Many homes have cats in them, but introducing a cat to a home with children can pose some challenges. Not only do you need to get the cat adjusted to the home, but you have to help your kids live with the cat. This means you have the opportunity to talk with your children and show them how they can help with the family cat and learn responsibility along the way.
You should talk with your kids and give them each a job they can take part in. For example, you could have one child refill the litter box after it gets emptied and another may need to put away the cat toys. In short, consider each of your kids and figure out what job each one should take care of to help with the family cat.
As you choose jobs for your kids, you should consider their ages and pick something appropriate. For example, you don’t want the youngest child to refill the litter since he or she can’t lift the bag, so make sure to keep this in mind.
You should also spend some time talking with your kids about the litter box. Depending on the age of your kids, they may not understand what the cats use the litter box for, so you should explain it to them. For example, you should explain to the younger kids they shouldn’t touch the litter box while also ensuring the older ones take care of the litter as needed.
You could even look into a modern cat litter box and train your cat to use it. Make sure you keep the toddlers away from the litter since you don’t want them to get into it and make a mess on the floor.
Your kids should also help the cat get outside as needed. While some households have indoor cats others let the cats go outside to either sleep or go around the area. You should explain this to your kids and get them to let the cat out whenever he or she wants to, so your cat can have easy access to the outdoors as needed.
Make sure your kids pay attention to the cat and let him or her out of the house during the day. This means if your kids see the cat by the door wanting to leave or enter, they should let the cat in whenever he or she needs to.
Some kids can take care of the cat by feeding the family cat regularly. It wouldn’t be fair to assign one child to feed the cat since a cat needs to eat multiple times a day. Instead, you should have your children take turns feeding the cat, so everyone has a chance to help the cat out.
Make sure you give your kids an easy way to feed the cat. For example, you may want to give them a measuring cup to fill the food bowl or have them give the cat a can of food. It depends on what you feel works the best for your cat.
Kids can help the family cat in multiple ways, so you should see what each of your kids can do. Make sure you talk with your kids and let them know what they should do, so they understand their responsibilities with the cat. As you do so, you can help your children build a relationship with the family cat, so they can all bond and love each other.
Related reading: How Your Child Can Benefit from an Emotional Support Animal
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