Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Kitten and a toddler .. terrible idea?

23 replies

wonder456 · 14/12/2025 08:15

We are considering getting a kitten. DS1 is 7 and DS2 is nearly 2.... is this a terrible idea? I've read you can't leave a toddler and kitten unsupervised... I'm not even sure how I could realistically supervise them both constantly when cooking dinner/ getting things ready etc...

Any thoughts on this greatly appreciated!

Thankyou!

OP posts:
Lookingforthejoy · 14/12/2025 08:17

Yes, terrible idea.

DisplayPurposesOnly · 14/12/2025 08:24

Why a kitten? Why not two younger cats from a rescue? Our local rescue has several (singles and pairs) looking for homes.

Theyll be vaccinated and neutered (the adoption fee will be far less than those cost - and you won't have the stress of getting it done yourself). Bargain!

tonyhawks23 · 14/12/2025 08:26

It is a terrible idea you will need to supervise at all times and they will get scratched a lot.you will have a litter tray to manage.the cat will steal the food from their hand and will walk on your surfaces when your out when it's bigger and will stick it's head down the toilet.they are keen to investigate everywhere.they will bring in dead and alive birds and mice.these are the things my new cat does.i would wait until the youngest is older and at least more sensible with cat playing and litter trays.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Cats Families
maudelovesharold · 14/12/2025 08:27

I don’t think it would be a good idea from the kitten’s pov! It’s inevitably going to be regarded as a living, breathing toy by the toddler. Kittens can’t look after themselves. You’re effectively going to be landed with another tiny ‘toddler’ who is even more helpless than a human one! It’s hard work. I would wait until your children are older and can actually help to look after a kitten.

Toddlerteaplease · 14/12/2025 08:36

Many rescues will not rehome with toddlers.

Coffeeishot · 14/12/2025 08:40

Well we had a kitten and a 2 year old and it was totally fine Dd didn't pester the cat the cat was a handful tbf but fine, they grew up together and the cat lived until she was 19.

smallsilvercloud · 14/12/2025 08:46

Not ideal best to wait a couple of years, poor kitten won’t appreciate being grabbed by a 2 year old, having said that I’ve always had cats before children came along, they will hide away from young kids, baby gates will stop toddler following them.

Daytimenighttime · 14/12/2025 08:52

I absolutely agree with @CatsFamilies
maudelovesharold

It would be absolutely not be fair on the kitten. It's a living animal not a toy.

If would probably grow up to be a bad tempered cat because thats how it will react to the treatment it will receive.

Cats | Discover | Mumsnet

Looking for content about cats? Browse our extensive content written for and by the supportive Mumsnet community of parents.

https://www.mumsnet.com/discover/cats

Justlostmybagel · 14/12/2025 08:54

We have a toddler and a kitten. It's hard work sometimes, but not unmanageable at all

I have discovered that I don't really like cats though. I was neutral to them before owning one. I liked other people's cats and my family had one when I was child so I thought it would be fine. But yeah, turns out I'm not a cat person at all.

Twelvetimes · 14/12/2025 08:57

Don't do it. The toddler could do serious damage to the kitten.

And a kitten needs a lot of input, needing regular feeding, deworming, deflea-ing, constant litter tray cleaning.

The rescue society I worked for would not rehome kittens with pre-schoolers as it was not fair on the animal.

TomatoSandwiches · 14/12/2025 09:00

Wait until your youngest is 4/5 starting reception.

Pancakeorcrepe · 14/12/2025 09:07

Poor kitten. Please don’t be that person.

MsSquiz · 14/12/2025 09:09

Kittens need almost as much attention as toddlers! I would wait until your toddler is older. Then it will be easier to teach the children how to help look after the kitten rather than see it as a play thing

ChristmasStressy · 14/12/2025 09:16

We got our cat when my son was 18 months old. He passed away recently at 20 years old, not bad for a cat. They were best friends.

thecatneuterer · 14/12/2025 09:26

Yes, terrible idea. One kitten is a terrible idea full stop. Kittens need a litter mate for play and comfort. Also a terrible idea as toddlers are a danger to small kittens and are frequently traumatized and sometimes killed by them.

