“Dogs prepare you for babies. Cats prepare you for teenagers” is a saying that has been printed on several images. Teenagers (and cats) can understand better than babies (and dogs), but often purposefully don’t go along with the family’s plan. Not everyone agrees with this statement, however.
   
“Dogs prepare you for children; cats prepare you for teenagers; guinea pigs prepare you for long careers in sewage treatment & waste disposal” was posted on Twitter by Erikglenn on September 22, 2009. “Dogs prepare you for newborns, cats prepare you for the teen years?” was posted on Twitter by HobbesQ, Decidedly Holly and Jolly on August 3, 2011. “I would say dogs prepare you for babies. Cats prepare you for teenagers” was posted on Twitter by Ute Orgassa on September 1, 2013.
   
“I always tell folk that having a dog prepares you for having kids; having cats prepares you for having teenagers” was posted on Twitter by Tad on September 21, 2014. “I always say a dog prepares you for kids; a cat prepares you for teenagers. 😐” was posted on Twitter by Tad on February 21, 2017. 
 
“Dogs may help you prepare for babies, but cats prepare you for teenagers” was posted on Reddit—Showerthoughts on March 28, 2019.
     
   
Twitter   
Kat Michie
@KatMich
Having a dog prepares you for having a baby, right!? http://vimeo.com/2042969
12:12 PM · Jul 29, 2009·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter     
Erikglenn
@erikglenn
Dogs prepare you for children; cats prepare you for teenagers; guinea pigs prepare you for long careers in sewage treatment & waste disposal
1:18 AM · Sep 22, 2009·Twitter Web Client
     
Twitter
HobbesQ, Decidedly Holly and Jolly
@HobbesQ
Replying to @mtgcolorpie
@mtgcolorpie dogs prepare you for newborns, cats prepare you for the teen years?
9:55 PM · Aug 3, 2011 from San Diego, CA·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
Zack
@Zackblows
Having a dog prepares you for having a baby. Having a cat prepares you for having a filthy box of cat shit just lying around, weirdo.
11:54 PM · Oct 31, 2011·Twitter Web Client
 
Twitter
Kate.
@katearoni2
Replying to @samnoble
@samnoble Dogs prepare you for kids more than you’d think. Think lab puppies.
7:35 PM · Sep 29, 2012·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
Ute Orgassa
@Scratchingcat
It is always said that dogs prepare you for children. I would say dogs prepare you for babies. Cats prepare you for teenagers.
9:26 PM · Sep 1, 2013·Twitter Web Client
         
HuffPost
Dogster, Contributor An online community for dogs and the dog owners who love them
10 Ways a Dog Prepares You for a Baby
12/10/2013 04:30 pm ET Updated Feb 09, 2014
Let’s face it: for many of us, our dogs are pretty much our children. They have similar needs, and we often dote on them in the way way. However, at the end of the day, a dog is still, well, a dog! They sniff strangers’ butts and eat poop. Hopefully your human child will engage in neither of these behaviors.
 
Twitter
Tad
@tadrow
Replying to @LibertyBelleJ
@LibertyBelleJ I always tell folk that having a dog prepares you for having kids; having cats prepares you for having teenagers.
7:29 PM · Sep 21, 2014·Twitterrific for iOS
 
Twitter
Madison Dallenbach
@Madison_Dall
Dogs prepare you for babies. And I prefer dogs. #dogmom
8:40 PM · Sep 16, 2016·Twitter for iPhone
       
Twitter       
Tad
@tadrow
Replying to @ANNELAMOTT
I always say a dog prepares you for kids; a cat prepares you for teenagers. 😐
4:23 PM · Feb 21, 2017·Twitterrific for iOS
 
Twitter
ShitMyAspieSays
@ShitMyAspieSays
Dogs prepare you for having kids. Cats prepare you for having roommates.
8:06 PM · Apr 26, 2017·Twitter Web Client
   
Twitter
John Welker
@Chief_109
Having a dog can prepare you for having a baby, having a cat prepares you for having a teenager.
8:28 PM · Dec 8, 2017·Twitter for iPad
 
Twitter
Ace
@TheOtherAce
If dogs prepare you for kids and cats prepare you for teenagers, what animal would prepare you for adults?
7:46 PM · Jun 2, 2018·Twitter Web Client
 
Reddit—Showerthoughts
Posted by u/chinchuberry March 28, 2019
Dogs may help you prepare for babies, but cats prepare you for teenagers
 
Twitter
Kavita Singh
@kavitabika
Dogs prepare you for babies while Cats prepare you for teenagers
7:34 AM · Aug 28, 2019·Twitter for Android
 
Twitter
Shannon McMullan
@manitoulinarts
Dogs prepare you for babies. Cats prepare you for teenagers. ~ Anonymous #cats #dogsoftwitter #family
2:40 PM · Aug 28, 2019·Buffer
 
The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
Front Porch: Toddler/teen behavior defines rowdy kitten
Thu., Sept. 26, 2019
(...)
I recently read this quote: “Dogs prepare you for babies, cats prepare you for teenagers,” and boy, is that true. At 4 1/2 months, our tabby is still more toddler than teen, but I swear he just rolled his eyes at me.
 
Twitter
Ana Karen
@KxrenDeLaTorre
Dogs prepare you for babies.
Cats prepare you for teenagers.
2:32 PM · Jan 13, 2020·Twitter for iPhone