Dog Is Majorly Traumatized By Parenthood
Kids, no matter how adorable they are, don't really care about what you're going through. If your car died, your shirt ripped, or your income taxes came back in the red, it's still playtime with Mommy at 3 pm and that's that. Kids are organized if nothing else.
This dog looks like it's seen some stuff during its parenthood trials and tribulations. Those eyes look wide awake and ready to relive every traumatic instance their pup has put them through. It's a big contrast to all sunshine and playtime in the puppy's world.
Annnnddd, Play Time Is Over
Part of the delicate parental balancing act is knowing when the fun has gone too far –– that means keeping one eye out for danger, one out for fun, and another out for our own sanity. That's 3 eyes? Parents grow one in the back of their heads.
This mama cat sensed that things were getting too wild between her kitten and a toddler, so she scooped her baby up and took it away. You can see how much the cute toddler wanted to keep playing with the kitten. Too bad there's 20 lbs difference between the two.
They've Taken Everything From Me
Being a mother is not for the faint of heart. Not only do your children take up your time, but also your body, and at the end of the day, your spirit. This mamma cat looks like she's accepted her fate and recognizes that this is her life for the foreseeable future.
She figured she might as just lay on her back and get it over with than try to even put up a fight. Hopefully, before long, the babies won't need their mother to eat anymore.
The Joys Of Parenthood And Plexiglass Barriers
Being a parent changes your preferences –– your favorite things become baby pens, cribs, and knee-high plastic gates. Basically, anything to keep the child mess in the other less important rec room while your nice paintings and couches stay clean in the living room. It never works for long though, does it?
This proud mama dog just bought an awesome new plexiglass gate to keep her adorable little ones in the other room while she does important dog stuff like sleep for 10 minutes before letting them out. It was nice while it lasted though.
This Photo Is Where We Get The Expression "Dog Pile"
Remember how we would all love to get into bed with our parents in the cold mornings? Well, dogs like doing the same thing. Except when we would keep our hands and feet to ourselves when our moms told us to stop kicking them, dogs just don't. Their idea of personal space is more of a shared one.
This poor mom on the bottom is entering her happy place and not worrying about everything that's going on around her. Oh, that snapping noise was my spine dislocating under the weight of my kids? Doesn't matter, just breathe in and out.
I Told You To Stay In Bed
It looks like this baby polar bear didn't do what they were told, and now they're being reprimanded by their mother. Although it might look harsh, trust us, it doesn't hurt the baby at all, that's just how they transport them around at a young age.
This is the polar bear equivalent of a parent picking up their child and leaving the store after they throw a temper tantrum in the middle of the aisle. Hopefully, this baby learned its lesson.
How Am I Going To Get Down?
Anyone that has more than one child can feel this opossum's pain. Not only are all of her young crawling all over her, but she's doing her best to balance at the top of a very narrow gate.
She looks like she's looking at the ground, worried about how she's going to get all of her babies and herself safely down. They look a little young to do it themselves, so this mother is definitely in a pickle. We hope everything worked out!
Leave Me Here
If there's one picture that sums up motherhood, this might be the one. This poor cat is trying to get some rest at any chance that she can, even if it means sleeping in positions that most cats wouldn't dream of doing.
It looks like her babies fell asleep after eating, so she saw this as the perfect opportunity to catch some shut-eye as well. She better sleep as much as she can, because you know those kittens are going to wake up hungry, starting the cycle all over again.
My Special Place Has Been Compromised
Before welcoming his litter of kittens into the world, you know that this sink was most likely this cat's favorite place in the whole house. It was private, quiet, and not to mention comfortable.
However, that all changed the second the kittens were able to open their eyes. Now, his once-peaceful spot has been compromised and turned into a circus. No more mid-day naps for this poor guy. His best bet might be to try and find a new spot that his kittens don't have access to. Any dad that's had to sleep with a baby in the bed knows how this feels.
