10 Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe When You Have Cats

Introduction Cats make wonderful companions, but when you have young children, ensuring their safety around your feline friends becomes a top priority. Cats are generally gentle creatures, but accidents can happen. To create a harmonious and secure environment for both your children and your cats, it’s essential to take certain precautions. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with 10 valuable tips to help you keep your children safe while living with cats.

  1. Teach Respect for Cats The first step in fostering a safe environment is teaching your children to respect your cats. Explain that cats have boundaries and emotions just like humans. Encourage gentle interactions and discourage tail-pulling or rough play. Teach them how to approach a cat slowly and to read the cat’s body language to gauge its comfort level.
  2. Proper Supervision Never leave your children alone with your cats, especially if they are very young. Cats may react unpredictably to sudden movements or loud noises. Be vigilant and ready to intervene if necessary. This supervision will help prevent accidents and foster trust between your cats and children.
  3. Create Safe Spaces Designate safe spaces for your cats where they can retreat when they need a break from interactions. These spaces could be a high perch, a quiet room, or a cozy cat bed. Ensure your children understand that these spaces are off-limits when the cat is inside.
  4. Claw Maintenance Regularly trim your cat’s claws to reduce the risk of scratches. Teach your children the importance of not touching a cat’s paws or face to avoid accidental scratches. If a scratch does occur, clean it promptly to prevent infection.
  5. Hygiene Habits Instruct your children to wash their hands after playing with the cat to minimize the risk of allergies or illness transmission. This practice also teaches good hygiene habits from an early age.
  6. Gentle Playtime Supervise playtime and ensure that it’s gentle and appropriate for both the cat and your child’s age. Provide toys that promote interactive play without physical contact, such as feather wands or laser pointers.
  7. Neuter or Spay Your Cat Unneutered or unspayed cats may exhibit more aggressive behavior. Reducing these hormonal tendencies through neutering or spaying can contribute to a more docile and child-friendly cat.
  8. Cat-Proof Your Home Childproofing your home is essential, but don’t forget to cat-proof it as well. Secure heavy objects that can be knocked over, hide cords that may tempt your cat to chew, and keep harmful substances out of reach.
  9. Teach Responsibility As your children grow, involve them in the care of your cats. Assign tasks like feeding, grooming, and cleaning the litter box to instill a sense of responsibility and empathy towards animals.
  10. Regular Vet Check-ups Ensure your cats are in good health by scheduling regular check-ups with the vet. This helps detect and address any potential health issues that may affect their behavior around children.

Conclusion Having cats and children coexist harmoniously is not only possible but incredibly rewarding. By implementing these 10 tips, you can create a safe and loving environment where your children and cats can thrive together. Remember that patience, supervision, and education are key to ensuring a happy and secure relationship between your two precious family members.

For more information please contact Utah Veterinary Hospital.

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I brought in my 9 week old kitten who had an injured leg. They were so compassionate and took the best care of him. He is in a splint and will do... read more

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UVH is awesome! I take my puppy Kona here and the whole staff is wonderful and welcoming and take care of Kona with care! I'm glad I chose this... read more

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My pet rabbit seemed to be in pain and I called Utah Veterinary Hospital to see if I could bring him in for an emergency appointment. They were able... read more

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Dr. Rivera and his aides are wonderful! The same cannot be said about the current front desk receptionists. They desperately need training in public... read more

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I was impressed by the vets knowledge as the species of lizard i have aren't super common yet in the pet trade but he knew exactly what was going on... read more

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Dr.Rivera & Erin did an amazing job caring for our bunny Gracie. I'm so glad we found a veterinarian willing and with experience working with... read more

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This is the best vet in Utah County. They treat both cats, dogs and other exotic animals. The doctors are super helpful. The staff is incredibly... read more

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Melissa D.

I brought in my 9 week old kitten who had an injured leg. They were so compassionate and took the best care of him. He is in a splint and will do laser therapy to heal quicker. I am so grateful they had a cancellation and could get me in. Dakota and Dr Rivera explained everything to me with upfront pricing that I could afford. I will be bringing both of my kittens here for all their veterinary needs. Again I am so grateful, a day later and my kitten is comfortable and healing.

TaNaya H.

UVH is awesome! I take my puppy Kona here and the whole staff is wonderful and welcoming and take care of Kona with care! I'm glad I chose this veterinary hospital!

Anastasia A.

Absolutely amazing! I would recommend them to everyone! Not one animal hospital in salt lake would see my guinea pig, the drive was a little far but well worth it!! Great staff and doctors. Very clean and so welcoming!!!

Chanel N.

My pet rabbit seemed to be in pain and I called Utah Veterinary Hospital to see if I could bring him in for an emergency appointment. They were able to get him scheduled within a few hours, which was miraculous considering we had not been to this clinic before. Tragically, they found my rabbit was too ill to continue living. Throughout the entire process all of the staff were empathic, compassionate, and caring. They even sent a personalized card a week later expressing their condolences. I highly recommend their services and plan to take any future pets there for care. Thank you so much for your support during this hard time for our family.

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Dr. Rivera and his aides are wonderful! The same cannot be said about the current front desk receptionists. They desperately need training in public relations. When I expressed my frustration with one of them, she told me I could go to a different vet. As per her suggestion, that’s exactly what I’ve done.

Riley H.

I was impressed by the vets knowledge as the species of lizard i have aren't super common yet in the pet trade but he knew exactly what was going on and taught me something new. I would recommend this vet for anyone with a reptile or other exotic pet. All the staff were very nice and helpful as well!!

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Dr.Rivera & Erin did an amazing job caring for our bunny Gracie. I'm so glad we found a veterinarian willing and with experience working with bunnies. Thank you for all your hard work! It's very much appreciated & it means a lot to us.

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This is the best vet in Utah County. They treat both cats, dogs and other exotic animals. The doctors are super helpful. The staff is incredibly friendly and so nice and my pet is very afraid of the doctors and we had a little emergency and they were able to get us in same day and we just had a wonderful experience.
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