cats and kids

5 Tips for Living with Cats and Kids

Give Cats a Kid-Free Space. Natural kid behaviors like quick movements, loud noises, and grabby hands can be scary or overwhelming for cats. Make sure your cat has somewhere to go that is away from children in case they need it. Tall cat trees, shelves, or rooms that kids can’t access will give your cat space to relax if they need it.

Let the Cat Initiate Interactions. A person approaching can be scary for some cats. Instead, give your cat control over their social interactions. When introducing a cat, have kids sit on the floor and let the cat approach if they want to. For older kids, show them how to move a wand toy or toss treats to entice the kitty closer. If the cat walks away, that means they no longer want attention. Never let kids follow or chase a cat.

Teach Kids a Consent Test. Sometimes a cat will approach just because they want to be near you, not necessarily get petted. You can give your cat even more control over their interactions with people of all ages by using a consent test. Essentially, this is a way to ask the cat, “do you want to be petted now?” and the cat can say “yes” or “no.” You can teach this simple consent test to kids:

  1. Hold your hand a few inches in front of the cat’s nose and let them sniff. 
  2. If they turn away, they don’t want attention right now. Give them some space and try again later.
  3. If the cat moves closer or rubs on your hand, they’re interested in attention! Try scratching their neck or anywhere you know your cat likes to be touched.
  4. After a few seconds, stop petting and ask again if they want more.

This may sound backward, but giving cats the option to say “no” makes them more likely to say “yes!” If you want to take this consent test a step further, you can use food to train a start button behavior which is especially helpful for shy cats.

Use Relatable Language. Kids may find it difficult to understand that your cat has their own needs. With young children, it can be helpful to use phrases that they know from their own routines to build empathy for the cat’s needs. You can also compare the child’s varied emotions to your cat’s different moods. When your cat doesn’t want to be disturbed, you might say, “it’s Kitty’s naptime,” pretend to tuck her into bed and sneak away quietly. Or you can explain, “kitty wants to be alone, just like you want to be alone sometimes.”

Teach Kids Other Ways to Interact. Kids probably love to pet your cat, but your cat might feel differently about it. Kids may pester her too often or your toddler’s hand might be too rough. You can teach children other ways to interact that your cat would enjoy. Wave a wand toy, help prepare food at mealtimes, or practice clicker training. Just make sure you choose an activity appropriate for the child’s age level and abilities.

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