Cats and Kids – A Few Tips to Keep Harmony in Your Home!

Having a cat as a part of your family is a great thing for a child.  The cat isn’t just there to play with; it’s also a good learning tool for teaching your child responsibility as you’ll be able to show how your cat depends upon you for such basic things as food and water.  However there are some other things that you must teach your child as soon as the cat becomes part of the household so that neither the cat nor your child gets hurt as a result of misunderstandings.

1.       Respect:  Your child must learn to respect the cat.  It’s not a toy.  A cat can be very independent and there are times when it wants to be by itself, and it doesn’t want to be dressed up in doll clothes (actually, it’s a good rule to teach that no cat likes to be dressed up!).  Your child needs to learn to respect that when the cat’s asleep or eating, they need to leave it alone.  If the cat doesn’t want to play, you need to teach them to walk away.  Failure to do so may result in your child getting scratched which would be bad for both of them as your child will get hurt, and the cat will be in trouble for something that really wasn’t his fault.  Teaching respect when it comes to the cat means that you’ll also be able to transition this into having respect for others later.

2.       Handling:  Show your child how to pick up the cat so that the cat isn’t hurt.  This is especially important in two situations; a large cat and a small child, and a kitten with any child.  Explain to your child how easily it is to hurt the cat if they pick it up the wrong way.  Failure to do could result in your cat being injured and needing veterinary care, as well as your child being scratched if the cat becomes afraid.

3.       Communication:  A cat can’t talk but it uses its body to communicate.  Teach your child that if the cat is wagging his tail, unlike with a dog, this is bad sign and they need to stop what they’re doing with the cat and leave it alone.  If the cat is purring, then it’s happy.  If it’s hissing, then it’s mad!  If the cat is blinking, then it’s content.  If it’s wrapping itself around your (or the child’s) legs, then it wants something.  These are very basic signs but can mean that your child learns more about how to safely interact with your cat.

Adding a cat to your family can be an experience that your child will remember throughout its life, and will probably result in your child becoming best friends with their feline housemate.  By teaching your child the simple rules about how to live with a cat, you’re not just helping to keep harmony in your home; you’re also setting foundations in place that will help your child interact with compassion and thought through all relationships they will encounter in life.

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