How would you give a pet for Christmas?

[Zephram]

So OH and I have decided we want to get the kids a cat for Christmas (it's also for me ). It'll be their first pet and they love cats, so they are going to be overjoyed. I am having trouble figuring out the logistics though! You can't box up a cat and leave it under the tree, so how would you go about giving it?

We're going to rescue a cat (probably not a tiny kitten because I'm due with number 3 in feb and I don't really need an extra baby around, so it'll probably be an adult cat or older kitten). I would love to be able to present them with it on Xmas morning, but I couldn't keep it a surprise if the cat was already in the house. If it was you, would you get it a few days early and just give it early, or would you give the kids say a homemade gift card to get a cat and take them after Christmas to pick a cat?

I would like them to come with to pick it out of the shelter, so making it 100% a surprise would prob not be possible - I've thought of picking it myself and asking my parents to keep it until Xmas, but this just sounds like it would be traumatic for the cat and for my mum who doesn't like animals.

 

[buttonnose82]

Could you give them a 'voucher' to go pick a cat along with lots of cat supplies? Then go pick the cat together a couple days later. It might be better for the cat as well as coming to a new home and having the Christmas excitement might overwhelm it depending on its background. Coming into the home after the chaos of Christmas has passed could be kinder

 

[Talia12]

If you do santa, you could say santa left their new cat at the shelter - otherwise totally the voucher idea, I always do something like that when I'm giving someone a ticket or something other than a physical present, you can design something on the computer then print it off and they can open that. Could be a letter from the cat maybe, like with paw prints on it? Or just a few words on a sheet with some cat related pictures if that's better for their age? The other advantage of picking the cat up shortly after Christmas is it'll give them something to look forward to once Christmas is over and avoid the anti climax.

 

[loeylo]

I'd do a voucher and let them pick it after Christmas. Also, good on you for rescuing!

 

[Vickie]

I would do the voucher along with all the cat stuff (toys, litter box etc. etc.) and put that under the tree. I agree that keeping the cat at your moms would be traumatic my cats *really* don't like change, it took them weeks to adjust to our new house.

Older kittens can still be a little wild (not quite as crazy though ) we have 3 cats but 1 is just over a year old and can still be a complete PITA BUT he has grown up with the kids (whereas we had the other 2 prior to the kids) and he adores them, let's them hug on him and pack him around etc. whereas the other two tend to keep their distance (occasionally they will go to the kids for a pet but only when the kids are calm and quiet, which isn't often!)

 

[george83]

When we got our son guinea pigs we gave him a few presents as big clues and then told him he could pick them up in a couple of days time. We gave him water bottle, food bowl, some toys and a kids book on looking after guides pigs. We had brought him a teddy guinea pig too but it arrived too late

 

[Talia12]

Oh yeah, giving all the associated stuff as a present is a good idea too!

 

[Scout]

With the two choices you have, I'd go with getting supplies and wrapping them for under the tree and then going after Christmas to pick out the cat. How exciting!

I'm getting daughter a cat for Christmas too. My plan is to visit the shelter the week before Christmas and see what cat (older kitten preferably) daughter likes most and interacts well with daughter (we regularly visit the local shelter to play with the animals so dd will not suspect anything). Then I'll go back without her to adopt it and pick it up the Sat before Christmas. It will stay with my cousin, who is a cat person, and she'll bring it by early Christmas morning before dd wakes up. That's the plan anyway, although I like the idea of wrapping the stuff and getting the cat after Christmas, which I may end up doing. I hadn't thought of that, but it may be easier to do it that way.

 

[Zephram]

Thanks for the ideas! I think we will do as suggested and give the cat accessories and a home made gift voucher to the kids on Christmas morning and take them with us after Christmas to pick the cat.