Parent and Teacher Resources

The Cat Fanciers' Association feels it is important that youngsters learn from an early age how to respect their cats and understand the care a cat requires throughout its lifetime. Both parents and teachers can help children to grow up knowing how to care for cats, with respect, through various projects at home and in the classroom. We've provided a few links here to help you work with children to understand the impact that a cat, and the responsibility for that cat, will play in their lives. Incorporating cats into lesson plans and everyday activities in the home will help a child appreciate the wonderful qualities that a cat has to offer.

Books:

Learning About Cats - includes history and anatomy of the cat (Purina)

4-H Cat Activity Page - 2 pages of activites (The University of Tennessee)

Discover the Uniqueness of Cats - 4-HCCS curriculum outline for youth and volunteers (courtesy of National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System, Inc.). Individual unit and purchase information here.

Cats! Wild to Mild - An excellent site that traces the history and evolution of the wild and domestic cat. (Los Angeles Natural History Museum)

Cat Themes - Cat related book list, songs & fingerplays, arts & crafts, in the kitchen, games, and theme ideas. (Step by Step Themes)

Disaster Planning

Preparing for a Disaster - Numerous links to ways to prepare for a disaster, how to create a family disaster preparedness plan (be sure to include pets!), etc. (FEMA)
Your Disaster Planning Guide - A Plan for the Family - Emergency contact sheet, plans for people with special needs, don't forget pets, etc. (PDF) (The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Cat Activities for Kids - Ideas for arts & crafts; games, science and math; group time; and dramatic play. (The Activity Idea Place).

Cat Theme Crafts - preschool activities and crafts (First School)

Cat Crafts - cards and puppets (EnchantedLearning.com)

Cat Activity Ideas - arts and crafts; games, math and science; group time; dramatic play. (The Activity Idea Place)

Cat Graphics - Free cat icons and graphics (Blue Cat's Graphics)

Haiku - Cats make excellent topics for Haiku. (A Haiku lesson plan from EDSITEment)

How to Create a Mummy - Cats were often mummified by ancient Egyptians. (Mummy Tombs)

C.A.R.E. Pet Loss - How to deal with children and the loss of their pet. (College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

How to Create Flash Cards - Creating your own flash cards showing the different breeds of cats, or various stages of cat care, are a great way to enourage children to learn about cats. (Widgit Software)

Three Cats in a Row - Cat in the Hat Tic-Tac-Toe game board and cutout game pieces (Suessville.com)

Cat's Meow - explanation of why cats meow and purr (Science Netlinks)

Cat Drawing Lessons:

Let's Draw a Cat Cartoon (Cartoon Connections)
Cat: Side View | Angle View (TRSE Drawing Tutorials)
How to Draw a Cat (Chunkey Monkey Fan Club)
Learn to Draw a Cat (Billy Bear's Playground)
How to Draw a .... Cat (Creature Features)
Draw Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat (PBS)
Pencilling the Perfect Pet [advanced] (Susan Y. West, The Artist's Magazine)
Create with Conni (Conni Gordon)

Cat Coloring Pages:

Lesson Plans (Our list of lesson plans is growing and has been moved to a page of its own!)

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