Am intrested in getting a cat but i have a three month old and a four three year old?

Question

I heard that cats can be mean but i just got a dog and i already gave him away cause he was way to hipper

Answer 1

Most cats are not mean, but toddlers can frighten many cats for sure or injure one if they are too rough. My recommendation is to look in your local shelters for an adult cat that is very laid back and preferably lived in a household with kids before successfully. A cat like that should do fine. Otherwise, if you want a kitten, I'd wait till your youngest child is at least 5.

Answer 2

You should go to your local humane society and take the kids. Let everyone play or at least be near them. You will find some cats like kids some don't. This will give your older child a chance to play and you can see which cat will let the child touch and play. The cat you choose should be able to handle some toddler play. If a cat gets too much attention they will go and sleep where the children can't find them to have a break. If a cat does not want to play with your child then they would not be the best choice for you or the cat. Getting a cat from the Humane Society is a great bonus because they are checked by a vet, fixed, clean and adoptable. You pay a small fee. But, a healthy animal is worth it.

Answer 3

Kittens are quite fragile and your children are still very young, so it may be better to adopt an older cat that already has experience with children. Some cats are very tolerant of children's unintentional rough handling, so it's a good idea to explain your concerns to the animal shelter so that they can match you with a suitable cat. Whether you decide on a kitten or an adult, I wouldn't leave them alone together unsupervised until your children are older. The most important thing to teach your children, is not to hold back a cat that wants to get away. The Messybeast web site has a really good article entitled Cat Communication with pictures and photos to explain cat body language. You could use those pictures to help teach your older child the warning signs that a cat will make when he's had enough. The web sites below offer further advice on teaching children respect for animals

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1495&articleid=627
http://www.paws.org/cas/resources/fact_sheets_cats/catskids.php
http://www.messybeast.com/catarchive.htm#health

Answer 4

A cat can be a wonderful pet for a child or for children. The important thing is to get a kitten, so it is raised and socialized with children, and gets used to the ways of kids right from the beginning.

Don't pick a kitten by its color, but by its personality. You want a kitten that is very sweet, and also very healthy. You may want to consult a vet before you even go to look, and get some pointers on what personality traits to look for when you see a litter of kittens up for adoption or available for adoption soon. Watch them interact for a while, and choose carefully.

A kitten is a baby, too. And for a while after you bring your newcomer home, you will have some familiar kinds of training to do. But kittens grow quickly and learn quickly. So what takes months for a human child to figure out or get down, the cat will move beyond in a week. And despite a reputation to the contrary, cats love the families they join and are loyal and protective.

Some tips:
1 - Learn to trim his claws so they are too blunt to accidentally scratch anybody in play, or to sink into the furniture. Get him a good, sisal scratching post.

2 - When he does something he shouldn't (like hunt people's ankles and pounce, or climb curtains), use a water pistol to squirt him when he is in the act and say no at the same time. Teach him the meaning of the word no.

3- Feed him good quality kitten food. Good quality, premium, food so he builds all his bodily structures out of the best. And kitten food because kittens like children have different nutritional needs than adults.

4 - Keep him in the house. Don't let him roam the neighborhood. A free-roaming cat has much higher veterinary bills and is always at risk of disease, trauma, and cruelty when they are out of your sight.

Cats have been known to foil burglars; sound the alarm when a baby in its crib became cyanotic; wake the family to a fire; pounce on an intruder. They are protective. And they are loving. They will give as they get, so you must socialize them to trust you and you must be gentle with them, respectful. You can rough-house, but always default to gentle.

A well-cared-for cat with decent genes will be with you after those three and four year olds are out of college. They live 15-17 years.

So a cat is a good choice.

Answer 5

Cats aren't great for young kids.
How old is your dog? If it's a puppy, give it time to mellow out and begin training now to teach it how to behave around the children. If it's an adult dog, training is still the answer, but a more firm, possibly formal form of training.
Any pet can be taught to interact gently with small children, and with some it even comes naturally.
If this dog is too much for you to handle already, adding a cat to the household will most likely make things worse. Especially if you don't have any idea how to integrate a feline into a house which already contains a canine.
:)

Answer 6

Look to adopt an older cat (8-11 y/o) who has been proven to be good around small children. They're *generally* much more calm than kittens and if they're used to little kids already, they won't freak out if the kids pet them too hard or pull their tails a little.

Ask at the local shelter if they have anyone fostering older cats outside the shelter- these people are often the best to ask about the cats in their care, as they have seen their personalities first hand.

Answer 7

Please darling one, I know you want the best for your children - but please wait until all of your children are at least of school age before getting a pet.

You really don't have the time, energy to care for a pet right now. Oh, and this says nothing about the cost!

At this time in your life your energies - and MONEY - needs to be spent raising toddlers and pre-schoolers.

when the youngest is in school, then go to the pound and get a full-grown, medium sized dog or short-haired cat that has gone through temperament checks on child-friendliness.

That way you'll be bringing a pet into a great home to children who are old enough to appreciate that God made other creatures in this world for them to care for.

Answer 8

If you just got a dog and already gave him away, maybe you should hold off on getting any pets for a while. It's a lifetime commitment, in my opinion, that deserves a lot of consideration. My cats are children to me, and I wouldn't give them or any other family member away, especially not for being to hyper. Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into with any pet.

Answer 9

Cats are not mean. They are responding to their environment. I grew up with cats as a young child, and it is the responsibility of the parent to ensure the child is not abusing, or hurting a cat even unintentionally. It was always taught to me to "be gentle" with the cats. I was reprimanded, if I handled the cat roughly.
Cats make great pets, they don't need to be walked, they don't need to be let out (just need a litter box) They are highly
intelligent, independant and loving. Just show them, and teach your children to show them love and respect and you'll get that back. I discourage your children from handling a cat if they are young, just based on them not knowing how to. (EG. Too tightly, etc.)
Good Luck!

Answer 10

cats are not mean you can be friend a cat waaaaaaaay easier than a dog
if your going to get a new cat make sure you get it at an early stage like your other cats
you should get a new cat the more the merrier !!