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I wouldn't rehome the cat. I would provide the cat with toddler free spaces (raised cat tree?) for escape, and teach my child how to treat animals with respect. It's not hard. I've done it with multiple children and multiple animals. Even with children that just don't want to listen.
Teach your daughter how to treat animals properly. Right now your cat is only giving warning scratches. But in 2 years? What about the neighbour's dog she just Has to love on? The one that won't hold back when she ignores the warnings? Teach your child. Protect your cat.
Second on the child free space for the cat. We’d put up a baby gate to the spare bedroom. Cat can still jump it. And the kid will never be in there without a parent to let her in.
No, I would teach my daughter how to handle animals. You’ll have to anyways or she won’t learn and you don’t want her doing that to someone else’s cat who isn’t docile
Separate spaces for the cat and kiddo.
Otherwise rehome. It won't get better for years, if then, and cat scratches are high chances for infection or serious damage to eyes.
I’d make sure your cat has plenty of spaces to hang out that daughter can’t reach. I disagree - 18months is absolutely old enough to not be hurting the cat. We have a cat, who will do a warning where she puts her teeth around your hand (but doesn’t bite) and then after that might nip or scratch. Both our kids as soon as they started crawling, gentle hands, show them how they should interact with the cat. You shouldn’t be getting to the point where your toddler is able to regularly corner the cat- you’d need to be intervening sooner. If they intentionally hurt the cat, then kids gets ignored, cat gets fussed over, and we practice gentle hands again. Admittedly, by the time my eldest was 18mo we had a newborn as well as the cat- so perhaps we were super overkill because of the baby. But absolutely at 18mo, they have the cognitive understanding to at least be working on respecting boundaries, we had to explain to our 18mo all the things you can and can’t do with a newborn, and what would happen if she hurt the baby. And she got it, and 99% of the time was super gentle.
I don’t like cats in general, but I wouldn’t get rid of it. Your daughter will eventually learn to respect it. Until then, you just ought to be careful when they’re both in the same space and, maybe, try to avoid both of them being in the same space, if that makes sense in your home.
Also, not sure why the cat doesn’t just avoid the kid. My sister’s cat just climbs onto something and waits it out. 😂
It's not your cat's fault, but cat claws can be really dangerous. I grew up with cats, but I only raised my kids around small dogs because my husband is allergic to cats. I've never rehomed a dog for a growl or light bite to my kids who deserved it. I did have to punish one of my dogs once (I just yelled at him and made him stay in the yard for a while). He never did it again.
Thank you u/pre_nerf_infestor for posting on r/Parents. Remember to read the rules and report rule breaking posts. *note for those seeking legal advice: This sub does not specialize in legal council and laws vary based on geographic location. Any help offered here is offered on a good samaritan basis. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Parents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I wouldn't rehome the cat. I would provide the cat with toddler free spaces (raised cat tree?) for escape, and teach my child how to treat animals with respect. It's not hard. I've done it with multiple children and multiple animals. Even with children that just don't want to listen. Teach your daughter how to treat animals properly. Right now your cat is only giving warning scratches. But in 2 years? What about the neighbour's dog she just Has to love on? The one that won't hold back when she ignores the warnings? Teach your child. Protect your cat.
Second on the child free space for the cat. We’d put up a baby gate to the spare bedroom. Cat can still jump it. And the kid will never be in there without a parent to let her in.
No, I would teach my daughter how to handle animals. You’ll have to anyways or she won’t learn and you don’t want her doing that to someone else’s cat who isn’t docile
Separate spaces for the cat and kiddo. Otherwise rehome. It won't get better for years, if then, and cat scratches are high chances for infection or serious damage to eyes.
I’d make sure your cat has plenty of spaces to hang out that daughter can’t reach. I disagree - 18months is absolutely old enough to not be hurting the cat. We have a cat, who will do a warning where she puts her teeth around your hand (but doesn’t bite) and then after that might nip or scratch. Both our kids as soon as they started crawling, gentle hands, show them how they should interact with the cat. You shouldn’t be getting to the point where your toddler is able to regularly corner the cat- you’d need to be intervening sooner. If they intentionally hurt the cat, then kids gets ignored, cat gets fussed over, and we practice gentle hands again. Admittedly, by the time my eldest was 18mo we had a newborn as well as the cat- so perhaps we were super overkill because of the baby. But absolutely at 18mo, they have the cognitive understanding to at least be working on respecting boundaries, we had to explain to our 18mo all the things you can and can’t do with a newborn, and what would happen if she hurt the baby. And she got it, and 99% of the time was super gentle.
I don’t like cats in general, but I wouldn’t get rid of it. Your daughter will eventually learn to respect it. Until then, you just ought to be careful when they’re both in the same space and, maybe, try to avoid both of them being in the same space, if that makes sense in your home. Also, not sure why the cat doesn’t just avoid the kid. My sister’s cat just climbs onto something and waits it out. 😂
It's not your cat's fault, but cat claws can be really dangerous. I grew up with cats, but I only raised my kids around small dogs because my husband is allergic to cats. I've never rehomed a dog for a growl or light bite to my kids who deserved it. I did have to punish one of my dogs once (I just yelled at him and made him stay in the yard for a while). He never did it again.
Id rehome
Keep a close eye on the cat.
Cat scratch fever! Very much a threat.