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Original poster

If you know about cats…

35 replies

FS90 · 27/09/2024 22:52

Hi,

if you know a thing or two about cats..

what are your thoughts on introducing kittens to a house with a 6 and 2 year old?

is it better to adopt in pairs?

if so can they be from the same litter?

and does it make a difference whether they’re a pair of girls/ boys/ mixed sex?

what are your thoughts on indoor cats?

can indoor cats access the garden at all or is it a complete no no?

thanks so much

OP posts:
MarjorieStuartBaxter · 27/09/2024 23:09

Depends how your kids are with animals in general and knkw they can't just grab a kitten etc.....pairs may be manic if you've not had cats before! But fun to watch. They say to get 2 boys or boy/girl but obviously they would need neautering as can get pregnant at like 6 months.
I don't agree with keeping cats indoors but if that's what you were doing it's added work to keep them in, plus you will forever have a litter tray! I don't let cats out until they are around 9 months......

FunkyClunky · 27/09/2024 23:12

2 boys is a great combination and better from same litter, indoor cats is a big no.. they’re outdoor animals and you don’t want to be dealing with litter trays in the house for any longer than necessary!

minipie · 27/09/2024 23:17

Personally I think age 2 is a little young, wait till your youngest is 3 and can be taught things like don’t grab the cat, don’t squeeze the cat etc.

I would get cats that go outdoors, better for you and for the cat, and a catflap.

Kittens in pairs is usually recommended, adult cats not so much unless they are already friends.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cats
fallenbranches · 27/09/2024 23:17

I have had cats all my life, as a child and now as a parent with DC. As your DC are very young then I would recommended kittens as it can work. We got our cat when she was already 2 years old. She was from a rescue home and had already had a litter but was dumped by the previous owner. I think she didn't have a great start in life so when we got her she didn't adapt well to my DC. She was very nervous around them and it took her about 2 years to even let them stroke her. I realised it was a mistake getting a two year old cat with DC (not that she's a mistake as I love her!) but I felt bad for her plus my DC always got upset that she didn't like them. Kittens are very playful and if they have been brought up with children they will be used to them. I don't agree with keeping a cat indoors, I've never done it and can't imagine it as all my cats have loved being outside. It's their chance to be true cats, chasing bugs, hiding under a bush while looking at birds, sitting on a high fence and looking at the gardens around etc...so for this reason I would never get an indoor cat. Plus outdoor cats are far easier as they poo and wee outside, are beat and bury it so you don't have to deal with any litter trays.

Bs0u416d · 27/09/2024 23:18

Not sure about kids or kitten but we have an indoor cat. He always has been, part necessity as we lived on a yacht marina when we got him and could chance him boarding a boat 🤣. He's very happy and I'm passionate that cats should be kept indoors for lots of reasons. They live longer, he's dialed into our routine (comes be bed with us for example), he can't shit on other people's gardens, he isn't embroiled in territorial disputes and is not exposed to feline disease. He does come into the garden with us supervised and likes to sunbathe. Otherwise he lives a happy and loved life with his bigger (but younger) brother.

Edited to say we have a litter tray and it's no bother. It's in an otherwise unused bathroom on the top floor of our house and isn't smelly or inconvenient. An indoor cat with a litter tray is much easier than a rodent that needs regular cleaning out. And if the cat isn't going in a litter tray then it's definitely shitting at will in your neighborhood gardens. You wouldn't let a Labrador get away with that and you shouldn't let your cat.

If you know about cats…
SchoolyStuff · 27/09/2024 23:21

We had three cats who were mother and two sons. They all hated each other and lived very separate lives. When we went on holiday we used to come home to one cat, the others having been chucked out by the most territorial one.

I'm not sure about small children and cats. I had a cat as a small child and it used to chase me and pounce on me because I was small and fast moving and it took me for prey. I didn't like it. I did like my cat that we got when I was older, and I was bigger than it. That was a lot safer.

Original poster
FS90 · 27/09/2024 23:21

Thanks so much for all the replies so far. I don’t know how I feel about indoor cats but I’m just so worried that an outdoor cat would be likely to be killed on the road

OP posts:
SchoolyStuff · 27/09/2024 23:22

I live in a city and there are lots of cats in our street and none has ever been harmed by a car.