If you want a cat then go to a rescue. Most rescues will be happy to home their most calm and placid cats with small children. And the cats will be big enough to defend themselves.

autumn1610 · 14/12/2025 09:30

tonyhawks23 · 14/12/2025 08:26

It is a terrible idea you will need to supervise at all times and they will get scratched a lot.you will have a litter tray to manage.the cat will steal the food from their hand and will walk on your surfaces when your out when it's bigger and will stick it's head down the toilet.they are keen to investigate everywhere.they will bring in dead and alive birds and mice.these are the things my new cat does.i would wait until the youngest is older and at least more sensible with cat playing and litter trays.

Well that’s is very much your cat and not all cats to start with. My rescue boy doesn’t really do any of the things you have put, however he wouldn’t have been suitable when he first came to me, to be put with a young child home, now he is a lot calmer as he’s been off the streets for a year now, but at the time when I was fostering him, he was for adult only home.

But I wouldn’t get a little 12 week old kitten as they need a lot of supervision (unless you buy private most rescues will now only rehome little kittens in pairs)You may find some rescues would rehome to you if they had a suitable chilled cat or older kitten. Having one around 6months to a year or older you are likely to be out the running up the curtain stage and may have calmed down. I foster cats and kittens and some I had would be totally fine with a toddler but these were older kittens. A couple went to a temporary foster and were amazing with their little boy who was around 3 and he had older cats so knew to be gentle with them etc. depends on the kitten/cat and your toddler really if they know how to behave around animals etc

Scottishskifun · 14/12/2025 09:34

I would wait. Kittens have needle teeth and sharp claws, a toddler is very loud and very full on which can be terrifying to a small kitten. The kitten may become nervous etc which would be the cat for life.
By nearly 4 they understand a lot more about regulating volume, being gentle etc.

thecatneuterer · 14/12/2025 09:50

I'll repeat my post more succinctly. A kitten definitely not. Why a kitten and not a cat?

A rescue will be able to find you a cat with the right temperament to withstand a toddler.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 14/12/2025 09:57

I’d wait a year or two, it will be easier when a child is able to understand how to handle a kitten.

NowThatsWhatICallRecent · 14/12/2025 10:03

Kitten and a toddler .. terrible idea?

The kitten is a great idea, not so sure about the toddler!😁

Original poster
wonder456 · 14/12/2025 10:13

Thankyou so much everyone for your advice.. we've decided to wait until our toddler is a bit older - I don't want the little kitten to feel traumatised 😔 and want to feel 100% about the decision rather than unsure.

Thankyou so much for your help 🙏

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 14/12/2025 19:38

wonder456 · 14/12/2025 10:13

Thankyou so much everyone for your advice.. we've decided to wait until our toddler is a bit older - I don't want the little kitten to feel traumatised 😔 and want to feel 100% about the decision rather than unsure.

Thankyou so much for your help 🙏

But why a kitten? Why not an adult cat? Adult cats are so much easier, plus you know what personality you're getting. With a kitten you have no idea. Also kittens hate to be separated from siblings and should really be homed in pairs.

OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea · 14/12/2025 20:07

We had a happy medium and got a 4/5 month old kitten. Not so squishable as a tiny kitten and could look after himself. We got a cat bed that was enclosed so the cat could escape in to there if he needed to and we were very chatty with all the DC that if the cat was in his bed then they were not to bother it. It was absolutely fine. Cat was a very confident vagabond who would swipe at the older DC if they annoyed him but would let the youngest who was toddler/preschool age get away with murder. He would merrily grab the cat around his middle and carry him around and the cat would just let him. Youngest was genuinely one of the cat's favourite people and still is many years later.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page