Keith and the Kitten product reviews

When a family already has a pet that resembles one of the main characters in the book their preschooler has just received, it is a given that the child will be delighted with the choice. Queenie, the new kitten, is black just like Miss Three's cat so Keith and the Kitten has now become a regular bedtime read. The adults enjoyed the book too; not only was it interesting, it was also very witty. The illustration of Keith with an attack of the zoomies is absolutely priceless. So is the expression on Keith's face as he sees his human trying to interest Queenie in HIS toy.

Sibling rivalry is a huge issue for human families, especially when the older child is under two. It is not stated what age Keith the chihuahua might be, but he has been used to having all the attention and love from his humans. Suddenly he is having to share and look enthusiastic about it because they have presented him with a little sister. And to make things even worse, she is not even a puppy - she is a kitten! A baby cat! Most dogs and cats will happily share a home if they arrive at the same time, but there can well be sparks flying if one moves in and then has to adjust when a little brother or sister arrives.

I liked the way Keith misbehaves because he objects to Queenie's presence. This is exactly what a toddler will do when confronted with a new baby. Keith has deliberate "accidents", forgetting that he is supposed to be housetrained, and then he points to Queenie when asked who did it. He attacks the furniture and destroys shoes. Then, when learning he has to share his place in the humans' bed, he hogs the sheets, passes wind, and barks until Queenie falls out of bed in fright. Keith's bad behaviour culminates in an attack of the zoomies, so he is relegated to a basket on the floor.

In some ways I felt sorry for poor Keith. His humans went out of the way to make Queenie feel welcome and loved, so it is not surprising that he was upset. I think they should have included him and given him an extra treat when he got it right. I got the impression that he felt marginalised, and his antisocial behaviour was his misguided attempt to get some of the attention back. Of course it worked, but it was the wrong kind of attention. And chihuahuas have a reputation for being difficult so that did not help!