Educating your children on caring for a cat

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Cats can be great companions for children and can also teach them how to be caring and responsible. However, cats are very different from other animals, requiring patience and regular grooming. It’s for these reasons that it’s highly important to educate your children on how to properly care for their new pet.

That’s why we’ve created this article to help make the process easier, including information on the best type of cat to welcome into your family and behaviours to watch out for.

Adopting a cat

Many before you have brought a cat into their home successfully, meaning it’s possible for you to do so too. It’s first important to consider whether a cat is right for your home and lifestyle. For example, a kitten will require lots of training, including how to use their claws – this might not be safe for young children.

You may instead choose to adopt a cat who is slightly older but you must assess whether its temperament is suitable for toddlers. All cats have different personalities, so pay attention to body language. Indications of unease or a cat being unhappy include flat ears, dilated pupils, and a tail wrapped close to the body. The top breeds for kids include the Ragdoll, the Maine Coon, and the American Shorthair.

Slowly introduce them

Cats generally feel more relaxed when greeted on their level. Tell your children to take their time to get to know their feline friend by laying on the floor and gently introducing their hand to smell them before petting. If the cat rubs their face against them, it’s a sign they are enjoying this.

Should the cat be nervous or move away, tell your children to give them some alone time and try again later on. Forcing attention on an uncomfortable or grouchy tabby never works out well. It’s always a good idea to let animals come to you, so tell the kids to be patient.

Avoid being too rough

Children can sometimes be a little rough when it comes to playing. Most animals wouldn’t appreciate this harsh petting, especially cats. Always supervise your children when interacting with the animal and make sure that they know to be gentle and avoid pulling on their tail, fur, ears, and whiskers.

Advise your children to also only ever approach the cat when they are calm. Loud, frustrated, or angry behaviour can lead to stressing your pet or frightening them.

Teach responsible feeding and playing

Like humans, pets require quite a bit of looking after. From the get-go, teach your little ones how to feed the cat and how many treats are safe to be given each day. They should also be made aware that none of their food should be offered to the cat as this can lead to health concerns.

There’s also more to do with a cat than simply petting and feeding. They require mental and physical stimulation, so teach the children how to play safely. This could include moving a feather wand around a cat tree to encourage exercise or throwing a ball around the home.

Grooming is an important factor as well, especially with long-haired cats. However, if your feline doesn’t enjoy this too much, it might be safer to do this yourself or take them to a professional groomer.