Are kittens the best pets for young families?

Getting a pet kitten Photo Credit: Atomische * Tom Giebel via Compfight cc

Kittens are known for being great with families and young children as they often have the same mentality as that of a child. However, with more and more kittens being abandoned or mistreated, the RSPCA have a number of kittens for adoption – who each need a new home. Adopting a kitten from the RSPCA will provide them with a happy, prosperous future whereby they can be loved and more importantly give love back.

The benefits

More people than ever before are opting to adopt a kitten because of the numerous benefits they bring with them. Kittens are young and sociable, they are like small children – they love to get up to mischief and explore. They are also healthy little things and are known to provide health benefits for us humans – including: low blood pressure, improved moods and easing anxiety. Kittens are also perfect for homes with small children as both can age together with the kitten needing very little maintenance.

Your kitten and children

Believe it or not; kittens and children are the ideal pairing – both are playful and energetic. The kitten will receive the attention it craves from the young child and your child will learn responsibility for an animal.

You may have to teach your child how to treat the new addition to the family, but there are many tips out there to guide you through this. However, when choosing a cat for your young family, it is important that it has certain personality traits in order to be the perfect match for you:

  • Tolerance for loud noises and sudden movements
  • Not territorial
  • Enjoys being handled and pet
  • Not prone to nipping or clawing when handled
  • Sociable
  • Easy-going
  • Adaptable

It is recommended that you take your children with you when choosing a kitten as this will allow them to decide whether they like it or not and begin to develop a bond. However, you should note that many cats in shelters have been mistreated and therefore you should be sure to take this into consideration when approaching new kittens. Remember that kittens will need several weeks to begin to settle into their new home; you should allow them this time to get to grips with their new surroundings.

This is a collaborative post.

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10 Comments

  1. January 16, 2015 / 12:05 pm

    lots of great tips here. They require less care than a dog and are pretty independent so are great for younger kids.
    Gemma recently posted…#coffeewithcurrys in CardiffMy Profile

  2. January 16, 2015 / 12:10 pm

    Some really good tips there, I grew up with cats and have three of my own and I couldn’t be without them x
    Rachel recently posted…Purrfect Box for CatsMy Profile

  3. melissa zia
    January 16, 2015 / 12:35 pm

    Very helpful post! I got a cat a few years ago and he is a very welcome member to our family 🙂

  4. January 16, 2015 / 9:19 pm

    We have 2 cats. One is too shy because she used to be wild. The other one is basically Matthew’s best friend. They love hanging out and chase ball.
    Janine recently posted…Top 5 Baby/Children Clothes ShopsMy Profile

  5. January 17, 2015 / 12:47 am

    We have always had cats, and when we moved to this house we bought a new cat, but unfortunately we live on a main road and our poor little Jinx got ran over and died 🙁 Luckily (I use that term very loosely) I was there when it happened so was able to cuddle him and make sure that he wasn’t just left in the road for the whole day, now I don’t know if I will be able to get another kitten (especially living here) it was heartbreaking for us and the kids 🙁
    Helen recently posted…Little Loves – Jan 16thMy Profile

  6. January 17, 2015 / 11:19 am

    We thought exactly this so we got a kitten for Boo, however after about a week it was clear something was not right with Boo, runny nose, itchy runny eyes etc and it turns out she is allergic, we do have some cat/pet allergies in the extended family but sadly it didn’t cross our minds that Boo would be allergic. So we had to find a new home for our kitten, who from our last update sounds like he is doing very well.
    I will say that I do agree, Fuzz Lightyear and Boo got on very well, he was great with her and she with him, it was a really shame that Boo is allergic, but I agree I think that a kitten does make a really good pet for young families.
    Baby Chaos recently posted…Why do I want another baby?My Profile

  7. January 20, 2015 / 10:06 pm

    With that picture how can anyone resist?! We’ve been thinking about a dog for a long time but this post has def. made me consider getting a little kitten. I think S would love one, he loves most animals 🙂
    Natasha recently posted…Topsy Turvy, Brent CrossMy Profile

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