What to Tell 2-Year-olds About Death of Our Cat

Hi A.,
I am so sorry to hear that your cat isn't doing well, I'm sure that you all love her so much. Two year olds dont' and can't really understand what dead is. I would not suggest telling them that the cat is going to die. They won't understand that. When the cat does pass away, I would keep the explanation simple, kitty was very old and her body stopped working, she will not be with us anymore. I wouldn't go further than that, unless you have a religious explanation that you wish to give them or if they ask questions. I would not discuss death having to do with kitty being sick or that it's like going to sleep - it can make kids think that if they get sick or go to sleep, they will die. I would be honest and keep it simple.
My heart goes out to you, we've gone through that with our cats too.

Hi A.,
Congrats on your twins.
Would love to hear all about them if you want to talk someday. I have twin girls and they are now 18yo. Remember those days of 2's and 3's very well.
I would not say that they cat is sick and therefore not with us. Change the verbage from sick to old. Otherwise you are going to have a lot of questions when they are sick next time especially if they are very sick. Two year olds understand life well, what they don't have is vocab.
When our animals died we just said God wanted them home. Since God made the animals---He could/can/did bring them back to Himself, but I am writing more about changing the idea to old.
God bless you and all you do
God bless your lovely family
K. SAHM married 38 years ---- Adult children 37 coach, 32 lawyer, and 18 yo twin girls going to college after homeschooling. One is majoring in fine art, and the other in journalism.

When our cat passed, We read Cat Heaven, written by Cynthia Rylant. The story is short and simple, light hearted and easy for young children to understand. I found it at Borders.

Sarah

18 years is a long time and I'm sorry you are about to loose your pet. It's a very hard I know.

The children wont understand very much at this age so keep it simple and tell them the cat died and went to cat heaven. Maybe they will ask questions...keep the answers simple. Let them know that heaven is a good place...that when cat's go their, they aren't sick anymore and they get to live and play with other cats happily.

Be supportive....everyone needs to mourn the loss even 2 year olds. Let them know it's ok to feel sad and give them hugs. I tend to think, being so young they will infact move on quickly and will get on with daily stuff..

You might want to place a picture of your cat on a table with it's favorite toy and light a candle in a protective glass...say a simple prayer or just a few words of good-bye with the girls and ask the girls to say good bye to the cat as well.

There are childrens books on the subject at all levels that you can read to them as well....

You didn't say how close to 2 your daughters are, but it makes a difference in what they will understand. My youngest one just turned 2, and wouldn't really get the whole "kitty died" thing. My next to youngest just turned 3 and would understand a lot more. I think if it were me I would simply say that kitty had to away so she could feel better, and won't be coming back. You add more as they ask questions, but a simple explanation is best at that age. You might want to add something about it being a special place just for kitties. Good luck, and I'm sorry that your precious cat is so sick.

A.,
My heart goes out to you, I have been there done that with our cats and dogs and no matter how many times you go through it it is still extremely difficult. We just put our Samoyed down a few weeks ago. I delivered her while I was pregnant with my son and the two were exactly 4 months apart so they grew up together; she would have been 13 years old this January 2nd. My kids were older, the youngest being 10 years old, which I think is harder because they understood what was going on. Below is how we handled it this time and in the past.

Don't say anything until your kitty passes away then tell the girls that he went to Rainbow Bridge to be with all the other kitties who were sick so that they won't be sick anymore. If they look up at the clouds they will be able to say hello to their kitty and the sun will be his smile letting them know he is still with them. This is a combination of a card (Rainbow Bridge) we got from our vet when our kitty passed away and a country son called "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" by Steve Wariner. Look up both and maybe this will help. Keep in mind the girls are still young and won't understand death, only that their kitty is not with them anymore and they miss him/her. Hope I was of some help.
Hugs,
T.

My younger son was 22 months old when our greyhound died. We explained how Moose was sick, and that he couldn't get any better, and that at some point he would not be with us anymore. But he would not be in pain, not grumble anymore, and would start running again (DS LOVED to watch Moose run in the backyard). That's all we said - and he dealt with it pretty well. I'm not sure he got the whole emotional thing that DH and I (and our older son) went through, but I think he got the general idea (especially when he asked (after my Mom died this past spring) if Grandma was with Moose...).

My son is almost 3 and he is fond of our 19 year old cat. She is healthy and doing fine but I know she will not be with us forever. I have been telling my son to be gentle with her because if she were a person she would be older than his great grandma (who is 88 but in good health). I expect to tell him she is old and lived a long life when the time comes.

Something I learned early on is tell them only what they need to know about this. My mom died 3 wks before the birth of my first daughter & when Sami was old enough to ask where my mommy was I told her that she gave up her place on earth for Sami to be here (that's what my mom always told me). When Sami was about 8 years old we had a big fight and she apologized to me for taking my mom's place so in a way she told me that she kind of felt like my mom died because of her. I realize your girls are young, but something I told our Sami when our one cat died was that Buttons left us to go back with her family. So far so good w/that explanation - Good luck!

Hi A.,

My kids were two and a half when we lost our dog a few months ago. We purchased a book called Dog Heaven. I suggest you go to Amazon and see if they have one about cats. If not, you could read the book and take the ideas from it. It is a sweet story about how the animal is in a happy place with all the things that make it comfortable.

---K.

We put our dog to sleep in May 2007, our daughter had just turned 2 on the 28th of April that year. She was a very sick, old dog. Very sweet, but generally was sort of "whatever" about everything. She was an abused stray when my husband adopted her so she was very wary about jumping and barking and licking and so on, so she and my daughter didn't play much really. Besides the point my daughter adored and loved her. One of our bestfriends is a vet so we had told her that Aunt Alissa is a puppy doctor and Trixie is very sick. She is going to live with Aunt Alissa because she knows how to take care of sick puppies and she will probably not be coming home. She did ask questions for a few days, maybe a week, of where the dog went. Eventually she stopped. She forgot and when she was about 3 and understood what death was she started asking again. It didn't seem to scare her but she more so seemed to have put 2 and 2 together.

We keep a 8X10 picture of Trixie with her collar and tags hanging off the frame on our end table and my daughter now knows she died. At 3 yrs 8 months she has the emotional understanding of death and accepts it pretty well. She has, unfortuneately accompanied my husband and I to a few wakes. When she was 3 months old my best friends mother passed away. And in the summer of 2007 one of my childhood best friends passed. They each lived on either side of me growing up. I would not let her near the casket nor would I go near it myself. But she understood that people were sad and she just tried her very best to make them smile. I though the same way you did but you probably are looking a little too far into it. They probably won't be all that concerned as you think they will be. If I were you, I would tell them that "Kitty is very sick and she may not be around with us much longer." If you are religious, you can tell them the kitty is going to live with god now. I've heard some people do that. You don't need to give them too much information. But try to give them the truth in a way they can understand. I know this is a horrible time and I wish you all the best. Good luck with everything.

my cat had to be put to sleep when I was pregnant and my son had just turned 2, we were all sad but I always said in a happy voice the she had gone to heaven with other animals and even people. His main concern was who will give her treats? that was his Job so we just told him that the angels did and he was fine. he did ask again but it was always are the angels giving Trisket her treats? and we said yes.
he is now 10 and understands more and my almost 8 year old is sad coz he never met her! they both have asthma so we are a pet free family now good luck