Answer: Certainly for older children, i.e. above the toddler stage, there can be considerable educational benefit in looking after a cat, as with any pet. The child learn consideration for living creatures and through having responsibility, for example for feeding and grooming, gains confidence in himself. In owing a female cat, there is also an opportunity for learning about sex and birth and the care of the young. Burmese, Himalayan and Siamese cat are pedigree animals which are particularly suited to children, if you are considering a pedigree cat.
If you intend to buy a cat for your children, don’t do so unless you really like cats, because in a family one of the parents must take responsibility for looking after the cat. This isn’t something that can be delegate to a child; at worst they may tire of the novelty of having a cat very quickly and at the best they may at times become so engrossed in another activity that they forget to feed or groom the cat. Perhaps this change of interest is of no great importance to them, but it certainly is vital to the cat’s well-being. And never buy a cat as a present for some one else’s children, with out consulting and obtaining the consent of the parents. There may well be important factors to consider which you know nothing about.
It is important to avoid the cat being ill- treated; usually this results from not knowing the correct way to handle the animal (squeezing and pulling)and from carelessness and a misplaced since of fun. The children should be asked to consider how they would like to be attend, and shown the correct way to handle a cat. Deliberate maltreatment of animals is most common in children who are themselves ill-treated.
Children between three and six years old should be set down before being given a cat or kitten to hold as they can easily drop it, especially when the animal wriggles or as a kitten will, digs its claws in.
For children below toddler age, there can be problem with cats. Babies and toddlers certainly like to stoke cats and many cats like it. But there should always be an adult around. If the child pulls at the cat’s tail or hair, steps on it, the cat may attack (pain-induced aggression). Very young children (under two years old) have a natural tendency to suddenly grab at objects, which kittens find alarming. Cats can also snuggle into a pram or cot with a body for warmth, and may suffocate it. Cat nets will, if properly fastened, prevent this occurring.
In condition, two important zoo noses (disease spared by animal to man) can be transmitted by the cat, and children are particularly at risk because of their habit of putting fingers and object their mouths. These disease are visceral larva migrants and toxoplasmosis.
Cats and children should be prevented from eating each otter’s food, and the car should be stopped from licking the child’s face. After stroking the cat, the child’s hands should be washed; until then it should no be allowed to put its fingers into its mouth. Babies and toddlers should be kept away from the cat’s toilet tray, and child’s sandpit should be covered when not in use to prevent cats using it is a toilet box. Ct faces should be covered be cleaned from children’s play areas as soon as possible.
