Little bros and cats? ;( more info below...?

Question

Okay, my dad said it was fine for me to get a cat but...

then he realized my little bro can get hurt.

You know the cat could scratch him and stuff....

(we were going to get like a kitten or 10 month old cat)

How could I train the cat and My little bro to get along together...

Note: I am 14

Note: Little bro is 6

Note: We have dog and bro is okay with dog

Note: When bro was baby, we had cat, cat died ;((((

Note: Bro wont be home with cat without me (usually)

Answer 1

Go to your local shelter and get an adult cat who has already lived with dogs and children.  Then you'll know for sure that the cat will handle your brother well.

Also you and your parents are going to have to teach your brother how to treat cats... and this is a great thing for him to learn.  He (and you) might get scratched once or twice, but cats never want to seriously hurt you, they only scratch when they're scared and want you to go away immediately.  

Answer 2

Does your father know something about your little bro that you don't? Talk to your father more about the issue, find out what he is really worried about, the cat or the brother. Then abide by your parents wishes. It is never good to bring a pet into a house that is not 100% ready for it.  

Answer 3

I agree not to declaw the cat - I've personally seen the procedure done and I don't recommend it in any way. Good news is though that the vet community has come up with this nifty alternative - Soft Paws. They are little rubber-like caps glued to the cat's nails. The don't hurt and once on the cat doesn't even notice! Can be done at any age because they come in different sizes - and come in different colors! I freaken LOVE these things. Most vets should carry these and they aren't too expensive.

I don't think it'd be right to let the kid get scratched - it can be traumatizing for someone that age. Just explain to him that kitties need to be petted softly (VERY important, most kids can't grasp this concept) and that they love to play but sometimes can get a little rough. If he does get scratched let him know that kitty did not mean to hurt him.

Hope I helped!

Answer 4

get a cat that is declawed or get it declawed so then it couldn't scratch him=]]

Answer 5

i know you said that declawing is cruel but thats probably the way to go. if you only declaw the cats front paws itll prevent it from scratching or hurting your brother like that and it will prevent the cat from scratching up furniture. you cant really train a cat so the best thing to do is just make sure your brother wont hurt your cat so it wont hate him. and also when your cats pupils get really big it means that your cat is ready to attack or is annoyed so if you recognize that as its happening and leave it alone you should be ok

Answer 6

As already mentioned he can be taught to treat the cat/kitten differently than he would the dog.  Cats are more prone to be careful around kids b/c of their roughness so teach him to be gentle and not so rough playing with it.  Keep your eyes always open so he doesn't cause harm to it.

Answer 7

It's true that cats CAN scratch and bite but your little brother is old enough to learn to treat animals with respect and care. Sometimes a good way to learn respect is to get scratched. However, if  you keep your cats nails trimmed and tell your brother not to rough house with the cat/kitten they should be fine. Go to the library or your bookstore and find a book that might impress on your Dad how great cats are. I have had cats all my life, I even have a picture with me as a baby with a cat and I have only been scratched a few times and only bitten once.

Good luck getting your kitty.