Dog or cat for toddler?

Whatever you want, as long as it doesn't eat, breathe or poop.

Seriously. I have a 5 year old and an 8 year old. Up until this past year I've had to yell at BOTH of them to stop grabbing/pulling/harassing the cats we have.

If you get a cat, be prepared for it to claw the crap out of your 2 year old. Even with close supervision my 5 year old STILL get clawed when the cat has had enough of her "attention".

If you get a dog, be prepared for it to nip/bite your 2 year old. I don't care HOW gentle or kid-friendly an animal is, as soon as it's had enough it will do whatever is has to do to get away. Small dogs are worse than big dogs too.

Many shelters around here don't want to adopt out to families with children under age 7. Even though I've had cats all my life, seeing my kids growing up with them around I understand the shelters' policy.

I sooooo agree with Rosehawk!! I have a 3 yr old, and I have to yell at her 100x a day even more on some days, that Spooky is a cat NOT a pull toy, or a squeaky toy, a stuffed animal, a baby doll she can put clothes on. And then you have a cat food. My dd thinks cat food is her main course meal! My Spooky is 12 yr old cat, and my cat has to be THE most tolerant cat I ever have seen! Especially when dd pulls on her tail, my cat has yet to bite hard. I think just about every mom here will tell you to wait until they are older.

 

She just turned 2

We have both a cat and a dog. The dog is trained to guide me because I can't see, so she's been well socialized from puppyhood. I still have to remind my four-year-old not to step on her, shove her, kick her, yell at her, or grab her tail. She's never nipped, but she's growled many times. I tell my daughter that when the dog growls, she better stop whatever she's doing. The cat is about a year old, and he lets my daughter get away with murder. But he's gotten a bit skittish from being chased, dragged, and generally harassed. Unless you are prepared to be vigilant day in and day out, don't get a pet for a toddler. If you do get one, find an older one who has been in a home with kids before, and who wasn't evicted from that home for nipping or clawing, though that's hard to know for sure. Then practice saying "We use nice hands ... Don't chase the dog! Don't stuff the cat in your backpack!" till your tongue falls out.

I have twins. When they were about 8 months old a tiny kitten (about 5-6 weeks old) suddenly appeared in the garden. I hadn't wanted a pet until they were older but I couldn't turn away a kitten, could I? Strangely enough, perhaps because they grew up together we never had a single problem. No biting, no scratching, nothing ... :)

 

 

Ps - however, like PP, I would avoid getting a pet for a toddler if I had the choice. When this kitten disappeared, I told the girls that there wouldn't be another pet until they were at least 4 years old and could take care of it properly.

I agree with everyone else. Two is too young, imo.

Too young to appreciate a pet- wait until child is old enough to help take care of pet.

Two is definitely too young for a child to have a pet of their own. They do not know how to properly play with them at that age and there would be a good chance that the dog or cat would end up always wanting to avoid the grabby little hands that keep pulling their fur and tails. If you do insist though, I would go for an older pet (either cat or do) that is good with kids.

Our daughter grew up with pets (we had both cats and dogs when she was born), but she has never had a pet of her own...minus fish. She is 6 and we are just now getting her her very own kitten because she is just now getting to the point of being responsible enough to know she will properly care for it.

I personally think that it would be better to wat until your child is older.