The joy of a new baby is indescribable, the love they give with a simple half-effort smile can melt your heart for days. And as they begin to fill out and put on some baby weight they become even more cuddly and cute, it makes all those sleepless, restless nights all worth it.
While everyone is oohing and aahing over the new household addition and taking turns to hold the giggly face too often the pets of the home get forgotten about or pushed to the side. The problem with this is that it is not only heartbreaking for the animal who is now envisioning being replaced and forgotten completely about, but you also take away the opportunity to let your child bond with the furry member of the family who has always been there for you.
Some pet owners may fear that the cat’s temperament would not be suited for the child and interactions, but this is not true, children who grow up in a home with an animal and even more so from young they build a friendship and bond that is impossible to break. You may not think it but pets and animals, in general, teach us so much more than we may realize or appreciate.
Find your fur
If your little one is ‘still on the way’ and you already have a home with pets, now is the time to do your research and be sure that when the baby comes home there won’t be a conflict of interest. Cats can become possessive to an extent and territorial over their owners, so although the new bundle is a family member they don’t see it that way.
You need to do your homework and check that the breed you have is a match and kid-friendly, to help you get started check out holistapet.com where you can browse at the large varieties of felines (who knew there were so many), and finding your breed will help with some good reading material before the little family member arrives.
We all want our children and pets to get along, some do others not as much, and each to their own I suppose, but the main objective is that you make an effort to at least try for them and with them. Activities together, bonding time, playing games, are all great ways to break any nervous tension there may be, as some young children who get scared with energetic pets and may be frightened by the jumping and wrestling at first.
A cat, as independent as it is will always return to its haven, home. Fresh food and water, with love and cuddles when they do decide to strut in the door, and they will be loyal to you for the duration of their life.
Teaching and cats
Life lessons come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties and it is safe to say that when it comes to animals in the home, they have an integral part whether it is intended or not, and without themselves even realizing it most of the time. Trained pets of course do more than the average and can help assist in teaching activities, but for the most part, a pet can do wonders for your child irrespective of age.
But how you ask? Well, let’s take a look at some comments parents and pet owners made when observing how their kids interact with the pets.
- Respect. Children learn this from early on and that is to respect others, animals, and other people’s property. Pets have a natural way of guiding children and showing them what they can or cannot do and this way kids show respect as second nature which is always a great trait to see in your child, am I right? If you are looking for added ways to help your children understand the concept of respect and manners for animals then look here https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2019/july/teach-your-child-to-respect-animals at an interesting article that explains how and why to teach young learners about animals and their bodies.
- Others. Cats are great for showing us that essentially we need them more than they need us, we look and long for the unjudging companionship they offer, and want them around more than we may even realize. They show us that caring for others is a good thing, a great thing and that not everything is about you. Self-confidence is one thing but arrogance can become ugly quickly.
- Communicating. There tends to be an unspoken bond and language between pets and children and even when they don’t necessarily speak the same language they understand each other. A child can quickly explain what a certain meow or bark sounds like and what the animal wants.
- Difference. Another great life lesson that everyone should give some emphasis to is that it is ok to be different and that nobody is the same, we are beautiful and unique in our own way. If your cat was in an accident and now only has one eye, teaching your child to love them the way they are is important, love does not judge.
Not all kids will feel the same at first and some may say it is not their cat or pet anymore, which is ok, teaching children how to care for animals that they knew one way but now looks different takes time.
If all of this is done right, then your kid will grow loving cats, pets, and animals in general. And they will always have that connection with nature and the world that we live in. it will help form their character and eventually be good adults. That’s an indirect effect of having pets around the house. And at the same time, you give a furry and cute cat a nice home.
One day at a time is all you can ask for and before you know it they will be chasing each other around the house again and causing chaos.
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- animals, cat, Home, pet, pet owners