Your children: Depending on your child’s age, you will want to get your child involved right away in the care and feeding of the cat.  But they will mainly be interested in play.  They’ll wonder why they can’t have fun with the new kitten or cat right away.

Explain that you expect to have your new cat not just for a day or two, but for many years, and that you want it to be healthy and happy. Tell them that there will be plenty of time to play after it becomes accustomed to its new home.

Teach them that the litter box and the bed are off limits, so that the cat has some peace and quiet.  Otherwise, it will just hide all the time.