Please help teach a 14 month old DD that the cats are not toys

[LuckySalem]

DD loves our cats but she is just too rough with them sometimes.
She tries to pick the youngest (foster) cat up all the time which resorts in him yelling about it - he is over dramatic so she probably isn't hurting him but still I dont want her to do this.

I've tried telling her no and taking her away from the cats but the stupid cat follows her sometimes. Also is if I take her away from him she goes STRAIGHT back and to the cat and does it again.

I've tried tapping her hand and telling her no but again she carries on.

I've been doing one or the other ALL day - I'm not kidding I've removed her at least 20 times today.

Thanks all

Someone please?

Oh also the cats do have somewhere to escape to but he won't go there. The other 2 do!!

It's hard enough trying to teach older kids let alone babies so good luck to you!

We didn't get a cat until my DS was 6 (I thought that was old enough foe him to be sensible enough) and he's now almost 9 and he still pulls the cat around.

He's never deliberatly nasty to him but it's more like always picking him up - sometimes when he's fast asleep and never knowing when to leave him be. If he walks into a room and sees the cat curled up he'll never respect that hes sleeping and always feel he (the cat) needs a cuddle. It drives me mad!

I've tried everything to stop him when I think he's not giving the cat any peace(believe me I never let him get away with it) and the cat is very good natured with him for the most part but still (understandably) often scratches and bites him but this doesn't seem to stop him or put him off.

He does really love the cat and the cat loves him too in his own way but he just does't always seem to be able to respect when he needs to be left alone. He doesn't seem able to put the cat's need to be left alone before his own desire to pick him up and cuddle him.

Kids are generally egocentric for quite a while before they learn to consider the feelings of others and I think he will grow out of it in time. I know older kids who still carry on the same way with cats too. The poor old cat just has to put up with it in the meantime - at least he's got me to protect him!

Sorry, no suggestions. The cat needs to learn to move away! DD yanks the cat's tail, grabs handfuls of fur, pushes the cat onto her side. And the cat puts up with it.

But to get her revenge, always manages to push her wormy bottom to where dd's hand is. Eurghwww. So it always ends with me rushing dd to the basin to wash her hands anyway.

By the way, our cat would NEVER stand for this from anyone else. I think she understands dd is a baby and is correspondingly gentle with her.

Thanks all.

3Stars he wont put up with it from anyone else either so it must just be her. He's stupid enough that he actually rubs against her when she's moved away from him and so it starts again.

He does have somewhere to go to and the other 2 cats go when they've had enough he just wont.
The other male cat lets her get away with murder too but has learnt to go upstairs when he's had enough this one either loves it and is just wingeing or is just plain stupid!! lol

Sounds like your cat likes your DD. [wink

Assuming you monitor your DD when she plays with the cats and your cat can escape and is not cornered, then there is no problem.

If the cat was truely unhappy then he would bite, scratch or generally try to run..following your daughter and rubbing against her are signs of affection.

We have 6 cats and whilst our toddler is awake they stay out of her reach

Babies - See that was confusing me, I know that she should respect animals but at the same time if she was REALLY hurting him he wouldn't stay there.

He does go to "mouth" her but he never bites or scratches.

I think i'll just leave them to it then if she was hurting him he'd leave.