Planning for a new addition
Your daughter wants a kitten. She told you in the car on the way to school. She told you during dinner. She told you just before you tucked her into bed. She’s your child, you love her and you want her to be happy. You would love a cat as well, so why not get her a kitten for Christmas?
Unfortunately, she’d be excited by the happy surprise but it could turn out to be the most stressful Christmas ever, for everyone involved.
To understand why this might be, consider what most pet adoption agencies consider to be the ideal circumstances for adopting and introducing a new pet. All the basic supplies (food and water dishes, litter box, crate, bed, scratching posts, etc.) should already be set up. The logistics of who will feed the pet, clean the litter box, or take the pet out for walks should already have been decided. A cat should be introduced to the house in one quiet room and then be allowed to explore further as he or she feels comfortable. If you have company over the holidays, this is very difficult. A dog or cat in a new, unfamiliar home may dart outside and become lost.
Rather than giving in to a Christmas request, it might be better to adopt at a time when you can spend a few days at home without having obligations and distractions that might prevent you from helping your new pet get acclimated to a new home.
Giving someone a pet actually amounts to planning for that person how they will spend their time and money and who they’ll hang out with. Although most of us would never think of making that kind of decision for another adult, by giving a bird, rabbit, cat, dog or other living creature as a gift we are doing just that. The animal may live 10, 15, or even 20 years.
Another thing to consider is that although the pet may be intended as a child’s companion, it is ultimately the parents’ responsibility to see that all of its needs are met. Until they are older teenagers, many children are not ready for the day-to-day commitment of caring for a pet.
Also, introducing a new pet to a home with an existing pet takes time and supervision.
It’s also important to schedule an exam with the vet, something that should be done as early as possible after adopting a new animal.
Instead of giving a pet for a gift, you might consider giving a gift certificate to cover the costs of adoption from a shelter or purchase supplies such as food bowls, a cage, a collar and other necessities.
Another gift-giving option is to give books on the care and training of a new pet. It may not be as dramatic as having an adorable puppy under the tree, but it is just as thoughtful. And it allows the person to choose their companion themselves when they’re ready. This reduces the chance the pet will be neglected or end up being surrendered to a shelter.
Never get a pet for yourself or someone else, carelessly or on a whim. But if you’ve planned it all in advance, everyone is excited and in agreement about a new pet, and you’ve arranged to be able to spend a little extra time at home, then you are ready for your new family member. If that is the case, then don’t be deterred by the date on the calendar.
It’s the perfect time to get your daughter the kitten she has always wanted.