Cats Are Not Toys For Your Kids!!!

tickytat

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We had a family come in and adopt a kitten from our shelter. They returned her the next day because she was not using the litter box. They didn't even have her 24 hours! I swear they basically adopted this kitten as a toy for their kids.

They probably had the box where she couldn't get to it, or their house was too big that she couldn't find it. She is a very young kitten and probably should not have had run of the house all night. I would've enclosed her in the kitchen or bathroom at night with food, water, and a small litter box.

I'm so sick of people giving up on something that can easily be fixed with just a little effort. Cats are not toys you can buy your kids and they are NOT low maintenance! Grrr.......
 

coolcat

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....some people "thinks" that a Kitty know where can do they want to do in the right place....
....Kittys are NOT ROBOTS!...
...

Poor kitty..
 

smokeys_mommy

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HEY I HAVE THAT BOOK BUT I READ IT AFTER I GOT MY CAT LOL I HAVE HAD MANY CATS SINCE I WAS A CHILD AND HAD VARIOUS PROBS WITH MOST OF THEM BUT I STUCK IT THROUGH ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW
I HAVE ONE THAT HAD A BROKEN LEG NOW I HAVE ONE WITH A HOLE IN HIS STOMACH
AFTER GETTING FIXED A WEEK AGO
CATS ARE UNPREDICTABLE
 

katachtig

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It probably was for the best that they brought it back so quickly. Hopefully, the kitten goes to a home where it is loved and well taken care of.
 

libby74

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I might get a lot of flack for this, but I'm of the opinion that no child under the age of 6 should have a baby animal (kitten, puppy, bunny, whatever). Kids that young just don't know how to treat a young pet and all too often the parents aren't willing/able to teach them.
 
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tickytat

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Yeah I don't know how many people come to our shelter with little kids looking for puppies. How about a nice, calm, older dog that won't be too much for your family? The puppies end up coming back usually because they family doesn't put much effort into house training or discipline. They all choose a younger dog for the same selfish reason: they don't want it to die in a year or two once the kids are attached to it.
 

sadieandziggy

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Originally Posted by libby74

I might get a lot of flack for this, but I'm of the opinion that no child under the age of 6 should have a baby animal (kitten, puppy, bunny, whatever). Kids that young just don't know how to treat a young pet and all too often the parents aren't willing/able to teach them.
I'm not going to give you flack, I agree. I have a two year old, he was 1year old when we got Ziggy as a kitten. I taught him how to handle her. He wasn't the best, and she would scratch him, so we taught him to stay away from her unless mummy or daddy was there for him to hold her. He'll be 3 in February, and he is great with Links and Lexi. I think the younger (and more obedient) the child is, is better, as they can be taught how to care for young animals.

My local rescues will not allow kittens or puppies under a year old to be adopted out to any famillie with children under the age of 5.
 

conbrio

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I wish people realized that pets are like kids. The pets need your attention and love as well as patience to do well, just like kids. When the kids mess up, do we get really upset? Sometimes maybe, but usually we use the moment to try and teach the kids and modify the behavior. I do my best and not get upset if the critters mess up, just try and do things differently for next time. Also do you want your kids to be taken care of by other kids?

I grew up with animals in my home for as long as I can remember. When ever I got scratched by a cat or nipped at by the dog it was not their fault. It was mine b/c I did something wrong. My parents and older siblings did a good job in teaching me about respect for the animals. And now I am doing my best to pass along that lesson.

I recently got 2 cats for my family. I decided it was time for my girls to learn how to take care of and respect animals. (Besides, I could finally have a pet in my house since i got married, no more landlord rules) Even though the kids (3 and 1) will play with the cats and want feed them (every 5 minutes), the cats are my responsibility. I do my best to make sure that I teach my kids how to behave around the cats and how to treat them with respect and love. If the kids behave the cats do too. So far there has only been one scratch b/c my oldest did not heed the warning from the cat and got a small scratch across her hand. Not a big deal as scratches will happen. Small lesson learned.

