Our DD's 4yrs and 6yrs old have been asking for a kitten. We've never had a cat. What should I consider?

Question

My husband and I are leaning towards getting them a kitten. I'm just not sure what I need to know or be concerned about. I'm afraid of getting them a kitten and then having lots of surprises and then wishing we did't get the kitten. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

i had 7 cats so i know what a good companion they are. they always stick aroud and get love and affection from you. but , they do shed a lot, litters almost everywhere.my cat also used to carry scrap of meat from the nearby garbage and hide his"precisious findings" under my bed. my room used to stink like hell. also my cat once gave birth in my closet ,so you can imagine that. anyway...besides these i had 7 cats and loved them a lot. oh and they stayed behind when we moved, thats why they are not with me now. you see, cats dont change houses.

Answer 2

Since you have younger children and this would be your first cat I would suggest getting an adult cat instead of a kitten. I recommended this when doing adoption counseling because we could often match up an adult cat that had the personality the family was looking for (a kittens personality can change quite a bit) and that would be more tolerant of the handling of younger children. There is also a safety aspect to this because you want a cat that is harder for smaller children to pick up, as kittens are more fragile and can be accidentally injured.

A kitten may obviously still work out in your home, but they often do better in pairs (keep each other out of trouble) and can be more destructive in general. Kittens –like puppies- need training to know what is acceptable to scratch on, biting is bad, etc…just so you can read up on cat behavior and be prepared.

A really great site for cat information is www.catsinternational.org

(Note: I would probably NOT recommend a purebred for your first cat because they often have special care requirements and can have health and behavior issues if poorly bred. I have fostered many wonderful Persians, for instance, but many need to have their eyes cleaned daily and are prone to a very long list of health issues. Other cats like Bengals are a bit more challenging and might be too much for a novice owner.)

Answer 3

READ WHAT KATRINA L WROTE.

Never get a pet for your children thinking that they will take care of it, or if you and your husband are not as whole-heartedly wanting it as well. YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND WILL BE THE CARETAKERS OF THIS ANIMAL FOR THE REST OF ITS LIFE.
Some things to consider --
Cats live an average of 15 years, sometimes up to 20. Where will your girls be in 15 or 20 years?
Are you ok with still having the cat after they're out of the house?
4 years old is pretty young for a cat. How will a cat react to being man-handled by young children? What would happen if one of the girls gets scratched (which will, of course inevitably happen)
Are you able to care for the cat for 15-20 years, financially and time-wise?

If you and your husband are hesitant about this, at all, don't do it. Young children often change their minds, and also often have expectations of a pet that are a lot of the time left unfulfilled.

Cats are terrific pets, and I love my cat. She is a joy to have around, and brightens my life. However, so many people walk into it not taking everything into consideration, or getting it for their young children and not themselves, or having expectations that may or not be fulfilled.

Cats are wonderful, but just remember that in the end, you will be the one taking care of it during the course of its life. An older cat brought to a shelter, for any reason, will almost always be put down.

Answer 4

First make sure nobody's allergic. Have them handle an adult cat to test this. Then, the kids have to know how to be gentle with animals. Cats need to scratch something (like furniture) so have one or two scratching posts, and don't leave the kitten alone in a room with something it could ruin. As long as the kitten was raised by its mother, litter-box training is easy. clip the front claws at least, or put "soft paws" nail caps on them; this makes scratching less of a problem. When it gets older it'll be wiser. Some kittens and cats like to knock stuff off the tables and dressers, so be aware of this. When a cat is being annoying (like trying to eat your food or scratching the furniture) use a squirt gun or bottle. If you push them away they think you're playing. Hissing also works, as this is what mom does to correct them. As for litter, I prefer the white "crystal" litter because you can't smell it and it lasts a really long time if you just take out the poop and stir it a little.