Tbh the bigger problem is them dining out at other people's houses. Some of them are shameless. LOL.

Original poster
FS90 · 27/09/2024 23:22

Bs0u416d · 27/09/2024 23:18

Not sure about kids or kitten but we have an indoor cat. He always has been, part necessity as we lived on a yacht marina when we got him and could chance him boarding a boat 🤣. He's very happy and I'm passionate that cats should be kept indoors for lots of reasons. They live longer, he's dialed into our routine (comes be bed with us for example), he can't shit on other people's gardens, he isn't embroiled in territorial disputes and is not exposed to feline disease. He does come into the garden with us supervised and likes to sunbathe. Otherwise he lives a happy and loved life with his bigger (but younger) brother.

Edited to say we have a litter tray and it's no bother. It's in an otherwise unused bathroom on the top floor of our house and isn't smelly or inconvenient. An indoor cat with a litter tray is much easier than a rodent that needs regular cleaning out. And if the cat isn't going in a litter tray then it's definitely shitting at will in your neighborhood gardens. You wouldn't let a Labrador get away with that and you shouldn't let your cat.

Edited

Thank you, what a great picture!

OP posts:
Original poster
FS90 · 27/09/2024 23:24

SchoolyStuff · 27/09/2024 23:21

We had three cats who were mother and two sons. They all hated each other and lived very separate lives. When we went on holiday we used to come home to one cat, the others having been chucked out by the most territorial one.

I'm not sure about small children and cats. I had a cat as a small child and it used to chase me and pounce on me because I was small and fast moving and it took me for prey. I didn't like it. I did like my cat that we got when I was older, and I was bigger than it. That was a lot safer.

Oh dear!

OP posts:
Rhubarblin · 27/09/2024 23:26

I'm definitely a cat lady as I read this as your 2+6yo are cats and you wanted to add some kittens to your pack.

We got our cat when DD2 was 2, it was absolutely fine. Cat was an adult rescue and soon adapted. DD2 didn't poke/squeeze/bother kitty.

RogueFemale · 27/09/2024 23:27

If you don't have a safe outdoor space, and you're close to a busy road, then it's simple, - just don't get a cat. Cats are wild animals, and it's cruel to confine them indoors, like being in prison. (USA people do it a lot, but then USA people also do stuff like declawing, which is illegal in the UK because it's horribly cruel).

Rhubarblin · 27/09/2024 23:28

@Bs0u416d I'm sensing world domination vibes from your cat.

Singleandproud · 27/09/2024 23:33

I would leave it until your youngest is school age.

If you get kittens their claws and teeth are sharp, they like to use the back of your legs as trees and climb onto your shoulder and it hurts, equally they like to play hunt feet and that can hurt too. A two year old is likely to react out of instinct and kick out etc which isn't good for either of them.

I'm not a fan of indoor cats, I think the need some space outdoors even if your garden is cat proofed or the have a catio. One of my was desperate to get outside from the day we brought him home although we waited until he was 8 months old, our second cat is a rescue and scared of her own shadow so goes outside to toilet but likes the door left open so she can run straight back in.

SchoolyStuff · 27/09/2024 23:35

I would agree that kittens and small kids could be difficult. We had a litter of 6 kittens when I was ten, and they were incredibly sharp about the claws. Also if I stroked them that one time too many they could just wrap themselves around my arm and absolutely savage me.

I loved the cat I had as a teen, but my goodness they do have views on things.

If you would like a cat for your young child to be happy with, it might be better to get an older rescue that resembles bagpuss and doesn't move much.

KathielovesNancy · 27/09/2024 23:57

not wishing to ignite the indoor/outdoor debate but it will be difficult to keep a cat indoors if you have small children and direct doors to outside - someone will leave a door open, a cat will escape as you're trying to get everyone plus bags/coats etc in/out the house or even when you pop out to the bins.

Our last cat lived to the ripe old age of 19 and he was an outdoor boy. Both he and DD were 1 when we got him and he was always very good in the house. We now have 2 rescue boys who had lived together but are not from the same litter and aren't even brothers but they get along well. I know that rescue centres don't always rehome cats from the same home together if they anticipate problems

fallenbranches · 27/09/2024 23:59

FS90 · 27/09/2024 23:21

Thanks so much for all the replies so far. I don’t know how I feel about indoor cats but I’m just so worried that an outdoor cat would be likely to be killed on the road

Really depends on where you live. I have never let my cat outside the front door and from the start stopped her from even going near it. She always goes to the garden and stays around in the gardens at the back, so she has learned not to venture around the front of the house. Saying that I'm sure other cats would work their way around but mine is very nervous so we were lucky she wasn't interested. Many of my neighbours with cats let their cats out regularly at the front. Only one was sadly run over recently so there is a concern there.

