It’s the purrfect picture: The children wake up early on Christmas morning with excitement and anticipation in their eyes. And what do they find under the Christmas tree? A brand new kitty to love! As heartwarming as that may seem, giving pets for Christmas really isn’t a good idea.

Christmas busyness
Christmas is a busy time and a new pet can add more tension to an already busy household, especially when there is no time to properly introduce a new member who most likely will not be welcomed by other pets. Dogs and cats are territorial and will not be as eager to share their space with a newcomer as you are. Kittens may not understand the social hierarchy in their new family and if you don’t help your new pet learn proper socialising, the older cat or dog will give them a lesson of their own. While this is to be expected, outright aggression can leave a new pet hurt, frightened and harder to socialise with the other pets. It’s also easy to forget your new kitty in the excitement of visitors, family lunches and toys and trinkets.

No surprises
Never surprise anyone with a pet as a gift. It’s not an inanimate object. It’s a living, breathing being that’s going to depend on the recipient for food, water and attention for at least 15 years. If the person receiving the gift isn’t ready for the responsibility, it’s quite possible that the kitten will end up in a shelter in a couple of months time when it is older, past its cute stage and less easily rehomed.

A pet is the best gift in the world to get. However, unless you are absolutely certain that the person receiving this heartwarming present really wants the responsibility of caring for a pet, it’s best to not give a pet as a gift. Surprises are great, but giving a pet for Christmas may be a little more of a surprise than someone was expecting!

This is not to say that you can’t give your child a new kitten this Christmas. Just go about it in a way that will be much less stressful for both you and your new furchild. Never put the actual pet under the Christmas tree. You want your child to realise that a living thing is a very different type of gift. You don’t want your child to treat a pet like a toy, so lead by example by not presenting it like one either.

Prepare your child
If your child has asked for a pet for Christmas let him know that it is something that you will consider after the holidays and explain why. Tell him that if he waits, you can go together to visit your local rescue organisation. Prepare your child for the idea of the new pet by wrapping up a new collar, cat toys and perhaps a book about cats and put them under the tree. This will let the child know that you are serious when you tell him that there is going to be a new addition to the family in the coming weeks that you can pick out together.

In the meantime, you could get your child into the spirit of giving and call your local rescue group and inquire about donating a gift of money or food for the animals. Then you and your child can go visit the animals and drop off your donation. This will not only be appreciated by the staff of the animal shelter, it will also teach your child how good it feels to give to those in need at Christmas or any time!

Remember, a cat can live longer than any other gift your child has ever gotten. No video game, toy or even new car is expected to last as long as the relationship you’re starting with a new cat. Make sure you start off on the right foot. Given that a cat can easily be your child’s best friend for a decade or more, putting off an introduction for two or three weeks won’t diminish the experience at all. Also realise that you will ultimately be responsible for this cat for the rest of its life. When the novelty wears off, invariably it is the parents who end up feeding and cleaning litter trays, not to mention paying vet bills. If your child is over 10 years old, chances are when they leave home, kitty will end up staying with you. Getting a new cat really is a family decision!