Getting Our First Cat

Hi A.!

I like kittens, but the problem is that they turn into cats...congrats on the new member of your family. My only advice would be that for the first few weeks, keep the kitten's nails cut so there will be no accidents. Those suckers are SHARP! When kids get pets early the pet becomes protective of it's "sibling" and they are usually best friends forever. That was our experience anyway. Our cat put up with all kinds of tugging and chasing and flopping from our kids and he just went with the flow. I wonder if they're thinking "dumb humans, gotta love 'em". Good luck.

I'm not very lingo literate, but what does SAHM stand for?

V.

hey.. yeah for adopting a kitten! My advice would be to make an off limitis area. When the kitty goed there then your son cannot! That way the kitten has a safe place. Also, make sure that your son knows that when the kitty is going to the bathroom or eating it is to be left alone. If you can make a place up high for the kitten to hide that your son can't get to, would be good for it as well. Its really hard to give advice until you see how your son is with the kitten. We have a friend who's son is just WILD and I was really worried when they got a kitten. He is AMAZINGLY gentle and loving to the kitten. He just wants to hug and love them all the time. Its when you try to take them away or tell him its not kitty holding time, that he holds them tight. I think the best thing to do is just keep an eye on them and have fun.

Hi!

I have a 19 month old daughter, and we have two cats: one rather large and fairly aggressive cat, and another very small shy cat. She has always been interested in the kitties, and we started right from the get go with "pet the kitty nice" - with myself holding her hand to pet the cat until she got the message that we only stroke the kitty gently. Even though you may pound into their heads that the kitties are fragile and that we only touch them nicely, our little toddlers will always push the limits (toddlers also are very clumsy and don't really watch where they walk or step), so know that there is no way you can stop ALL spirited petting/chasing/stepping on/pulling of ears, tail, fur. Knowing this, make sure your child also knows that the kitty has very sharp teeth and claws, and if he is rough with her, she will bite or scratch him, and it will hurt. At some point in time, the cat will either bite or scratch him when he accidentally hurts it or is too rough, and it usually takes a scratch or bite from the cat for the toddler to really realize that it is important to be nice and gentle. So, keep in mind that you also cannot keep the kitty from biting him or scratching your son at some point when the cat may feel threatened or hurt.
My daughter got too rough with our cat, and the cat gave her a good whack with her nails, leaving several puncture wounds on the side of her head and arm - and you better believe she only touches the cat now with the utmost gentleness. While you need to make sure your child clearly understands the limits he is allowed to go with the cat, eventually, the two of them will learn their boundaries between each other, so expect (and don't get freaked out) your cat and your child to have a run in or two every now and then with the cat to reaffirm the boundaries.

Personally, and since I worked as a receptionist for veternarians for 10 years, I think 2 years is a little young for him to have his own cat. Kittens are cute, but they turn into cats and cats can be mean. But it sounds like if you were to tell him now that he couldn't have one, he would be devasated. That being the case, the other thing I would consider is getting one of those litter boxes that automatically cleans itself. That way you don't have to worry about your son getting into it. And it will cut down on the smell. They are, of course, more expensive, but I think worth it. It sounds like since you are adopting her/him that they will probably have her/him fixed before you get her/him, but if not, you will want to do that as soon as she/he turns 4 months old and has all the shots done. A cat in heat or a cat that has not been neutered is much differnt than one that has. Just bare in mind that cats are FILTHY!! Do not let the cat lick him under any circumstance. And a cat bite is way worse than a dog bite. I hope I helped.

Dear A.,

I remember my grand daughter teaching her little ones how to handle the kittens. She said words like - easy, touch softly , and kitty is little and we need to be careful - stuff like that. You already know that. Just be very watchful at first and set the tone, it will work out and be a nice thing for both the two year old and the kitten.

Our very old self-centered cat actually got attached to the gr grand babies and allowed them to feed him on a bed tray (set on the floor) while he was resting on the first stair step. And they got some extra loves and pats in without a growl from him.

Good for you, C. N.

My boys are 7/6 and we have tried many pets from fishes, to turtles, to rats and finally found a lovable puppy- I gave the kids the option to name him with of course some ground rules.. the boys have been great with him, and they have started taking turns for some mishaps. With a kitty I would only say to make sure you have everything put away from low ends, because this kitty will want to pay with everything!! Enjoy and make sure you always take time with him/her. They will appreciate you~ and I have found that animals teach children responsibility. My boys have matured by cleaning up after the puppy, if they love it enough, the animal will always love back. Good luck, and believe me your children will enjoy this!

If your son already loves cats, this is a perfect pet! Suggestions that I have is to make sure that kitty and your son get used to each other. Show your son how to carefully pet kitty. Wait until your son is older for holding the kitten unless the kitten is the type that does not mind your little one dragging her/him all over the place. Another thing is to watch how the kitten reacts to people. Some kittens are not fully trained yet and still need some help. Such as scratching or playing with hands and feet. If the kitten plays with hands and feet, carefully grab the paws and look at her/him and say "no". Then, take the kitten to a toy and play with her/him and also be sure to give it praise when it does play with the kitten toys. Don't yell at the kitten, and tell your son to "be nice to the kitten" if he starts getting too loud. Explain to him that loud noises scare the kitten, and tell him not to hit the kitten, even when it scratches because the kitten will think that you are playing, or will become very frightened of people.
If the kitten is litter trained, be sure to tell your son that the litter box is the cats potty so that he does not think that it is an indoor sand box. lol Having a cat use a litter box might also help during potty training (if your son is still going through that). Also be watchful of the cat food. Some children like the taste of cat food and will try and sneak a few bites from it.
You can also have your son help brush kitty with a soft cat brush. This will help the kitten and your son bond more because grooming reminds the kitten of his mom and kitten-hood.
Be sure to watch out for "itchy" signs too. If kitty starts to itch, comb her/him with a flea comb outside. If kitty has fleas, give her a bath right away!!! Another thing that helps keep fleas away is eucalyptus oil. Mix a few drops of eucalyptus oil with water and spray it all over your carpet, rugs, and furniture. Eucalyptus oil is poisonous to fleas, lice, and ticks and is also not all chemically and is safe to use around children.
Our son was two when we got our first kitten, and now they are best of friends. His cat sleeps with him, plays with him, walks with him part of the way to school, waits for him by the front door when he gets home from school, and even comes running when he is crying. She is like another mother to him.In fact, when she was younger, she tried to teach him how to catch a bird. lol... She totally acts like he is her kitten, and it is so cute! Our other cat just had four kittens last month, so we have quiet the kitty population here. ^.^
Beyond that, enjoy your new addition to the family and have fun!! ^.^

M. *~

Hi A.,
Ok my first suggestion is to make sure that the child may not have any allergies to bringing home the kitten.Only because once you adopt the kitten it would be hard to let them go, (I should know I had to take mine to the pound. I had 2 of them for 5 yrs raised from kittens and we had brought in a stray!but when my daughter started showin sighns of allergies we had to part with them.) we had found out that it was hard work to keep them apart for a while till the baby realized her own strength any ways we taught her to play nice to the kitties and she was after a while. I feel bad though because i miss them so much! Either way it would be good to teach a child the ways to handle a pet and to be good to animals. that way if you teach a child to be kind to amimals now they will lear to respect wildlife and other animals in the future.