Do you have children and are considering getting a cat, or maybe the other way around? Is there a cat breed that is better for families with children? Here you get tips on how you can create good conditions for the interaction between your cat and your child.
If a cat sneezes at a newborn baby, it may be because the baby smells foreign to the cat.
Having a cat at home can be wonderful for you with children. Here you get tips on how to make life together with cats and children as wonderful as possible.
Which cat is suitable for family life?
There is no special breed with the definition “family cat”. Nor do cats that patiently agree to be knocked over or petted. Cats can be hesitant or hiss at children who are loud and wild – until the cat realizes that the child’s running and loudness is not dangerous. Once the cat has gotten used to the baby, there are rarely any problems.
You can help your cat by giving him his own space, for example by creating a resting place out of reach of the child. Make sure that the cat’s lying area, food and water bowls, toys, litter box, etc. remain in place or move it to a quieter place away from excessively disturbing areas.
Remember that cats are adaptable and you can get them used to most things, such as spending time with small children, riding a car, combing, walking on a leash and also learning to live with dogs and other cats. But for some cats it can take longer than for others and it takes patience and that we think about doing it as well as possible for the cat. More that we think we adapt to the cat’s needs than the other way around, that’s what is responsible animal ownership.
Get the cat used to the baby’s scent
Cats can sniff at a newborn baby. This is usually because the child smells foreign to the cat. A good tip is to, if possible, bring something home from BB with the baby’s smell before the baby comes home, so that the cat is used to the smell when the baby arrives.
Tips to teach children
- Do not chase the cat
- Leave the cat alone when it eats, sleeps and walks on the litter box
- Show how to pet the cat, feel free to be with yourself in the beginning, wash your hands afterwards
- Show where the cat most likes to be scratched and petted and what the cat does not like
- Show how to play with the cat and with cat toys
- Make it nice for both the cat and the baby, give praise
- Give some restrictions – how long and when it is appropriate to play with the cat