Many parents are concerned about the issue of small children and pets living together. For example, cats. There can be many reasons for worry. A cat can infect a child with something. Your child may be allergic to cat fur. If a cat is used to being the “mistress” of the house, then it is unknown how its behavior may change with the appearance of a baby in the house.
Some people, on the eve of the arrival of a small family member, plan to get rid of their pet (donate it, give it away, sell it, take it to the village, and so on).
Some people condemn this approach. All people are different. Just like four-legged pets are different. Therefore, there is no need to rush to condemn anyone.
Today we will discuss possible dangers in the coexistence of small children and cats. Let's talk about in what cases there is a reason for a pet to look for another home, and in what cases there is no reason.
We will also dwell on aspects of raising a pet that will help a cat and a small child coexist peacefully.
Let's think about health
Perhaps this is the most important aspect that needs close attention.
If there is a child in the house, but the idea of adopting a four-legged friend has arisen, first of all, you should take allergy tests. This will allow you to find out whether cat hair and saliva will cause allergies, and whether your pet will have to look for a new home in the future. You should also take care of your pet's health - it must be dewormed and treated for external parasites. A child should be taught hygiene from a very early age; washing hands after contact with a cat should become a habit. It is necessary to ensure that the baby does not eat from animal cups.
The positive aspects of children’s interactions with animals should not be discounted. Felines usually cause delight in children and a lot of positive emotions, and this has a beneficial effect on the child’s nervous system. It is especially useful for withdrawn or very excitable children to communicate with pets.
On the issue of allergies
Another big problem that a family with a baby and animals may face is allergies in the baby. Allergy (from the Greek allos - “other, other” and ergon - “I act”) is a state of increased sensitivity of the body to various substances. These substances are called allergens. When they enter the body, they trigger a cascade of immunopathological reactions that lead to damage to the skin and mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract.
Signs of an allergy are the appearance of a rash on the skin, redness of the eyes, watery eyes, runny nose, cough, difficulty breathing.
If the allergen enters the body through the mouth, a food allergy may occur (this can be caused by accidental ingestion of animal fur or food into the mouth). In such cases, swelling of the oral mucosa or loosening of the stool may develop. It is necessary to observe after what situations the condition worsens or the appearance of allergy symptoms occurs.
This may be due, for example, to the diet of a nursing mother or to the use of new cosmetics. You should always look for a pattern between the appearance of allergy symptoms and contact with the allergen. And if such symptoms appear in your baby after interacting with an animal (for example, after staying in the same room), then most likely he is developing an allergic reaction. Allergens can be animal hair and dander, bird feathers, fungi living on the walls of the aquarium, fish and animal food, and much more.
If pets were members of your family even before the birth of the child, then it is necessary to prepare them and your apartment for the birth of the baby.
The risk of developing allergies is higher if one of your family members suffers from allergic diseases. Moreover, the manifestations of allergies, like the allergens themselves, can be different. So, a grandmother may have lacrimation and a runny nose when certain plants bloom, and a grandson may experience breathing problems when in contact with cats. This is explained by the fact that the ability to develop allergic reactions and increased synthesis of immunoglobulin E is genetically transmitted, without which true allergic reactions do not occur.
Allergy to cats: treatment and prevention
To prevent and reduce the intensity of allergic reactions, you can:
- thoroughly ventilate the room;
- carry out wet cleaning daily;
- try to keep the cat in a separate room from the child (keep a bowl, cat litter, basket in places where the baby is small);
- remove carpets and replace carpeting with washable ones;
- wash the animal regularly (up to twice a week);
- feed the animal with high-quality feed.
Treatment for allergies to cats should be prescribed by an allergist. As a rule, it includes taking antihistamines and sometimes decongestants, as well as local remedies to reduce symptoms (drops in the eyes and nose, etc.).
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The family is expecting a new addition, but the cat doesn’t know...
A fairly common situation is when a young family first gets pets and later thinks about children. Or they buy a pet for older children, and later wait for a new addition.
There will be no difficulties if, in addition to traditional preparations for the appearance of a new member of the family, the mustachioed and striped one is also prepared for this event. It is worth noting that cats are more demanding animals than dogs and most often have difficulty adapting to any changes. To prevent your pet from experiencing stress and showing negative emotions, you can do the following:
- let the cat periodically listen to a recording of a baby crying;
- before playing or interacting with your pet, you can apply baby cream or lotion to your hands; the pet will associate the new scent with pleasant moments;
- You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to decorate the nursery; it is advisable for the cat to get acquainted with new things in advance;
- and yes, cats and cats also love comfort, so many of them try to sleep in cribs and strollers; such attempts should be stopped immediately, even when the baby is not yet there, and the sleeping places should be equipped with curtains;
- You shouldn’t place furniture and children’s supplies where your pet’s place was; he definitely won’t like it and may cause a protest.
Naturally, the pet will immediately feel that changes are coming, but if everything is done correctly, the pet will be positively disposed towards them.
