December 21st, 2011
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When your child wants a cat, it might be tempting to get one for him or her as a holiday gift, but this is not a good idea. First of all, the holidays are very hectic and there won’t be time to give your new pet the attention she needs as she settles into your home.
Getting a cat for Christmas may unconsciously reinforce the idea that cats are toys rather than living beings. Instead of putting a kitten under the tree, bring your child to the shelter to choose the cat he or she wants. Cat expert and animal communicator JaneA Kelley is the webmaster and chief cat slave for Paws and Effect, a weekly cat advice column by cats, for cats and their people. |
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In regards to giving a pet for Christmas – a gift certificate from the local shelter would be a great gift for a child that wants a pet. That way they get the excitement of knowing they can go pick out a cat or dog later, without the poor animal having to be there, overwhelmed by the holiday frenzy.
Absolutely…no pet as a gift for Christmas! All of our animal friends are living sentient creatures. I agree with Kathy Poetzsch,let a child go to a shelter and pick out a loving companion, not a four-legged toy for the holidays.
I disagree,a little puss is always nice to have at Christmas.
Snooki appears to like jokes. Cats should never be cursed with jokes. Snooki should not have a cat.
I disagree slightly with this. It depends on the age of the child and what the home life is like. my very first pet was a kitten, and she was my christmas present. But, then again, I was also 10 years old and knew very well that animals were not toys. We also have a very calm and quiet home life. We drove about 20 miles to go pick her up from a lady that was giving them away since they were mixed breeds (the tabby tom apparently managed to get some alone time with the two breeding queens)
While these days she lives with my mom and her adopted maine coone sister, she is still my baby… even if I have 4 new purrbabies that live with me.
Just re-posted to my Facebook page. Hope it hits home!!!
There are “millions” of homeless cats and dogs in shelters that would really appreciate a GOOD FOREVER HOME with a GOOD RESPONSIBLE ADULT this Christmas!!!
It also depends on who the gift is for. I would absolutely love to get a furkid for christmas. Although, I would much rather pick out my own kitty.
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