Cats and children

[fairhill]

My cat (originally a rescue and unknown age) is terrified of my daughter, and I'm wondering if anyone knows how I can try to get her accustomed to her a bit better?

We've had the cat at least 6 years, and my daughter is 4.
We thought the cat would get used to my daughter over time, but doing nothing doesn't seem to be working.

Gollum mostly stays upstairs during the day, and comes down when my daughter goes to bed, normally passing on the stairs at 100mph. She's fine with me and my OH (and my parents), get's a fuss on our laps in the evenings, or during the day, but if my daughter even enters the same room she scarpers under the bed or into a different room.

 

[millhouse]

This is a difficult and trying situation for you. I have a rescue cat who will not let anybody other than myself enter the house. He has also passed on his nervous temperament to my other cat, which I brought up from a kitten.

You could try letting your Daughter get Gollum's food ready and to see if she can feed him. It will possibly take a very long time for Gollum to come to trust her, but with perserverance it might work.

I wish you luck with your venture.

 

[hackneylass2]

Excellent idea Millhouse I would do the same. Then the cat would associate all good things (food) with the child. Cat prob was abused by a child in the past, cats like horses have long memories.
Good luck I hope you find a solution.

 

[pines of rome]

When my daughter was a child, I used to find that my cats would often run away from her, I think its to do with childrens quick movements and loudness!
I used to get her to sit quietly and let the cats come up to her, and tell her to stroke them calmly, they would be fine then!

 

[fairhill]

Thanks for the help. She is in charge of putting out the cats biscuits, but gollum never sees her doing it, so might persevere with this.
My daughter is very quiet around her, and can fuss our neighbours cats no problem, just ours that is special

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I've had one cat who was afraid of my sister's children, she only came out from wherever she was hiding when they had gone to bed. We tried the waiting her out method, but after a few years we gave up, after all, she would never have learned that they were okay to be around, if she only could hear them, so from then on, when they came for a visit, we would at least once a day go and find her, and hold her so that they could give her a few strokes each. After that, the adult would continue to hold her a little longer, to make sure that she was somewhat calm, before either putting her back were we'd found her or simply letting her go.

She definitely became much more comfortable around them, but not like our other cats. It does not sound as if the following is a problem for you, but I wanted to mention it since others can read this, some cats really feel wary around people that wants to be close to/cuddle them, and that was definitely the case with my cat. My sister's two eldest children had the attitude that if she wanted to come to them they were thrilled, but if she didn't, then she didn't and that was that, but the youngest, he yearned for her attention, and even if he tried to control himself, I know she felt it, because she was always more hesitant around him.

If it had happened today, I would buy some really yummy treats, go and fetch the cat, let the child stroke the cat a few times before they put down a few treats in front of the cat. So that the cat learns that it is okay with a few strokes, and learns to associate the child with the treats.
My cats likes for example the small cans you can buy and eat yourself, with small mackerel in tomato sauce (some cats eats them with the sauce!), sardines or anchovies. They're also quite fond of ordinary cat treats, they like the majority of the treats that I've tried that has catnip in them, but not all treats have the same names in Sweden as they have in other countries, however I found this one that they like Beaphar Catnip Bits and they've also liked something that looked like this Dokas Chicken Sandwich with Fish.
And just because I think they're cute or funny