Now I did also get the cats to help keep the kids entertained and the kids help entertain cats. Since the cats arrived my kids want to spend less time in front of the TV and on the computer. They (cats and kids) also seem to be better behaved. The kiddos always want to play with the cats. Heck I always want to play with the cats too but I only have so much free time.

Currently my one year old is dragging a ball attached to a string around the house and both cats are chasing her and attacking the ball. She is just a giggling and having a blast (along with the cats).
 

green bunny

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It seems like it's the best for the kitten in the long run. Now maybe she will get adopted to a family who wants her for her, not as a toy.

I agree, small children probably shouldn't have baby animals. Older animals understand the way of the world better and know how to control themselves better. Regardless, all children should be taught to respect and gently handle all animals, whether smaller than them or not.

Tricia
 

mom2raven

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I have 3 kids, aged 4, 3, and 1. I am a stay at home mom and I have taught them "kitty rules". Basically they are not allowed to do anything with her unless they ask me and since I am a stay at home mom I am ALWAYS there to moniter their activities. I also have a baby gate up, more for Raven than the kids. That way she can escape the kid zone whenever she needs too. I also have a basket that she sleeps in that the kids know is her place where she does not want to be touched.

I think that it all really depends on the family and the kids. Some kids are not gentle and if they have parents that do not enforce any kinds of rules than that would not be a good place for an animal (escpecially a baby one).

Raven is my 4th child, and she is also the easiest lol.
 

ghosthunterbeck

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Originally Posted by TickyTat

I'm so sick of people giving up on something that can easily be fixed with just a little effort. Cats are not toys you can buy your kids and they are NOT low maintenance! Grrr.......
Ooooh, pet peeve of mine! (pardon the pun...) I hate it when people say or think that cats are low-maintenance pets. Now granted, there are *four* cats and *one* dog, but I spent more time on maintenance for the cats than I do for the dog, and I can't clean out the litterbox!

I was saying to somebody recently myself that pets aren't good "gifts" for children because it's the parent who has to accept responsibility for this *life* that they have taken into their hands. It really makes me angry!
 

stacyd1987

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Originally Posted by ghosthunterbeck

Ooooh, pet peeve of mine! (pardon the pun...) I hate it when people say or think that cats are low-maintenance pets. Now granted, there are *four* cats and *one* dog, but I spent more time on maintenance for the cats than I do for the dog, and I can't clean out the litterbox!

I was saying to somebody recently myself that pets aren't good "gifts" for children because it's the parent who has to accept responsibility for this *life* that they have taken into their hands. It really makes me angry!
So true, no pet is low maintenance for anyone! And when my husband and I adopted our two kittens for my birthday, we considered the fact that we would be having these two for 16-18 years, like a kid.
Sure, they were presents but we wanted a pet for a long time and cats are more accepted in apartments than dogs, which is true about the place we're in now. The military states that we can have two pets but anymore than that, then we would have to pay for the civilian vet visits.

I also agree that every pet owner should be giving a guide on how to properly introduce a pet into its new home and what to expect. Maybe that will lower the rate at which people return a pet because of a silly reason.
 
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tickytat

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Update: Turns out they DID have the kitten in a bathroom, with 2 litter boxes (one with clumping and one with pine) she didn't go in either. But I still don't think they gave it long enough. The kitten was only 9 weeks old.
 

kittkatt

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Originally Posted by katachtig

It probably was for the best that they brought it back so quickly. Hopefully, the kitten goes to a home where it is loved and well taken care of.


Katachtig took the words right out of my mouth!

Poor baby.
But I agree: she's better off somewhere else!


~KK~
 

wildflower79

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I agree they really gave it no time. I mean people who have this issue will tell you it takes time and patience to correct it. I mean giving up after just one day without even trying to figure out the problem is just ridiculous.
 

libby74

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I have 3 kids, aged 4, 3, and 1. I am a stay at home mom and I have taught them "kitty rules". Basically they are not allowed to do anything with her unless they ask me and since I am a stay at home mom I am ALWAYS there to moniter their activities
These are the kids that should have pets--the ones whose parents take the time to teach them what having a pet is all about.
 
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