Murka will teach you the right habits
A child should have his own responsibilities at home and in everyday life, without instilling a love of work and caring for a pet, it is quite possible to raise a complete egoist who sees nothing but his own ambitions. In order to avoid some negative aspects in parenting, teach your child to be friends with your pet and trust him to take care of it.
Cat and baby in the same house
Well, the newborn baby is at home, and with him in the apartment there is nowhere for an apple to fall due to the influx of relatives. No matter how busy the parents are, it is worth paying attention to the pet, especially since it can hide for a long time.
Most cats are extremely curious and may be eager to sneak into the nursery and get to know the baby better. When making such attempts, you should never scold your pet or rudely push it out the door. You can leave the baby's diaper or shirt in a visible place so that he can calmly study the thing, getting used to the new smell.
It is important to ensure that the cat is not left alone in the nursery with the child. And the point is not that he will show aggression, but that he may lie too close to the child, making it difficult for him to breathe. If the baby does not have a separate room, then the crib should be covered with a canopy.
After some time, the pet will get used to the child and will stop being annoyingly interested in him. And as he grows up, perhaps the cat will take on the role of a nanny and devoted friend.
Why cats love to sleep with small children
Cats, in general, are affectionate animals and for the most part love to sleep cuddled up to someone. This is how they show their location and affection for the owner. And esotericists also claim that a furry pet sleeps on a person in order to absorb his negative energy, relieve fatigue or an incipient illness.
Cats often like to sleep cuddled up to their owner - this is how they show their affection.
Sleeping next to a small child attracts the cat even more. And there are several reasons for this:
- The babies are always warm and smell very pleasant, in particular, of milk, which cats love so much.
The baby smells like milk, which cats love so much
If an adult can drive away a cat, then the child will not do this; on the contrary, he will most likely hug the animal, press it to himself, and stroke it.
A child in a crib will hug a cat, while an adult may chase it away
The cat understands that the child is small, he seems to be taking care of him, taking on the role of his protector, educator.
The cat seems to be taking care of a sleeping child, taking on the role of his protector
The rhythmic breathing of a cat helps the baby calm down and fall asleep faster; the fluffy little ball brings additional warmth and comfort.
Kitten and small child: eye and eye
Many parents are sure that a child under 3 years old should not communicate with pets, especially such unpredictable ones as cats. Of course, such an opinion is not without meaning, because it is difficult to explain to a child why a pussy should not be pulled by the tail, and in general, how to handle a furry pet so as not to hurt it.
But, on the other hand, at this age they learn a lot from their parents, including the rules for handling pets. Therefore, if a mother strokes a cat, the baby will definitely repeat after her and perform similar manipulations. Often, such actions are enough to establish contact between two children - a cat and a human.
At this age, as a rule, the pet has to be protected from the baby’s actions, rather than vice versa - the child can drop, tightly squeeze, or crush the kitten, so it is better to take a pet into the house no younger than 4 months. But it is still worth remembering that kittens can bite and scratch while playing, so you should not leave him alone with the child. However, at this age, parents do not risk doing this, even if there is no animal in the house.
Older children's attitudes toward pets change. They no longer perceive the cat as a toy. They come to the realization that this is a living creature that needs food, sleep, games and careful handling. From the age of 3, you can teach your child to take care of your pet - pour food into a bowl, change the water, etc.
The child must learn how to pick up a cat, and most importantly, when. If the pet purrs displeasedly, actively moves its tail and presses its ears, it means that the time for close contact was chosen poorly, and it is better to leave the cat alone. To avoid injuries such as bites and scratches, the child must know that forcing a cat to communicate is dangerous.
Discipline and responsibility are what a child will learn if there is a pet in the house. However, it is not worth purchasing a kitten specifically for this - nothing will happen without the child’s desire. If a kitten was purchased for a child, then it is not recommended to manipulate his feelings by threatening to get rid of the pet if the baby does not clean the litter box, feed the pet and perform other actions. Even if he solemnly promised to do everything just so that the animal would appear in the house.
In this case, children can develop a feeling of guilt, and even hostility towards the animal. It is necessary to proceed in a different way, explaining that the cat cannot live without food, and that it urgently needs a clean tray. When deciding to have a pet, parents, first of all, must weigh their own strengths, implying that their children will also actively participate in the care.
Opinion analysis
If you analyze the mass of opinions and comments about friendship and the benefits of a cat and a child, you can get something like this.
- A cat teaches a child to get along with the world around him, making him kind and sensitive.
- A cat and a baby can get along well if the parents try hard, and this friendship will discipline the baby. It will teach the child to feed, care for, and keep order, thereby making him responsible and obligatory.
- A child growing up in a family where a tailed pet is cared for and cared for will grow up to be a sensitive and kind person.
- The risk of allergic reactions in such a child will be much lower than in children raised without the presence of a cat.
Despite the efforts of adults to find that key to a child’s soul, when there are no secrets between them, this is not always possible, because for our children we are always parents, and having secrets and secrets from us is absolutely normal. Unlike a cat, with whom you can share any secret and mystery, quietly complain about friends or bad weather, and the cat will never betray its young friend, but will only warm you with its furry body and gentle purring.
