ds suddenly afraid of the cat

[TreeLove]

Emmet is suddenly afraid of our 3 month old kitten. He runs screaming if he sees the cat. Jonas (our cat) has never bitten him, scratched him, or hissed at him. I don't know what to do. Emmet ate breakfast sitting on top of the table! He's afraid to go anywhere in the house alone. He hisses and screams at the cat and lunges at him.
I will admit that the cat playfully springs out from under the couch.
Emmet also is TERRIFIED of dogs, leash or no leash.
We got the cat w/ his consent hoping to give him a good experience w/ an animal to alay his fears. He picked out the kitten, we talked about it and he said he really wanted to take it home, so I didn't surprise him with it or anything.
I don't want to get rid of our cat, I don't feel that would be responsible, but I don't know how to help Emmie thru this.

a side note: Emmet has had other stange fears. Boston Ferns when he was 1-2 yo and this past summer it was moths. When he freaks out he REALLY freaks out-running, screaming, crying, and trying to climb up me, before I can even figure out what the problem is.

[Missgrl]

Treelove....sorry I had to LOL at the Boston Fern thing!

Are you sure the cat hasn't done anything to him without your knowledge? Is he afraid of ALL cats or just yours? Is there anyway you can keep the cat seperate until this passes? Just suggestions and questions.

My ds has always been fearful too...though not as severe sounding as your ds. He still won't go to the bathroom himself. we leave the light on and he still won't go. If he does he'll pee on the floor in front of the toilet b/c he is in such a hurry to get out of there. If me or dh is not in the room....he will not go anywhere else. It's hard! Still to this day (he's almost 4) he won't let us leave him anywhere, except for grandparents.

I know I didn't really help with your dilema....sorry....just wanted to chat with you!

[TreeLove]

I asked him if the cat ever bit him, scratched him, or hissed and he said no. He said he's afraid that he *might* do something.

The Boston Fern was kinda funny, it took me a couple of tries to figure out why he was crying. I think it was due to the fact that he had sensory integration really bad (still does), food made him gag....

This summer he was afraid that the moths were "Gonna stick their suckers in my arm and suck all my blood out!" Once when we were in the garden, a breeze picked up and a flower swayed and I thought he was going to faint. He started freaking out and shaking and saying "MOFF! MOFF! MOFF! MOFF!", he was borderline hyperventalating. I picked him up and ran out of the garden and explained that it was just a flower in the breeze. The only way the kid went outside after that was that we started calling every moth a butterfly-and he was fine. I know it was lying and I kinda feel bad, but it worked!

Now, here's the weirdest one of all: When Gus was about 9 months old he was TERRIFIED of the song Alouette (sp?).
We would sing "AHHHHHH-lou-ette" and the sound of the AHHHH part sent him into a fit. Still have no idea why.....

[Missgrl]

The song thing is too funny!!!!
When my ds#1 was 9 months also we played this Italian music alot and one was called "pipino the cat." Well, during the song the cat would talk and it sounded kinda like a monster talking! You could see the scardness in his eyes when that part came on.....but then he would want it rewound over and over again!

sounds like our boys are similiar!

[TreeLove]

Suddenly not so funny.... we went to the neighbors tonight to "hang out". I knew he was a little wary of their dog but he totally freaked out tonigt. I mean FREAKED OUT!!!!! You have probably never seen anything like it. He was screaming, shaking, crying, out and out FREAKING! I jumped up as fast as I could, but even still he said to me "Why aren't you a better imma? Why did you let Sparky come after me?"

I'm still heartbroken....

[Blossom]

TREELOVE,MAYBE IN A WAY YOU ARE REINFORCING HIS FEARS - PLEASE DON'T TAKE OFFENCE TO THIS SUGGESTION .WHAT YOU MAY BE SUGGESYING TO YOUR SON IN YOUR ACTIONS EG RUNNING WITH HIM FROM GARDEN ,TAKING HIM AWAY FROM DOG ETC YOU MAY BE TELLING HIM " YES YOUR RIGHT THIS IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS SO MOM WILL TAKE YOU AWAY "HOW ABOUT PICKING HIM UP AND TALKING SOOTHINGLY AND CALMLY SAY "WHAT A SILLY OLD DOG .HE REALLY IS A PLAYFUL BOY ,WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND ,BUT HE'S A BIT BOUNCEY IS'NT HE .YOU JUST STAY UP HERE UNTIL HE CALMS DOWN" THEN GET YOUR FRIENDS TO PLACE DOG ON LEASH AND STAND ON LEASH ,UNTIL DOG IS CALM .SAY TO SON "THERE NOW DOG HAS TO HAVE TIME OUT ,WHAT A SILLY BILLY " ignore dog ,still controlled with leash ,and son will begin to see that dog is not going to maul him .Each time you visit people with dogs ,advise them in advance to leash them in room with you ,not to keep dog away .I hope this helps .Could be adapted for other fears too .Holding when sees a moth and refusing to flee ,just being calm and saying how big son is and how that little moth is scared of him because he's huge! sorry to take up so much space .: