New kitten and anxious child

[buttonhead101]

We have a new kitten, she’s been here for two weeks, she sweet, affectionate, gentle and a little crazy as kittens can be. My son (aged 7) has always liked cats and really wanted us to get one. He will play with her, pick her up and stroke her but he won’t relax or sit down when she’s in the room. He will pace around, constantly ask where she is and panic if she comes anywhere near him. Sometimes I think he’s getting better but last night he broke down in tears saying he can’t relax when she’s around - he just won’t ignore her.

Does anyone have any advice? Or ideas on places to get advice?

[TheLongRider]

It takes time. We had the same issue with our kitten last year. When she arrived she was a bitey, scratchy, pouncy kitten. My DD was quite scared and found it hard to relax around her because she would be pounced on.

What helped was teaching her how to observe the cats behaviour. If the cat was tucked up or washing, she could move around the cat without getting jumped on. I taught her to come closer and stroke the cat when I was holding her. I reassured her that the kitten was quite happy doing her own thing and wasn't always going to pounce on her. Playing with the kitten with mouse on a string or playing football with a ball also helped, because DD could throw the ball across the room, the kitten would chase the ball and DD could move away from the cat.

Talking it through with DD helped too, she would say she didn't want to get jumped on so we would tell her to throw the ball. We also taught DD that if the cat was coming over to her with her tail up, then the cat was friendly and wanted to talk to DD and could be stroked.

It took time, a good few weeks, the kitten is now a cat and inseparable from DD, sleeps on her bed and DD is her human.

[buttonhead101]

Thank you, it’s really good to know that hopefully with time it will get better. I’m just slightly frazzled thinking I’m being unfair to DS and unfair to the kitten. I will try the things you’ve suggested!

[SaDo12]

My little girl is also the same. She’s four nearly five and quite worried around our new kitten. Trying to encourage her to be a bit more confident