Cats are very clever animals that are always on the ball, and besides filling our lives with their presence, they represent a source of physical and mental well-being. This also applies to children; in fact, it is well known that children who are lucky enough to grow up with a cat are better people as adults. Why? Here are 5 life lessons that kids can learn from cats.
If your child asks you to get a kitten, after making sure that it is not just a passing whim, you would do well to agree! Contact with animals helps our body grow more robust and healthy. But that’s not all, because cats have an innate ability to teach the fundamental values of life.
1) SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY. Having an animal in the house to care for and cuddle every day helps children to develop a strong sense of responsibility: for example, you will need to feed and brush it every day, fill up the water bowl, empty the litter box, and play with it…you will be responsible for taking care of all its needs, and it is important to get your child involved in this, even if they are still very young!
2) EMPATHY. Living with a cat makes children more empathetic, more sympathetic, and more outgoing. Cats are very sensitive: for example, if they hear us crying and realise, they will comfort us by licking and rubbing their head against us. Having them around since childhood helps us understand other people’s moods, put ourselves in their shoes and see how they feel.
3) RESPECT FOR LIVING CREATURES. Sometimes children can be very wrapped up in themselves and they are naturally very impatient, they want everything right away. Living with an animal teaches them to treat others with kindness and respect – for example, if the cat is sleeping or does not want to be disturbed, it should not be annoyed.
4) PERSONAL HYGIENE. Cats are experts in personal hygiene, and they spend a great deal of time licking themselves so as to be beautiful and fragrant. This can be a brilliant example for children who don’t like washing or brushing their teeth. If we point out how many hours kitty spends washing every day, maybe we can convince them to copy!
5) IMPROVED LANGUAGE SKILLS. How is this possible, if cats can’t speak? Yet children (and adults, for that matter!) talk to them, developing their language skills and the ability to tell stories and anecdotes.
A pet like a cat could in fact have great benefits for a child’s development. Growing together with a kitten is a great opportunity for a child, as anyone lucky enough to grow up with a four-legged friend of their own can confirm!