Having kids and pets grow up together is really something special, but it can take time for kids to learn how to handle animals and properly interact with them.
When it comes to kids and cats, there can be a learning curve. After all, kids aren’t always the most gentle of people, and cats can be rather feisty.
Some cats and kids get along just great. In fact, cats have even been known to protect the young children in their lives, like the cat who kept the toddler away from the balcony ledge!
But sometimes, cats and kids don’t get along so well. Perhaps the kids bother the cat or the cat scratches the kids!
Thankfully, there are some tips you can follow to introduce kids to cats and teach them how to properly interact with cats for the best possible outcome. Check out the tips below:
Give Instructions
Like with anything, young children need clear instructions and direction to learn. You can foster a positive interaction between a cat and a young child by telling the child how to properly approach a cat, pet a cat, and act around a cat.
Lead by Example
You can lead by example when it comes to interacting with cats. Treat the cat how you want the child to treat the cat. After all, kids tend to copy the adults around them.
Supervise Interactions
When introducing a cat and a young child, be sure to supervise the time they spend together. This ensures the child is being careful with the cat and not interrogating or provoking (intentionally or not). As you supervise, you can offer instructions when needed.
Body Language
Cats use body language to communicate. You can teach your child about a cat’s body language so they can recognize signs of comfort, distress, etc.
Establish Boundaries
Young kids need firm boundaries, and that’s true when they’re around pets as well. You can help children form a healthy relationship with cats by establishing boundaries around their interactions.Use Positive Reinforcement
You can offer both children and cats positive reinforcement to foster a positive relationship between the two. When learning new things, including how to interact with a pet, it can be discouraging at times. Offering a child positive reinforcement can encourage them to keep trying.
Renowned cat expert Jackson Galaxy shared a video titled: “Can Cats and Kids Get Along?”
In the video, he offers some additional tips and knowledge on introducing kids and cats, and he sets some expectations about the topic.
You can check it out for yourself below:
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