This Is My Life Now
Both human and animal babies will sleep just about anywhere, even if it's at the detriment to their parent. What makes it worse, is that the parent never wants to wake the baby up or else they'll have to get back to their parental responsibilities.
This dog looks like they feel they made a mistake having a baby, something most people might think when their child is sleeping on their neck. However, we can't blame the puppy, they sure look comfortable!
Nobody Told Me About This!
Unfortunately for cats, there aren't any books to prepare them for motherhood or what to expect. It seems like this cat definitely didn't get the memo about feeding her kittens, and she looks taken aback by the whole situation.
We hope that she gets used to it because she's going to have to do this numerous times a day for a good amount of time. It's also possible that she woke up to this happening and this is her natural reaction.
Don't You Talk Back To Me!
Having a child can be a beautiful thing, but you might start second-guessing your decision once they learn how to talk back to you. With a mind and voice of their own, they eventually figure out that they can say no to their parents, that's when things get interesting.
Seems like this young kitten just realized the power of their voice and are showing it off to their mother. However, the mother looks less than impressed and liked things better when she could have some peace and quiet.
When You Hug The Wrong Woman At The Grocery Store
We've all done it, turn around for a second while you're in line at the grocery store, only to hug the wrong woman that you thought was your mother. This is what seems to be going on here, as this kitten has sadly mistaken a dog to be its mother.
The dog has to be more confused than the kitten in this situation and looks tired enough to have puppies of her own. If that's the case, she truly must be living a nightmare. Hopefully, the kitten's mom will help clear things up.
Personal Space, Please
Once you have kids, your personal space goes right out the window. Whether they need to fall asleep on you, be fed, or are just climbing on you just because they can, it can be a while before you get that sense of freedom back.
Clearly, this cat is experiencing this lack of personal space at this exact moment, with all of her kittens grabbing onto her and holding on for dear life. Chances are, they're hungry, and are trying to let their mom know even though she's well aware.
The Classic Pin Move
If you have a kid that refuses to take a nap, one trick that parents can utilize is the pin-down technique. All you have to do is hold them tight so they can't escape with the goal that they'll hopefully fall asleep.
Apparently, this isn't a new trick for gorillas who use it to calm down their rambunctious young. You can tell this gorilla is praying to any god that will listen for their baby to go to sleep so they can hopefully get a nap in too.
Comfortable?
We're sure that this rhino was enjoying an afternoon nap when their baby decided that nap time was over and that they wanted some attention. We don't blame the rhino if they continue to pretend to be asleep, hoping their young will get the message.
The baby better hope that their parent doesn't have a short temper, because the might find themselves in serious trouble. Nobody wants to wake up with someone jumping on their head.
The Lion King 2.0
We all remember that adorable scene in The Lion King when Simba tries to wake up his father by biting on his ears. Even Mufassa didn't appreciate that one very much! Well, it looks like that strategy doesn't only apply to animated lions since this little guy had the same idea.
We're not sure if this pupper is trying to wake up their parent or if they needed something to chew on and the ear was the first thing they saw. Either way, the big dog looks less-than-amused.
What Did You Do To My Child?
Animal or human, you never want to get in the way between a mother and her young. Looks like someone wasn't very nice to this lion cub, so their mom is going to set things straight.
Looks like the cub knows exactly what their mother is going to do and wants to be there for the action, except nicely shielded behind her. All we know is that we don't want to be whatever this lion is coming after, she might be the last thing they ever see.
No More Sugar Before Bedtime
This mother is certainly in a tricky situation. She looks as though she's as tired as can be while her cub has more energy than ever. All this mom wants to do is go to sleep, but she knows that she'll only be pestered by her young if she tries.
Looks like she might have to suck it up and wait for the cub to pass out from exhaustion. Ah, the joys of being a mother. One day the cub will feel its mothers pain and understand.
Why Do You Think I Am Cross?
