Considering getting a kitten

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Me and my husband are really considering getting a kitten fairly soon.

My little boy is 3 years old, do people think this would be a good age? Also we are wondering on average how much a kitten costs each month? We are looking to get from cats protection and I know they include the vaccinations etc.

Thanks

£25 a month for insurance for 2.
Boosters paid for through vacs4life, and that was about £100 per cat.
Food I'm not sure per month as I pay for that as and when, and it depends on what you choose to feed them.

Last visit to the vet cost me £50 so was under the excess on the insurence so I couldn't claim on that.

£7.60 a month for insurance for two.
First lot of jabs for two was about £50.
Neuter/spay for two was £120 which included follow up check.
Food around £25 a month.
Cat litter (settled on the wood chip non clump) £7 a month.

I wouldn't get a kitten with a three year old, you'd have to supervise them constantly to make sure it's not being hurt /killed. That's why rescues won't rehome if you have a child under 5

I'd get an adult known to be bomb proof with kids.

Please don't think that a kitten is a modest commitment. Your kitten may well live for 18 years or so and the cheaper insurances don't cover chronic illnesses long term like diabetes/thyroid: so annually:

Insurance £360
Food £35
Worming/fleaing/vas £100
Cat feeder £210 (three weeks away)

Then one off costs like insurance excesses £100, neutering/microchipping £120!, cat basket, litter, scratching posts, incidental damage to carpets, furniture, pots knocked off shelves.

Do I think it's wonderful to have a family cat. Absolutely, but please be aware of the very long term commitment.

Thanks everyone. I didn't know cats protection don't give kittens to anyone with children under 5! The commitment part we don't mind as we know a dog is alot more commitment

Also we live in an area where our cat would be an outdoor cat, so wouldn't need to supervise it and my son too much

Each rescue varies, if your out during the day they prefer you to take two kittens so they don't get lonely or anxious. Anxious cats can scratch furniture or wee in the house to re-assure themselves.

At 3 I'd go for an adult, it wasn't unusual for kittens to be killed by small children hence the rules.

Kittens are fun but they can also drive you up the wall. With a small child you have to factor in that kittens have no restraint, if the quickest path to where they want to go is straight up a human with all claws out then they will do it. On an adult this is painful, a small child probably also doesn't have the restraint not to react and could really hurt the kitten in the heat of the moment. Kitten playfighting can also be really painful! An adult cat, even a young one is a better idea, still fun but more predictable and more robust.

We just adopted a rescue cat. She is nearly one, so a bit older than a kitten but she still has "kittenish" tendencies. She is very playful and likes to jump up, dive for your feet as you're walking past, etc. My children are 7 and 5 and are learning to watch her body language but are still a bit nervous of her, although they understand when to leave her alone. I think age 3 is too young to be getting a kitten. Also, young kittens need to be kept indoors for quite a long time so would be around your DS a lot.

By the time a kitten is old enough to go out the supervision wouldn't be such an issue. It's the months when a kitten would be too small to go outside and still vulnerable to being grabbed or crushed by a toddler that are the problem. There's also the fact that kittens can be very boisterous and scratchy. Many go through a phase of running out at people's feet and ankles and "attacking them" which isn't always good with small children.
If you don't want a cat that you need to keep indoors for several months you are better off going for an adult cat. An adult with the right temperament is much less likely to get hurt but also much less likely to bite and scratch your child than a kitten. You can also start letting an adult outdoors after a few weeks rather than months.