I'm debating on a cat for my daughter. Give me the pros and cons. Someone talk me out of this.?

Answer 1

the biggest cons I can see are the litter box and the possibility of your daughter being scratched. otherwise I think pets are a great idea - just keep in mind that you will be the one taking care of it!

Answer 2

There are really more pros than cons about cats:

Pros:

- playful, yet independent
-they don't need a lot of work to care for: just a brushing on a somewhat regular basis, they need to be fed twice a day, and their poop needs to be scooped almost every other day.
-very cute
-will teach your daughter responsibility
-are so much fun to have and to hang out with

Cons:

-the poop smells bad
-they can be a handful when they are very little kittens


I would suggest that you get your daughter a cat. They are really great pets. Local shelters may have cats at them. However, before getting a cat, you will have to choose between getting an adult cat or a kitten. IF YOUR DAUGHTER IS BELOW THE AGE OF THREE, REFRAIN FROM GETTING HER A CAT! House-training is also very important. Make sure that when you get her the cat, it is house-trained. If it isn't it could scratch her, and you don't want that.



Overall, you should really get her a cat. Good luck!

Answer 3

I don't know much about cats but I do have a little male tabby who's about a year old, I found him as a stray and about two weeks later took him to the vet which cost me about 300 dollars and the assistant said If if take care of him, it should cost me less than 200 a year plus food and litter, I spend a little less than 30 dollars a week on food/litter, So it's not too expensive.

You can always declaw your cat, but I don't like the idea so I try to trim his claws , I tend to slack on this and actually got hurt the other day, but if you're responsible about it your daughter will be fine. If your cat is declawed/trimmed and isn't an agressive cat I think the real danger is your daughter hurting him (depending on how young she is). Cleaning a litter box isn't a huge chore, its not even 10 mins out of your day.

In my opinion you should get her a cat, she'll really love it after a while and after the cat gets to know her it'll start to be really affectionate, if she's a little over 3 or 4 years old I think it's a great present

Answer 4

To give a good solid yes/no, how old is the child? And are we talking about a fully grown cat or a kitten? If she has demonstrated that she is responsible and fully capable of taking care of an animal, yes. Her age is a huge factor. If she's less than 10 she probably is not old enough to realize the huge responsibility of caring for a pet. You can't just give it water, food and a clean litter box. Although cat's are pretty much themselves, independent creatures, they still need love and attention.

Don't just think of the child though, consider your own responsibility in the matter. You'll have to have the cat spayed/neutered and bear the expense of yearly exams and shots. Will this be an indoor or outdoor cat? Both? Indoor cats tend to live much longer healthier lives than outdoors. Next, do you have fine furniture? Kitty will most likely want to sharpen the old claws on your Queen Anne chair that belonged to granny. And you can buy all the fancy scratching posts in the world, kitty won't use them necessarily.

Choose carefully and make your decision.

Answer 5

Well the biggest con is you obviously don't WANT a cat. So that's reason enough not to get one. The shelter I work with has SO many cats surrendered because parents bought the cat for the kid, the kid gets bored with caring for it so cleaning the litter box becomes the parent's job. Parent doesn't want to do this - cat dumped at shelter. Or the cat gets sick and since the parent never wanted the cat he or she refuses to pay the vet bills to take care of it when it's ill.

Cats are wonderful, wonderful pets but if you, as the parent, don't want one - I beg you to NOT get one.

Answer 6

If you want to be talked out of it, then don't do it. If you have doubts then listen to your inner voice. The other serious questions are, how old is your daughter? Is she responsible and understands cats are smaller and need gentle handling?
Is she old enough to clean the litter box every day? If not, and you MUST get a pet despite your reservations, get a Littermaid electronic litter box. It's expensive but SOOOOO worth it. You empty the container about once a week instead of daily. But if you're not sure, absolutely don't get a pet yet. Wait until you're sure.

Answer 7

My parents bought me a cat when I was 5 years old and I had him until I was 21. I think it was a very valuable experiences for me! I learned a lot about how to care for an animal and had a real bond with him. Kids go through a lot of hard times growing up and having my cat there was like having a friend always there for me. I think my cat really helped me grow up and get through tough times! I would highly recommend a cat for your daughter! Its also a good way to teach your little girl to clean up and help an animal. My parents gave me allowance for cleaning the littler box and feeding my cat!

Answer 8

Cats can go walkies for days on ends. They disappear to other houses (see my question!lol!), they go hunting, etc. This is all very disheartening when you love an animal so much. Cats have no loyalty - they never will.

But, they don't smell as much as dogs do (lol again), they don't bite as hard, etc. If they do scratch, it's only lightly, and normally when provoked.They will sit and purr on your lap all night, they'll amuse you with all the clever little things they do, for example, looking behind the TV if the snooker's on and the camera zooms in on a ball being pocketed. And if it ever snows where you are - boy, you're in for a treat. So funny, and your daughter will love it too. Just put them outside on the grass and they turn into kittens again, prancing about, chasing snowflakes, etc.

On the downside again, they aren't cheap when they get sick, they have to be wormed and flea'd, they are contrary creatures, they'll do whatever they're not supposed to do - just to spite you. They're fussy eaters as well.

Answer 9

How old is your daughter? I would take your daughter when you go to be sure the cat likes kids, get an older cat thats already fixed and house trained. Kittens can be real terrors. Have you ever thought of allergies? Who will clean the litter?

Answer 10

if your daughter is really young then a cat wouldn't be a good idea, and the litter box is a hand full, but other than that they are a lot of fun! They have so much personality and can really lift your spirits. I think you should get one, i remember what it was like being younger and wanting a cat very much. if she was like me, you would definitely make her day!

Answer 11

We have 4 cats and they are all very affectionate. They are also very clean animals. They like to play which would entertain your daughter and they always use their litter boxes.....no need to take them outside to potty. On the downside, you have to clean the litter box or it will smell bad and they cat may not choose to use it, they shed, it will cost you extra for food, litter, veterinary bills...etc. Other than that, I think they make really good pets. Alot less work than dogs in my opinion.