Kitten or Puppy?

**quaver** · 14-05-2008 18:06

We have just bought a new house and my husband is really wanting a puppy or a kitten. I love animals dogs and cats the same. I have a 5 month old baby so at the moment with moving house i think i have enough to cope with! I have put him off till christmas ( he had such a sad face) but I was thinking of surprising him in november for his birthday.

Anyway my questions are this-which do you think i should get?
Here are my thoughts
Kitten- I am worried about the saftey with a bub- DS will be almost 1 by then but I am also thinking about number2. I have heard of cats loving cots and smothering babies. I dont really want to be on edge all the time. but then again i am thinking with a 1 year old it would be ok? Thinking of getting just a marmalade moggie. outside during the day and in at night. not fond of cleaning a litter tray.
Puppy- It is a medium sized yard- but we would want a boarder collie. I feel i clean up enough poop already! Walking it a lot /training/coping with barking dog.

**JesLiz** · 14-05-2008 18:06

kitten cats are the best pets

**neuralblokk** · 14-05-2008 18:09

i say puppy. cats can scratch little faces

**quaver** · 14-05-2008 18:13

jesliz- why do you say cats?

good point on the scratching - thanks

**duckie** · 14-05-2008 18:18

It depends on how much work you want to do, Quaver. I like both cats and dogs, but, I personally think that cats are easier to look after. I have been warned that when we have a baby that I will have to watch the cat around the baby but I have heard of people having screen doors on baby's room to stop the cat from entering. The other thing I have been told is that you aren't able to touch cat's kitty litter tray, however, isn't this a good excuse for DH to do it?

**onemummmy** · 14-05-2008 18:22

Originally Posted by neuralblokk

i say puppy. cats can scratch little faces

Well in that case I say kitten, dogs can maul people/children cats do not. Personally I wouldnt have a pet til the child is at an age where they understand not to hurt the animal etc. I would love a cat

but not til my daughter is at least 8

**onemummmy** · 14-05-2008 18:24

boarder collies take the longest time to 'grow up' about 3 years. They also need LOTS of excersise & I really dont think they should be suburban pets at all, only farms/acreages etc. Just for their happiness, they are a working dog. You will still have to clean poop no matter what pet lol

**duckie** · 14-05-2008 18:25

Originally Posted by onemummmy

Well in that case I say kitten, dogs can maul people/children cats do not. Personally I wouldnt have a pet til the child is at an age where they understand not to hurt the animal etc. I would love a cat

but not til my daughter is at least 8

Oh, no! My friends have had dogs and cats for years before their kids came along - they have just taught their kids from an early age to be gentle with their pets.

**onemummmy** · 14-05-2008 18:28

Originally Posted by Duckie

Oh, no! My friends have had dogs and cats for years before their kids came along - they have just taught their kids from an early age to be gentle with their pets.

thats all well and good but at the end of the day they are still animals & I have seen way too many sever injuries/deaths from dog attacks etc to even contemplate having a pet til she is older. Im sure the owners of these animals taught their kids to be gentle too, but I couldnt risk it

Im a worry wart.

**quaver** · 14-05-2008 18:45

I am a worry wart too.
having a screen door on the babies room is a good idea

-still would worry.
I agree about the boarder collies onemummy. But my husband and i met because of my boarder collie. He had one growing up too and we both lived on 5 achre blocks

That is how we started talking, so we would not have any other type of dog.
I would never like to leave even the safest animal alone with a kid. I agree.
Mum and dad had a kitten when i was 3. So my brother was a newborn by the time it was a cat.