DCG Scared of New Kitten

[mommyneedsadayoff]

I have another issue (I am full of them today!! )! We had been planning to get a kitten for a while now and just got one last weekend. He is an orphan and very sweet, but also very playful. I told all dcf we are getting one and made sure of no allergies and whatnot. They all said it was great and they cannot wait to see him! Except one mom, (my most overprotective) who just said "oh" and that was it. Well, we got him and she dropped off and instantly said dcg would be scared of the cat. I asked why, since she has told me dcg (2 yr oldz) loved her sister's cats and dogs. She said one of her sister's dogs (a yorkie) was jumping on her one day and it freaked her out, so now she says she is "scared" and flips out around any animals. This would have been good to know, because now, dcg is miserable all day. The cat barely looks at her and she starts flipping out and wants me to hold her. All the other kids love the cat, so she is the only one with issues. I have put the cat in our room and kept him away as much as possible, but he needs to use the litter box and eat and I want him to be a part of our day to day, not locked up all the time, so I am not sure what to do. Plus, most of my house is used for daycare, so there is no where to keep him most of the day, unless I kennel him, which I don't want to do. Any advice on how to handle this? I reassure dcg that the kitty is nice and won't hurt her. I have tried sitting ont he floor to play with him and letting her pet him, but she stays as far away as possible and wants nothing to do with him and if I am holding him, she gets super upset, because she wants me to hold her. I am losing my mind and would have appreciated a heads up from mom that she is scared of all animals now Any advice is appreciated!

[mommyneedsadayoff]

Well, I am not sure what to do, but may need to term I just put her down for a nap, because it has been a miserbale day. Even with the kitty locked in my bedroom, she thinks he is going to get her and is scared. The only way she stops crying is if I hold her or sit her on my lap. She flipped out and started stumbling backwards and hit her back against one of my table legs and now has a decent bruise and the kitty was still in my room, but she was terrified! I have never seen a kid so scared of a tiny little kitten before and I do't know how to handle it, without getting frustrated. I have tried the reassurance, showing how fun the kitty is, playing with him beside her or as close as she will come when we paly with him. It is getting worse and today is by far the worst since he has been locked up in my room all day and she is still terrified of him. I am thinking of talking to mom and not quite sure what to say. Any help would be so appreciated! I am desperate!

[Second Home]

I would just ignore the behavior and go about your normal day ( if you can stand to) .
If she sees that the kitten is fine with everyone , that she gets no special treatment then hopefully she can adjust . If you hold her and comfort her then you would just be reinforcing the behavior , and she will continue to do it .

I have seen this with my nephews , the kicker is that my sister was the one who was telling them that they were scared , so they were . When she was not around they were exposed to my large dogs and did fine . I told them to ignore the dogs or go sit somewhere else . NO extra attention , no comforting or reinforcing the fear . And they were fine . The minute she came back she would mention " aren't you scared " and you could see their expressions change .

[mamamanda]

Have you tried reading books about kittens and maybe doing some pretend play with some stuffed ones. Maybe let her help you fill the food dish or water bowl while kitty is safely tucked away? I really don't know what to do with that. I have a 2 year old very afraid, but my cat hides from him as well so I just reassure that kitty is sleeping and we leave it at that. I do have a gate that he can see to create a visible barrier between him and the kitty (I don't point out that kitty can actually jump it if he really wants to ), but if she is freaking out with kitty locked in a room I don't know. Maybe ask mom how they handle her sister's kitty and go from there.

[NoMoreJuice!]

I really don't have constructive advice. I have two labs, and they never interact with the kids because they're enormous and rambunctious. But occasionally they need to go outside, so I will ask the kids to move to the living room away from the path from the bedroom to the back door.

I have a 5.5 year old dcg that's been with me for three years. The dogs have NEVER even looked at her, nor have they ever been within 10 feet of her. She still screams when they come walking down the hall towards the door. Every day for three years, I have reassured her that they won't touch her, but she continues to scream and try to climb up the wall via the back of the couch.

At least with the cats, it's only a mild shriek and they run away from her. Her mom has assured me that she's never even encountered an animal that has jumped on her in play, or shown aggression at all. So strange how kids can react. I wonder all the time if it's because she enjoys all the attention she gets from it, but it seems like a legit phobia.

Anyway, long story short, she probably won't grow out of it.