Are Pets like Children?

My answer to this used to be: no.
Pets are part of a family, but I used to cringe when people said "My pets are my children."
In so many ways, pets are nothing like a kid. Not that I have experience with kids.
Pets stay cute and cuddly forever. Kids turn into teenagers. Pets depend on you until they move to a farm. Kids actually move out. Pets can spend alone time even when they're young. Apparently many children can't. Pets don't need diapers or diaper changes. Pets can't talk. Or talk back.

Lately, since the arrival of cat #2, I have come to revise my stance on this matter.

These are a few recent events at our house:

I come home from work to find that most kitchen cabinets and drawers have been opened and the contents have been distributed all over the floor. There are distinctive chewmarks on bowls and silverware.

I accidentally close the bathroom door when trying to get ready for work. A pair of white paws appears underneath the door, followed by a pair of gray paws. Then there is scratching and wailing. I open the door. Casper, the friendly ghost, rushes in the bathroom and hops in the running shower. He has no intention of leaving until he sees Freddy on the bathroom counter. He gets out of the shower to join him, I get in. 2 seconds later I get out again, because Casper is emptying our medicine cabinet.

I do not remember the last time I got a good nights sleep. We co-sleep with the cats (not a good habit to get into - and all the husband's fault). Freddy and I share a pillow. My share is very small. I am grateful that I get to sleep on the pillow at all, I used to have to sleep at the foot of the bed. Casper does not need much sleep and amuses himself by opening and closing drawers, getting into the blinds, and talking.

Sometimes one of the cats has little accidents in the litterbox and certain things that should be in the box are left on their behinds. Okay, really this is only one cat it happens to, but I don't want to embarrass him on the internet.

If this is not good prep for having a child at home, I don't know what is!