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CHILDREN
AND CATS:
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
Living
with a cat can be beneficial to children. Cats can enhance children's
self-esteem, teach them responsibility and help them to learn empathy.
However, children and cats may not always automatically have a wonderful
relationship. Parents must be willing to teach the cat and the child
acceptable limits of behavior in order to make their interactions pleasant
and safe.
Selecting
A Cat
What age is best? Many people have a warm and fuzzy image of a kitten
and a child growing up together. If you have a young child and are thinking
of adopting a kitten (less than 1 year old) there are a few things you
need to consider.
- Time
and energy
Kittens require a lot of time, patience and supervision. If you have
a young child who already requires a lot of care and time, you should
ask yourself if you will you have enough time to care for a kitten
as well.
- Safety
Kittens, because they're babies, are fragile creatures. A kitten may
become frightened or even injured by a well-meaning, curious child
who wants to constantly pick him up, hug him or explore his body by
pulling on his tail or ears.
- Rough
play
Kittens have sharp teeth and claws with which they may inadvertently
injure a small child. Kittens also tend to climb up on small children
and accidentally scratch. All interactions between your child and
kitten will need to be closely supervised to minimize the chances
of either being injured.
- Advantages
of getting an adult cat
Adult cats require less time and attention once they've adjusted to
your family and household routine. You can better gauge how hardy
and tolerant an adult cat will be of a child's enthusiasm and can
work with your local animal shelter to adopt a cat that has previously
lived with children.
As a general
rule, if your child is under six years old, it's best to adopt a cat
that's over two years old. Although kittens can be a lot of fun and
it's exciting and rewarding to help them grow into wonderful companions,
they do require significantly more time to supervise than an adult cat.
Who Will Care For The Cat?
It's unrealistic to expect a child, regardless of age, to have the sole
responsibility of caring for a cat. Cats need basic things, like food,
water, shelter and litterbox maintenance, but they also need to be played
with and given opportunities to exercise on a consistent basis. Teaching
a cat the rules of the house and helping him become a good companion
is too overwhelming a task for a young child. While responsible teenagers
may be up to the task, they may not be willing to spend an adequate
amount of time with the cat, as their desire to be with their friends
usually takes over at this age. If you're adopting a cat "for the
kids," you must be prepared and willing to be the cat's primary
caretaker.
Starting
Off Right
Below are some guidelines to help you start off on the right foot. Remember,
small children should never be left alone with a cat, kitten or any
other pet, without adult supervision.
- Holding
Kittens often squirm and wiggle and can easily fall out of a young
child's arms and become injured. If held too tightly or restrained,
the kitten may respond by scratching or biting. It is safest if your
child is sitting down whenever he wants to hold the kitten. For adult
cats, have your child sit in your lap and let the cat approach both
of you. This way you can control your child and not allow him to get
"carried away" with pats that are too rough. You are also
there to teach your new cat to treat your child gently. Some cats
do not want to be held, but will sit next to you and your child if
offered treats or petting. Keep in mind the cat should always be allowed
to leave when it feels like it.
- Petting
and giving affection
Children often want to hug cats or grasp them too firmly. Your cat
may view this as a threatening gesture, rather than an affectionate
one, and may react with scratching or biting. You should teach your
child to let the cat approach on his own terms and pet lightly. You
should also teach your child to avoid staring at, or looking directly
into, your cat's eyes.
- Giving
treats
When children offer a treat from fingers the cat may accidentally
bite fingers instead of only taking the treat. Have your child place
the treat in an open palm, rather than holding it in his fingers.
You may want to place a hand underneath your child's hand to help
guide him.
- Supervising
play
Cats interpret quick and jerky hand movements as an invitation to
play. Teach your child to offer the cat or kitten a toy on a string
to maximize the distance between the child's hands and the toy. Encouraging
a cat to play with hands and fingers may result in scratches or bites.
- Be
patient
Your new cat may take some time to feel comfortable with your child's
actions and sounds and will approach when he feels ready. Your cat
must also learn which behaviors on his part are appropriate and which
are not. Our handout "Managing Your Kitten's Rough Play"
outlines procedures for discouraging rough play and encouraging appropriate
play. Punishing your cat for inappropriate behavior will not help.
If he learns that being around children always results in "bad
things" happening to him, he may become defensive in their presence.
If your
cat is growling, hissing or biting at your child for any reason, the
situation needs IMMEDIATE attention. Punishing your cat is likely to
make matters worse. For complex situations, contact an animal behavior
specialist who has experience working with cats.
Reprinted
with permission from the Denver Dumb Friends League.