This cat has taken the concept of feline facial hair to the extreme. Not only has he grown an upturned mustache that many human men would envy, but he has also got a whole load of fluffy going on in the eyebrow department, too. That frown is the perfect expression for a cat as they are often complaining about the level of care you give them.
Food, shelter, love, and affection must always be on your moggie's terms, so Mr. Frowny Face here is all set to disapprove like the king of the house he knows himself to be. Just don’t tell him we think he is hilarious.
A Smile To Melt Hearts
This little fella was found on the street and taken to the local animal shelter. We're not sure if that is a cute little mustache or a beaming black smile. Either way, this dreamboat of a puppy is unlikely to have trouble finding a new home. It’s hard to know what is most charming; that perky stance, the big puppy dog eyes, or the tail wagging so fast it is a blur.
There is no word on whether or not he has a new home yet, but we imagine he is already bouncing about, wowing his new owners and charming everyone he meets.
An Underwater Beauty
You might assume that this turtle is an albino, but you would be wrong. This beautifully marked animal is what is known as leucistic. Unlike animals who suffer from albinism, animals which are leucistic experience only the partial loss of pigmentation which can result in many different patterns and colors in the skin, shell, and fur. Also, leucistic animals do not suffer from pigment loss to the eyes, so they do not have the red eyes associated with albinism.
Any species of animal can be leucistic, and it can affect one offspring and not another. We are just lucky to have caught a glimpse of this beauty.
He Wears His Heart On His Sleeve
Ok, he may not be wearing his heart on his sleeve exactly, but this is the closest a dog could get. Not only has this tiny bundle of fur got the most appealing sad eyes, but he also has love written all over him. A cutie pie canine who is just begging to be lifted up and cuddled, this puppy was in high demand once people caught sight of his very distinctive marking.
Let's hope this little fella has grown up and had a family of his own; then he can be passing on his love heart gene endearing his offspring for generations to come.
Cookies And Cream
This lovely little puppy is a dappled Dachshund, often referred to by Dachshund fans as a "Dapple Doxie." The fabulous coat is caused by a dominant gene and may or may not be similar to the coat of mom or dad. One of the parents has to be a dapple themselves to produce a dappled pup.
This delightful Dachshund looks like the furry equivalent of a big tub of chocolate cookies and cream ice cream. He is so delicious looking, those soft fluffy ears, those eyes pleading “cuddle me,” only the coldest of hearts could resist him, don't you think?
They Are Sun Kisses
Not everyone is a huge fan of freckles, but it is impossible to look into the eyes of this handsome lad and not fall in love with him immediately. This beauty is a mixture of an Australian Cattle Dog and a Pitbull. With the traditional stocky and muscular pitbull body type and the Australian Cattle Dog's colors peppered through the coat, this puppy certainly seems to be one of a kind.
His freckled coat is set off by a pair of soft furry brown ears that are just begging to be scratched, and his facial expression screams "Take me home and love me."
Two For The Price Of One
If you ever wanted to have two cats but could only afford to feed one, here is the perfect solution. This fabulous feline carries her very own buddy around with her. The unusual markings on this lady's fur are a pure fluke, but doesn’t she look adorable with her little black cat friend on her back?
None of her littermates nor her mom or dad had this type of marking; it looks like she was the only one fortunate to have a constant companion. At least she will never be lonely. Anybody lucky enough to own this cat would never want to put her down.
Half The Color, Twice The Impact
Peacocks are almost always magnificent to look at, except when they are running after you. Then, not so much. This rare bird is another example of a leucistic animal. In the case of our feathered friend, it has left him predominately white with a few splashes of his trademark colors splashed on his body and tail.
The reason you see so few leucistic animals is that it is a genetic trait and in the wild, these animals were easier to spot and were, therefore, more likely to be hunted down for food. Luckily, these days, they are usually caught and protected by caring people, and that allows us to see the beauty of the leucistic animal.
Happy Feet?
