Cats helping child development, parents say
“I learned that those signals and others meant that the cats needed space and that affection had to be on their terms" - Caleb Richards.
A survey from Cats Protection has suggested that cat ownership could be helping children to better understand boundaries and respect.
Most parents completing the survey said that living with cats had improved their child’s emotional development, reinforcing lessons in empathy, responsibility and self-control.
The project, which surveyed 1,000 UK parents in June 2026, saw 95 per cent of parents say that cat ownership had helped their child to understand respect and boundaries. Furthermore, 93 per cent said their child had learned that humans have personal boundaries, while 85 per cent said their child understood that ‘no’ does not have to be verbal.
As a result of these lessons, four in five parents said that their child had changed their behaviour in response to a cat’s signals.
They say that this has meant that children are learning to leave cats alone when they are resting or hiding (58 per cent), recognise body language and warning signs (51 per cent) and can understand that affection must be mutual (50 per cent). Children also knew to stop interacting when the cat moved away (37 per cent) and will wait for a cat to approach first (36 per cent).
Caleb Richards from Kent grew up with cats. He said: “I learned that those signals and others meant that the cats needed space and that affection had to be on their terms. Learning to read their body language from a young age taught me patience, empathy and the importance of paying attention to how someone is feeling, even when they don't say it out loud.
“Over time, I understood not to force interaction but to let the cats come to me when they were comfortable. My relationship with my cats grew into an amazing bond that exists to this day.”
Daniel Warren-Cummings, senior behaviour engagement manager at Cats Protection, said: "This research shows just how much children can gain from living with cats - from empathy to emotional intelligence.
“With a little support and understanding, families can make sure those lessons are positive for everyone, including the cat”
Image © Cats Protection
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