Boy Mean to Cats

Updated on February 05, 2008
C.H. asks from Sublette, KS
6 answers

My 2 1/2 year old son is so mean to our 2 cats. He pulls their fur and does pretty much anything he can to get them riled up (meowing at him, etc.) One of our cats is nice and would never do anything back, the other bites him (and it doesn't bother him at all). I've tried about everything, time outs and punishments... showing him how to pet the cats nice. He will stop doing it for a little while and then start right up again. Also, when I tell him not to touch the cats he will just run around after them, or run up and scare them (smart, since he's not really DOING anything). Anyone have any ideas how to stop him... or will he just outgrow it?

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So What Happened?

Well Jacob's not acting quite as badly towards the cats. I've discovered that he does it for 2 reasons... for attention, and because he wants someone to play with. We've given the cats the garage to escape to. I'm hoping he grows out of it once Josh gets old enough to play with. (Then we'll have another problem to deal with :]) Thanks everyone for your help!

More Answers

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M.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hello! This is just a brainstorm, and it may have absolutly nothing to do with your problem. But, I noticed that you said in your "about you" that you have a 3 mo. old. Could your son possibly be acting out this way to get attention from you? I'm not saying you're ignoring your child, but when my son was born my daughter picked some naughty habits. Mistreating an animal definitly needs to be addressed, but maybe he gets enough of a reaction out of you so that you're focusing attention on him. When my daughter started her antics, I was at a total loss! She had never done things like that before, but when I made the connection between her behavior and her new sibling I made a few small changes and it worked like a charm. Sometimes bad attention is still attention. When my daughter would start on her attention getting antics, I would focus attentionon her for 10-15 minutes, we'd read a book, play a game or anything to "distract" her I guess.

She did finally grow out of this stage, and she didn't need to do as many attention grabbing things. Kids can react to a new arrival in ways we wouldn't think they would. The safe place for the cats like the other person suggested sounds like a really great idea too. Good luck with your kiddos, year 2 can be tough. Have a great day!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

C.,
You son is mostly doing it to get attention so stop him of course but don't make a huge deal out of it he will learn to treat the cats nice when he is bigger but right now this is a way to get your attention away from everything else and on to him. kids love anything they can do to get all there parents time and energy like you said they are very smart. don't worry about the cats they can move fast then him make sure he is not alone with them and the one the bite has all of his shots. but if you have to stop you son just move him and find something goo he is doing to show him the same amont of time and attention the cat thing gets him.....
P.S. get the cats some extra treats for putting up with the babies go luck hun..
J.

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L.

answers from Denver on

Don't know what to tell you, my 4yr old annoys, hits and whatever our dogs every chance he get. A lot of times I think he wants attention, because I'm to make dinner or doing something else, or he cranky.

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M.R.

answers from Colorado Springs on

i have a 2 1/2 year old and a 6 month old, and my oldest learned when he got scratched a few times, trust me. if your "onery" one still doesnt learn, put a baby gate up somewhere, so that the cats have a "safe area" until your little one loses interest.

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C.F.

answers from Denver on

Hey C.,
My family owns seven cats. NOPE THAT WAS NOT A TYPO! All 7 are indoors. All living in harmony with our child. If i were you i would take advantage of your son's age. You can really use "molding" to your advantage here. What i mean is that because your son is two his emotions are still being built but he can speak and understand alot of whats going on around him. I would continue showing him how to treat your cats (maybe he can help you feed them and groom them) but add a little sensitivity into it by taking him to an animal shelter(YES! A TWO YEAR OLD AT AN ANIMAL SHELTER) take him to the kitty section and talk to him about all the kitties who don't have homes and about how lucky his kitties are to have a good family. They look like toys to him in your house. Maybe seeing other kitties in cages will help add a little humanity to their little kitty lives.
Or you could just bring him to my house LOL
-C.

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C.C.

answers from Colorado Springs on

i have a 2yr old son who does the same thing to our two dogs. i don't believe what michal w. said at all. i don't have any other children. are the cats new? because my dogs are about 3mths recently new to our family. and i am thinking its because they are an addition.

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