New Kitty........................................

Just my opinion but w/ a kitten you never really never know what you will get until the kitten is an adult you ought to try an animal shelter for a young adult cat then you know if they are good w/ children, playful, like to be held, etc. We adopted a cat that is about 2 and he awesome w/ the kids I have a 2 yr old and he took to him right away but we knew we were getting a cat that had been around small kids and that made a big difference.

My son was 3 when we got a kitten and now that he is 7 1/2 they are fast friends and he loves to take care of her. He has been feeding her for about 2 years now and has always been very gentle and caring.
I think it's a great idea and have no problems between the two of them. It teaches respect for animals and how to be a care-giver!
E. :-)
P.S. local shelters will not let you adopt if you have a small child (which I think is absolutely rediculous), we had to get Willow through a friend that rescues cats on her own.

S.,

This is great you want to get a pet for your child. Kittens and cats are usually king to babies and kids. Are you prepared for the additional expense and workload? Changing out the litterbox daily, keeping kitty up to-date on vaccines, health issues, etc? Just make sure you teach your daughter immediately how to pet and love the kitten. Kittens have claws, so beware there are times when your child may get scratched, have you considered that? The cat may not like having it's tail pulled, so you need to tell you little one this, otherwise she can get bitten or scratched. How will you react?
My little one has two dogs, and they are her brothers. She has known them from day one, and they in turn are great w/her. She knows how to pet them, not to hit/kick them, and is very gentle w/them as they are w/her.

Best of luck.

Are you looking for her to just be nice to it? Get a stuffed cat toy, and let her practice holding, petting it gently etc. Cats are sooo much easier than puppies :) Enjoy!

S.,

I honestly would say a kitten may not be the best choice. I have had cats all my life and I think your best option is to find an older more mature cat (at a local shelter) that has been around kids and is house broken and if it is declawed all the better (all though I wouldn't recommend getting a cat declawed for many reasons). Other cats tend to be more patient and might help the transition.
A kitten has very sharp claws and will for a while and they tend to use them to play without meaning to hurt so ultimately your daughter will end up with stratches everywhere.
I have adopted 2 cats from shelters and both of them have been great with kids and it has really worked out for us.

Good luck,
L.

S.,

we went through this last year, and it was a learning experience.

First, I would consider getting 2 kittens. They keep each other company and most likely will leave your furniture or curtains alone.
Second, if you go to a shelter, they will only give kittens in pairs and into homes where they will be indoor cats only (another reason to get 2).

We adopted 2 kittens last spring, they came from a shelter and were litter trained in their foster home. They each have their individual personality and it is quite cute to see the male cat hang out with my son, and the female cat with my daughter.

It is a long time commitment, and could last until your daughter goes to college. Make sure that everybody in the family is ok with that. Kittens grow and become less cute, and sleep more. Something to keep in mind.

Hi -

I think that getting an animal is a wonderful idea for children. We had (2) cats when both my kids were born, and only just recently had to put one of them down :( and my kids are almost 5 and 6.

We have also thought of getting a new kitten, but before we had kids... we fostered (2) 12 week old kittens... just beware if you go that young, they are fiesty little things that are full of energy and want to play in the middle of the night and you will not sleep!!! They also have razor sharp claws, because they are so much smaller than even 6 month old cats. so, if the kitten were to swipe at (playfully or not) at your daughter it would really hurt.

Just a hint, 6 month old kittens are still small but the nails are not as razorish (if that is even a word), and they are not as CRAZY as the 12 week olds, they have already started to mellow! :)

If you go on www.Petfinder.com , you can put in your zip code, and what you are looking for (Cat, baby or young) and it will give you lists with pictures of the cats at local shelters. I would definately go to shelters over a pet store. At the shelters, the cats have all had shot, are either spayed or neutered, and have been checked out by vets. Also, on the petfinder list, it will say whether or not the cat has health problems (it will show a heart next the picture), whether it is declawed (it will show a paw print) - also... if a cat is already declawed that is one thing, but to actually do it to a cat is totally inhumane - it basically takes claw and bone up to the first knuckle - if you were human... just my one little "animal rights" tidbit, but petfinder will also tell you if they like kids. they will put the word kids with a line through it if the cat/kitten is not kid friendly.

Some shelters will not let you take only one cat/kitten home. They feel that they need a playmate. So, you should definately call the shelters first and find out if they will allow (1) to be taken home, and if they can be adopted into a home with young children.

Lastly, lots of shelters will make you fill out an adoption form with lots of questions.... like will you declaw the cat, or will it be an indoor or outdoor cat. If you say yes to the declawing, and yes to an outdoor cat, they most likely will deny your application as it is not in the cats best interest. They also want to have a name of a Vet that you will be taking it to, so bring your Vet's name and number.

If you have any questions, please let me know... I have had cats all my life, outdoor at first, but now only indoor... and my house doesnt smell like cat or litter box. Even my cat HATING friends will tell you that! :) I also worked at a specialty pet store that also had cat adoptions, hence the reason I know about the applications. So, if you want I can let you know what you would need to get when the kitty comes home!

L.

I hope you give this serious consideration, before getting a kitten. Most shelters won't "adopt-out" a kitten to a houshold if the child is 6 or younger. It's for a good reason, for BOTH the kitten and your child. A 3 yr. old will not understand that they could unknowingly mis-handle the kitten and hurt it.........or, the kitten could easily scratch your daughter. I agree, with the other response, whereas, a cat around 2 yrs. old is more calm, and larger. However, it'll be your daughter you may feel needs more supervision around an older cat..........I've had cats most of my life, and had a "geriatric cat" when my older son was born. By the time he was a toddler, the cat was relocated to a relatives house for BOTH their sakes!! We only got cats in the last few years, and my children are old enough (8 and 10 yrs. old) to appreciate the effor to take care of them and still are learning the lessons and love of family pets.............Good Luck!

I am a pet lover- we currently have 3 cats, 2 dogs and 2 turtles. We just recently lost our two old greyhounds after 14 years of love.
I also have a 4 and 6 year old and another baby on the way. I guess I would be pretty experienced with kids and pets together.
That said... don't get a kitten.
Kittens are fragile and they scratch and bite more frequently. They are a lot of work and your 3 y/o will be frustrated that she can't cuddle with her new pet.
I really recommend going to your local humane society, explaining what you are interested in, a young cat, about 1-2 years old. Good with kids, litter trained, calm and peaceful.
They will be able to match you with a cat who will love your child as much as she loves him! And whose personality is laid back enough to tolerate the attentions of a 3 year old.
Good luck,
S.

My kids & I love animals too. We currently live with two young cats and two soon-to-be-"re-homed" kittens. If you have your heart set on a cat, please consider adopting from one of the many wonderful local shelters, and if I were you I would consider an adult cat or older kitten rather than a young kitten. A friendly, young adult cat who has been tested with children might be a better companion for your daughter than a playful kitten with sharp claws and teeth. Also, kittens do better in pairs according to the cat-lovers' websites I visited, so if you do get a kitten then maybe you could get two? It's very fun to watch them play together and they're less destructive if they're well socialized.

If you might be interested in other kinds of pets, most young kids do really well with "small furry" creatures. It might sound crazy, but my daughter and I did some research a few years ago when she wanted her "own" pet (our dear old dog PD-- may he also RIP --was apparently mine), and we ended up getting a sweet little pair of pet-store rats. They were WONDERFUL with my younger child, very friendly, smart, easy-going, and they don't run away like hamsters or make tons of noise like guinea pigs.

Good luck!