Adopting A Cat with Young Children #KidsandKitties

I have always loved cats but the hubby doesn’t. So it took a while to convince him we needed a cat….spotting a mouse in the house helped as he then agreed to letting me get one.

At the time Bee was less than a year old and I knew I didn’t want to get a kitten as they need a lot of time and attention and with a child under 1, I felt it would be double the work!  I was also worried that a kitten would be a bit too boisterous for Bee while playing and they could hurt each other. So we made the decision to get a slightly older cat but no older than 2 years old. And what better place to look then Cats Protection. There are so many cats that need homes…and by getting a rescue cat it also taught the children about kindness and looking out for the animals who may have suffered and are now homeless.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps around 200,000 cats and kittens each year through a network of 34 centre and over 250 volunteer-run branches. When I contacted them a lady came out to check our home and have a general chat about what we needed. And soon a cat was recommended to us.

Points to consider:

• A cat is a long term commitment, not just a temporary phase
• You won’t always know the full history of a rescue cat or it’s exact age
• If you have other pets you will need to take the time to introduce them to each other
• Ensure your children are taught to respect the cat and give it space too

We have had Rosie now for about 4 years and can’t imagine our family being without her. She was the perfect match and has filled our lives with fun and love.

However a lot of people think that once they are expecting a baby then they have to rehome their cat. Or if they have young children it may not be safe to have a cat. Which is why Cats Protection launched a campaign this month: the #KidsandKitties campaign. The campaign is  to encourage parents to keep their pets during pregnancy after a survey found that over half of prospective mums and dads have concerns.

The campaign offers advice to parents on how to keep their children, cats and themselves safe and happy as well as outlining the benefits of pets in families.

I must admit I was slightly nervous getting a cat who’s history I didn’t know and also due to having a pretty active child who could possibly terrorise the cat. However Cat’s Protection matched us up with a cat who was being fostered with a family with children and they could tell she had a calm temperament. And she fitted right in. It was almost as if she could sense Bee was a child and she did look out for her; I think it helped that she had just had kittens herself and still had the mothering instinct.

However it is also vital to teach your children to respect the cat. That the cat is not a plaything that you can be rough with…but to respect its space and be gentle with it. Give your cat love and attention and you will be rewarded with their love. Rosie is more mine then the girls, but she looks out for us all. She comes to us when we are upset and often goes into the girls bedrooms at night to check in on them if she hears them tossing and turning.

Having children does not mean that you have to get rid of the family cat or not even introduce a cat to the family.

Cat’s can teach your children compassion and responsibility and can make a lovely pet and companion for the children.

To learn more about the campaign or if you are worried about having a cat with children, then you can gain more information on the Cats Protection website: Kids and Kitties.

Now to convince my hubby it is time for a kitten. Wish me luck!!