Need Suggestions: A Woman Posted This (about cats)

swampwitch

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I'm not sure how to answer this. A woman asked about getting a cat/kitten for her kids. Someone answered this (below). What should I say, if anything? I already replied before reading this, and already contradicted what she says... is that enough?


i am the cat queen lol. you want a cat that is between the ages of 4-6 weeks, and you want to cuddle it alot. that is the prime time for socialization, you also want the kid to handle it quite a bit as well. in my experience it is best to go with a male cat and get it fixed at 6 months of age so it doesn't spray. go for a short haired cat, they are much easier to maintain. cats also will show a preference for one or two people in the household. our cat loves me and my ds but has next to nothing to do with my dd or my dh. as for the older cat idea, not so good, once a cat ahs its habits they are very difficult if not impossible to break. if you were just a single adult living alone and wanted a cat then an older one would be great, but with kids a kitten is best. we clean out litter box weekly, and we free feed our cat which is just setting out a dish of food once a day for them to eat whenever they choose, but our cat is also an outside farm cat so for an indoor cat i wouldn't reccomend free feeding, they tend to get overweight, feed the recommended amount on the bag of cat food. you also want to make sure that the food you are feeding them doesn't contain alot of ash as this can cause urinary tract infections. a cats temperament depends alot on what type of home it has and how it is raised. the most important thing to give it lots of love and attention as a kitten and it will grow up to be cuddly and loving cat, and let the kids play with it gently.


Here's what I posted, before reading the above:

Sorry, I haven't read the replies, I have to run, but wanted to say that having a kitten is like having a baby. You can't leave him/her alone for any length of time and will be extra work for you. Kittens learn rough behavior from being treated that way, which is hard to avoid with little kids because they don't always realize.... Also, a kitten who is taken from his or her mother before about 12 weeks will probably not have the "people" skills you might want. (Kittens learn froom their mommas how to treat people between 8 to 12 weeks of age.)

I would highly recommend a cat who is already a year or two old. He or she would already have an established personality. Your kids can go to the shelter (please adopt a rescue kitty!) and see which cat hangs around them (and which ones hide in the corners). They are sure to fall in love with a kitty there... and you'll be saving a sweet kitty's life. Rescue cats are the nicest animals; they appreciate when you save them and take them home.

Adding a kitty to your family is an excellent idea! Have fun, and good luck.
 

lunasmom

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I think you're reply is just as valid as the other person's. Everyone has a difference of opinion on a lot of things, especially the age that a cat should be when adopted and placed in a home with children.

Because this person sounds like she's from a farm, she probably stated 4-6 weeks as that may be the age she weans her kittens. I was always told 6-8 weeks and you said 8-12 weeks, so obviously everyone is informed differently.

Both of your posts offered information to allow the OP to decide what kind of kitten/cat to get.
 

white cat lover

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I would also add something like "there is no way to know a kitten's temperament when it grows up. And adult's purr-sonality is already formed, so you know what you are getting. There are many adults in shelters that need homes & often already have proven great with kids!
"
 

goldenkitty45

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I rarely recommend a kitten younger then 6 months old to be in a household of younger kids. The adult cats KNOW how to handle kids and most are willing to be more patient with a kid then an adult in handling. Young kittens are too fragile for kids rough house playing. And they would react totally different - being more defensive, scratch more or bite more.

The IDEAL age is 10 weeks old - I would have said something about 4-6 week old kittens still nursing from mom - even if they are eating solid foods. They would NOT be able to defend themselves from a smaller child - they would be hurt easily.
 
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