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[lettsy]

Hi, I have recently joined this site and I am not sure if I'm posting this thread in the correct section. Hoping someone will help me out. I have owned cats in the past but my last cat got run over so I have not had any pets for the last 3 years. I have two daughters (6 & 9) the eldest recently begged for a new kitten so being a cat lover I agreed along with my husband. However our 6 year old is totally freaked out by our new arrival. Whenever the kitten is in the same room she has a complete meltdown, starts crying and just goes to bed to get away from her. We are on day 5 so I know it's early days but was wondering if anyone had had a similar experience or any advice?

Many thanks
Lettsy [emoji]128577[/emoji]

 

[destinyz12]

Has your 6 year old possibly had a bad experience with a cat before that you might have been unaware of? (at a friends house, with a stray, ect) and have you tried asking her why she's so afraid?  The only other thing I could think of- Is she by any chance on the autism spectrum?  Even a high functioning ASD child may have meltdowns over a change in their daily life- even something as simple as a new pet. 

 

[Kieka]

Do you know what is triggering the meltdown? Is she afraid of the kitty? Have a bad experience with it? Was she not involved in picking it? Did she want a different kitty (or animal all together)? Without knowing what exactly is the reason why she's having trouble it is hard to offer too much advice. 

I can take some general guesses and say that:

* If it related to a fear of animals or cats to talk with her and show he that the kitty won't hurt her by making a purrito with the kitten (basically wrap the kitten in a blanket so only the head is showing) or giving her her very own personal kitty wand toy to play with the kitten at a distance.

* If she got scratched by the kitty try explaining that the kitty is just a baby and has to learn just like she had to learn. 

* If she feels left out of the kitten process, is it an option to get her her own kitten or goldfish or bird so she has a pet of her own? If not, explain that when she is 9 like her sister and if shes doing good in school too she can get her own _____ (fill in the blank, but probably a second pet would have to be the outcome but that depends on your family and situation). You could also do one of the LivePet toys so she has her own pet to take care of.

Part of the problem though is not knowing the motivation or your child's personality so it is hard to really offer too much specific advice. 

 

[lettsy]

I have spoken to her and she has never had a bad experience with a cat. I knew she wasn't keen but wasn't expecting her to be so freaked out. She doesn't have autism or any other behaviour problems. She said she is scared of the claws and literally jumps out of her skin when our kitten appears unexpectedly. I am hoping that time will slowly mend the problem but don't want either of them to feel uncomfortable. Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated [emoji]128512[/emoji]

 

[lettsy]

Thanks for reply Kieka. It appears to be a random fear of cats for no apparent reason. I have told her that I won't force the kitten on her however the kitten is part of the family now and we have to learn to live together. She doesn't want a pet of her own and I really had no idea she was that fearful.

 

[Kieka]

That is odd. I wouldn't be surprised if she either has a friend who got scratched or just a fear of sharp things. I think until I was 10ish I would always insist on my Mom taking my knife when we went out for dinner. I had never been cut and can't explain why but it freaked me out for the longest time to have a sharp knife next to me. Then it didn't one day for no reason..... No, I am wrong. It didn't I think because my brother sliced his finger open and it was such a minor thing (other than the ER visit) that I didn't see them as dangerous anymore. 

It sounds like all you can do is wait. I'd still get a wand toy for the kitty and tell your daughter it is her special toy for whenever she is ready to play with the kitty. Demonstrate that she can play with the kitty at a distance without fear of the claws. You might also want to put a bell on the kitten so that she can hear the kitten coming and isn't surprised by it (I am not a fan of bells on cats but they have their moments). You could also make a point of trimming the kittens nails on a regular basis so they aren't as sharp. 

 

[aislinn]

I was terrified of cats as a child, until one showed up at our door and I fell madly in love with her. She became my buddy. I felt so protective of her. Perhaps if you explain to your daughter that the poor kitten is frightened too, she may instinctively want to protect her. It will take time, but I think she'll get used to it. Sometimes telling a story about how the kitten must miss her mommy and needs you to take care of her may help as well.