My son Harry loves animals, and he loves our cats like family. What Harry doesn't understand is that the cats aren't human and won't react to his antics like a child would, but as a cat would.

Toddlers and pets: How to keep the peace

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Toddlers and pets: How to keep the peace

July 23, 8:14 AM

Valerie Powers GO TO VALERIE'S HOME PAGE Orlando Early Childhood Parenting Examiner

Raising an overly active toddler along side an attention deprived pet can be awfully challenging. Here are some tips to keep your little one and your furry friend playing together peacefully:

• Do not ever leave your pet and young child unsupervised. Even the most docile and fun-loving dog or cat can be provoked by your child into attacking (a means of defending themselves against your child's grabs and pokes). Discourage your toddler from ever cornering your pet. This is the main reason why children are injured by pets.
• Preach the virtues of kindness, being gentle and respecting your pet's space to your toddler. And when your toddler adheres to these rules; be sure to praise them for their good work!
• If your toddler is ready, introduce them to pet care (such as filling water bowls) and going for walks with fido. This instills not only a sense of responsibility, but also a bond early on.
• Teach your child to appropriately interact with your pet for playtime. See tips, here.
• Keep your pet away from your spastic toddler if your pet is sick or not feeling social. The same thing applies to toddlers, too.
• Give your pet some space if he/she is feeling overwhelmed by your toddler's attention. If your pet starts to hiss, growl, whine, bark or howl; it's time for space!
• Make special time (preferably when the wee one is napping or in bed) for just you and your pet. They too, need ample attention, and will exhibit bad behavior if they feel neglected.
• This may seem obvious, but really, keep your pet healthy with regular vet visits and vaccinations that are done annually. Why risk any illness to your family (or furry friend)?

Some pets that you should keep away from your toddler include: overly-aggressive or large dogs, birds, snakes and other reptiles as well as rodents. Some of these pets present an obvious danger; however, other pets like reptiles, can carry salmonella. Icky!

Another point to remember is feeding time with your toddler and your furry friend. Dogs and cats, for example, cannot eat raisins or grapes(common toddler snacks). You should definitely keep your pets corralled during dinner time, so that your little one is discouraged from caving into your pet's begging tactics. Table scraps are also especially unhealthy for any pet.

Lastly, remind your children not to approachother pets - outside of the home - without your permission or the owner's. Pets not familiar with your child may react aggressively, and your child could sustain a bite or scratch, so be cognizant of other pets around your child during outings. A good setting for children to be around other pets, within a supervised space, is your local dog park. A comprehensive listing of parks in Orlando can be found, here.

If you implement these tips, your toddler and pet will probably be the best of friends.

For additional tips on raising pets and kids together, see these resources:

• ASPCA Guide to Kids and Pets, which has everything you need to know!
• Toddlers and Pets

Have feedback, tips or questions? Connect with Valerie (mama of a toddler and a furbaby) viaFacebook or valerieapowers@gmail.com.