Answer 5

Cats make great pets but consider the following with young kids.
Cats do have sharp nails and will use them especially when they are kittens. (on you, the kids and furniture) I would recommend a cat that is 1 year old preferably a female that has been spayed and declawed. Remember that a declawed cat should never go outside!!! Adult cats prefer to come to you for attention vs having someone comeup to them and grab them to play with.
Yes some cats do tolerate it, but most don't like it. You must be willing to deal with cat litter, the smell and it's mess. Cat's do kick out some litter when they jump out of their box. It's a daily task to keep it swept up. The odor for 1st time cat owners can be quite repellent. Do the best you can to keep the litter box clean. Also, all cat's vomit. Either hairballs or just food in general. Something you just learn to expect now and then.
Until you know your cats personality and temperment, I would supervise your daughters playtime with any new cat. Teach your girls where to scratch there cat and not pull on whiskers, legs or tail. These are just a few of the highlights I thought of off the top of my head. Children who respect and love their pets will get uncondional love in return for many years.

Answer 6

I suggest getting a grown cat, not a kitten, as some little kids drop or squeeze helpless kittens but big cats can escape!
Before obtaining a cat, talk to the kids about:
Being gentle to the cat (eg. don't squeeze or drop)
Allowing the cat a bit of peace
Feeding the cat enough daily (since your eldest is 6, you should check this daily too) and making sure it always has water

Other tips
Don't feed the cat cooked chicken bones
As a treat, buy it a bit of fresh meat (most butchers sell small bags of meat scraps cheaply)
Treat it for fleas every 3 months
If it has long hair get it clipped in Summer
Use scissors to cut out any hair balls
If it lives indoors, buy it a scratching post and toys
Give the cat a collar with your phone no. on it
Get it microchipped in case it goes missing
De-sex it (males who are not de-sexed can be nasty and females have kittens).

Good luck!!

Answer 7

AGH!! Please do not get a small kitten. Kittens are fragile. Would you give them a flightless bird to play with? No no no, this can create very unpleasant scenarios for kids and mom and dad, not to mention the kitten.

Even the friendliest kitten can be reduced to a nervous wreck around rambunctious youngsters. A cat of any age may also scratch the living daylights out of anyone holding them too tightly, and cat scratch fever is NOT a myth, and can leave lumps in places you don't want, like the lymph nodes in the neck and groin.

Kittens do break, they drown, they get hurt in a lot of ugly ways in little hands, and this is not what you want to deal with. Everyone winds up sick and guilty and traumatized.

A kitten is not appropriate unless you have two of the sweetest little angels on the planet, and even then you are relying on the judgement and creative thinking of a 4yr old and 6 yd old regarding this other living thing. If it accidentally "breaks," can you fix it? Exactly.

Please consider adopting a big goofy lab or golden retriever. They are kid-tolerant, perfect for that age group, protective but not aggressive to the kids. There are lots of golden rescue societies that know the temperament of the dog and its history.

I encourage you to add a wonderful pet to your family, but please get an appropriate one. You are wise to ask ahead of time, and bless you for it!

Good luck to you and your family.

.

Answer 8

(What's DD?) At their ages, I'm sure they would love a kitten, but you realize You will be doing all of the work! That's the biggest thing. You also should consider an older cat who is used to children, because sometimes kittens grow up to be cats who don't like kids! At a shelter, they will know which cats are used to kids. Cats really don't require a lot of work - aside from the litter stuff, and are relatively inexpensive to have (aside from vet bills). I wish you luck.... Though, maybe you should start with goldfish...

Answer 9

i have 9 cats cats have cats have been in my family since before i was born i think one kitten would be great for you children. as you know there are many breeds. if i were you i would look into the pure breed cats and there attitudes like bangles they are the meanest cats. when you find the breed u are interested in spend some time with the breed at the breeders cattery. if the cat are kind then you have found the cat for you but if not there are always other kittens.

good luck

and remember to always clip there nails

Answer 10

01. Cat litter box
02. Litter, you'll want small, small clay pellets that absorb the urine and clump around the fecal matter
03. Cat litter holder with lid and scooper
04. Place to put the above. Its best to check this litter pan and scoop it every few hours so there is no lingering "odor" from the urine.
05. Water bowl and Food bowl.
06. Toys and brush (over time).

Cats are really no problem and they easily "train themselves to use the litterbox." Not to say there won't be a mess, there will, but it will be once every few years and vinegar/water will clean it up.

They can be a blast especially when young and so cute, when older and spayed/neutered they get much more relaxed and gentle.

Answer 11

Kittens are NOT a good pet choice for children of that age.

Why not rescuing a mellower, 2-3 year old cat first? You might contact your local rescues and SPCA to see if you can FOSTER a cat .... a great way to see if your kids are cut out for pet parenthood!

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