Up until now, everyone's favorite penguin has probably been a particular animated bird who sang and danced his way through a hit children’s movie. Delightful though he was, he can’t hold a candle to this fluffy fur baby. At home all the way down in Antarctica, this Emperor Penguin is destined to grow into a beautiful example of the biggest and heaviest penguin species on the planet.
Unfortunately, she is likely to lose her beautiful heart as she grows, and her soft downy fluff is replaced by adult feathers. However, for now, we can enjoy her picture and aww ’till our heart’s content.
No, My Ears Are Real
A cat with cat ears – isn't that every cat? Well, kind of, but this particular cat has taken a step further, went to Etsy and bought herself a pair of black cat ears on a headband. Maybe she is an Ariana Grande fan or a big comic book follower who just loves Catwoman. Who knows?
All I know is that she has the most beautiful green eyes and her quirky headwear just adds an extra layer to a lasagne of loveliness. I also know that any cat owner would be lucky to have this feline friend living in their home.
Is It Movember Yet?
This magnificently mustachioed fur baby has taken his commitment to Movember very seriously. If you are not familiar with this event, it is a commitment to grow a mustache in the month of November to raise awareness of men's health issues. It is unclear whether or not this fella is raising awareness for male cats’ health problems or the potential health problems of human men.
Either way, he has quite the handlebar mustache growing. I like to imagine him sitting on his owner’s lap and twiddling his tiny feline mustache with his paw while practicing his evil purr.
Two In One Bird
This amazing budgerigar is not like any other bird in its family. This beautiful feathered friend is a very rare chimera. Chimeric animals are created when two or more fertilized eggs fuse together and become a single creature. It is like taking two fraternal twins and squishing them together to make one child.
Chimeras have two distinct sets of DNA in their bodies, and this can result in an animal with male and female parts, two different blood types, or a half and half appearance like this budgerigar. It is incredibly rare, and as such we were very lucky to see this beautiful budgerigar in all its glory.
Pass It On
This is one exhausted-looking mama, and you would be looking that tired too if you had just given birth eight times. Having not long given birth to an excellent litter of puppies, here she is posing with one of her little newborns. Not only does momma have an oh so lovely heart shape on her flank, but she has also kindly passed on this quirk to one of her little ones.
Now, hopefully, we can enjoy generations of fluffy, furry cuteness festooned with love hearts. If every heart-marked puppy can give birth to two more marked with hearts soon, we will be overflowing with heart-marked puppy love.
Paws For A Moment
Do you think you can you guess what happened to make this plump little newborn puppy? Maybe he was trodden on by a sibling in the womb, perhaps one of them marked him as a trouble maker, or more likely, but less fun, his paw nose is a delightful fluke. This sleepy-headed pup was completely unaware of the fuss he was causing when this photograph was taken.
He just wanted to snooze the day away. Unfortunately when he grew up, that cute little paw print spread out and merged together to form an absolutely lovely nose, but one without the extra "aww" factor.
This Sausage Looks Funny
Another extremely rare Dachshund, but this one is probably the most unusual of all. This Dachshund is a chimera. The two fertilized eggs that fused had very different types of coat; one was a regular patterned Dachshund, and the other was a dapple. Don't let the sad expression on her face fool you though; this little lady is a bundle of jumping joy.
When she is not sitting pretending to be glum on the sofa, she is bouncing up and down the garden, wagging her tail and rolling onto her back, just begging to have her belly scratched and rubbed.
I Don't Know Why You Are So Interested
Meet Sam, the permanently puzzled white cat who has his own Instagram channel and over 232,000 followers. He also has a Facebook page named SamHasEyeBrows approaching half a million likes. Born in 2012, his Facebook profile says he loves tomatoes and hiding, so you can only begin to imagine what kind of shenanigans he gets up to.
Of course, Sam can get away with absolutely anything he wants because he has the most innocent cat face in the world. How could you believe he had trashed the room when he looked at you with those eyebrows giving him such a puzzled look?
