Getting a rescue cat with noisy toddlers

[MyCatJeremy]

I have been looking for a cat for sometime and I have found a lovely cat in a shelter. He is a nervous cat with new people but friendly once he gets to know you (according to the rescue). I am looking for an adult cat and would rather take one from a rescue but I am worried that my kids might scare him as they are noisy! This will be my first cat so any advice would be appreciated.

[Lizcat]

Have the rescue introduced that cat to children. In the clinic we always trial lost cats we DD before they go to shelter to see if they like kids and then pass this on to them to aid in rehoming.
Beautiful girl is a shy cat, but she loves children and would walk on hot coals to be with them.

[SmokinSanta]

I rehomed a 4 year old cat in June with 2 very noisy boys (2yr and just under 4 at the time)

I made sure that his main day sleeping place was somewhere far away from the kids, where they knew they couldnt go get him. He likes my bed or under my bed for that.

He enjoys the rest of the house when the boys are out/eating dinner/watching a DVD quietly. He is a very content cat.

Its now been 6 months and the boys have calmed down a lot and he's become more confident - he is quite happy to be picked up and cuddled by DS1 now, though is still a little wary of DS2.

If you have space for the cat to call their own for their own sanity it can work. If they have no where to go to be calm away from the noise and the children I doubt it would.

[roundthehouses]

not sure. the shelter should be able to advise a bit more? We have a ex-stray who i picked up when he was about 4 months old. He was and is a very traumatised cat (5 yrs later!) he is beautiful and gentle and sweet but very very shy and easily frightened. i mean scared of his own shadow frightened. He cannot cope with ds (3) at all and generally stays well out of the way while ds is awake only coming for love and cuddles after ds has gone to bed. luckily we have a garden and he is happy to spend a lot of time out there.

For all that I love him I have often wondered if I should rehome him with an older couple/ single person that could give him the peace and quiet he needs.

Our other cat on the other hand is very long suffering and puts up with A LOT from ds, he loves any attention he gets even when ds is trying to ride him (and he´s not a small child) and i feel ds also gets a lot out of having him around, they are becoming real friends and its sweet to see.

So speak to the shelter but as much as he may be a lovely cat, he may not be quite right for your family and might be happier elsewhere.