Findingmyway38 · 28/09/2024 00:01

We have cat fencing installed by Sanctuary SOS as we were worried about our road and it's been amazing. Our cats were indoors their first year and it was painful trying to get in / out the garden and we tried taking them out when supervised and would have to collect one from next door as he would immediately (understandably) make a run for it! So I'd recommend looking into the fencing, there are a few options out there and our cats and us are happy!

Regarding a 2 year old - I'd probably hold off for 6 months until they're a little older. Our 2.5 year old mostly ignores ours now other than pointing to them, he went through a phase where we needed to supervise him very closely as he would certainly have tried to pull a tail / throw something / chase and would have also been scratched badly, but 6 months on he's learned to respect their space (they completely ignore him).

Floralnomad · 28/09/2024 00:01

Either cat proof your garden or get a catio , our Siamese have a catio and are very happy with it . All cat owners should have a litter tray indoors regardless of whether the cat goes out or not .

StickyStones · 28/09/2024 00:02

My kids were those exact ages when we got our cats. We got a boy and girl from the same litter. They're not friends now, I'd recommend two boys from the same litter

CornflakeGirl18 · 28/09/2024 00:08

I think cats and young children can work together as long as the children know how to handle, or rather not handle, the cat.
I got a kitten when DD had just turned 5, however, despite her always being gentle and kind with him, he didn't really seek her out for affection until she was a lot older, so it might be a case of managing expectations if the children think the kitten will immediately be their best friend. He's always been a lap cat for me, it just took about eight years for him to warm up to her!

BobbyBiscuits · 28/09/2024 00:08

If there's a pair from same litter, one will tend to be the dominant. If they are the same sex I think this can be more tricky. But if there's enough space they usually kind of find their own areas to be their territory.

The two I've got are different litters, one about 2 years older, and they get on really well. The pair of male/female siblings I had before didn't really spend time together at all. Or seem too keen on eachother!

But it depends on the temperament of the cats. And a bit about how the kids react to them/play with them.

Reugny · 28/09/2024 00:08

Kittens and a 2 year-old nope. However older cats yep. As you can get cats who are able to ignore young children who annoy them.

However the cat(s) needs to be able to escape from your children

So if you are worried about them getting run over then you want one female cat rather than 2 males. Only because I know more older female cats than male cats. (I'm talking 15+ years old.) To put it bluntly - some of the female cats were part of female and male kitten pairs where the boy including their older replacement got runover.

maudelovesharold · 28/09/2024 00:28

I'm not sure about small children and cats. I had a cat as a small child and it used to chase me and pounce on me because I was small and fast moving and it took me for prey. I didn't like it. I did like my cat that we got when I was older, and I was bigger than it. That was a lot safer.

If your first cat was bigger than you as a toddler, are you sure that was a cat? Grin

Remaker · 28/09/2024 00:31

Depends on the 2 year old. If they will squeeze cats or torment them I would say wait a while. We got two kittens who were a bonded pair (M/F) when my kids were 7 & 5. We were really strict with letting kids know these are living creatures not toys, you mustn’t try to force them to do anything they don’t want to. As a result we have two gentle calm cats who love our whole family. My SIL got a cat around the same time and let her kids chase it and drag it around and then wondered why it scratched them and is antisocial and only comes near them for food.

Ours are indoor cats. We live in Australia and it is quite normal here. And enforced in some areas. We have many small native animals who have the right to exist without being slaughtered by pet cats for fun. Our cats are 10 years old and live a very happy life. We give them plenty of stimulation and being Australia there are plenty of creepy crawlies for hunting practice. Mine tend to specialise in hunting clothes pegs and bringing them to me as gifts 😍

I recommend having a bonded pair as they are lovely companions for each other. When we go on holiday we pay a neighbour’s teenager to feed them and change the litter and they are happy being together in their own environment.