The parent woke up to discover their toddler had got hold of a container of chalk paint – and very little in the home had been spared. But it was how the cat reacted which amazed them the most
Everyone with young children knows the horror of realising your child has got hold of something messy and run riot. So spare a thought for one parent who woke up to discover their toddler had got hold of some chalk paint and covered their home’s walls, floors, and carpets – and even the family’s cat.
Pictures posted to Reddit show the bemused-looking ginger moggy sitting by its food bowl, with its face and neck a noticeable blue colour. Alongside the pictures of the unfortunate feline, the user also posted a picture of what their child had got hold of – a container of roller chalk, a type of paint used to create designs on driveways and paving, complete with a roller on top so it can be easily applied.
The paint works by adding water to the chalky substance in the container, creating a paint that is easily washed off. It seems the child has skipped the add water stage, and rolled the chalk everywhere they can, including into the unwilling pet’s fur.
The parent wrote: “This morning before I woke up my toddler got into chalk paint and got it all over my walls carpets and floors and CAT. It’s all been cleaned except my cat, I’ve tried dry brushing, a bath, and damp brushing but he still looks like this. I don’t know what else I can try.”
Reddit users had a range of advice. One said: “Chalk shouldn’t be toxic. Give a bath with a gentle shampoo, and get as much out of their fur as possible. Damp paper towel should work too.”
Another suggested: “Damp washcloth would probably work and be most pleasant for the cat…” Someone replied to this: “Yeah, we’re well past the ‘pleasant for the cat’ portion of this situation lol.”
A different user said: “When my cat knocked my make-up pallet to the ground and rolled in the crushed blush powder, I used gentle baby wipes. She was slightly pink for a while but that faded out with brushing.”
And someone else said: “My cats used to lay on my kids’ chalk drawings on the driveway all the time. I would wipe them down with a damp washcloth.
“Chalk paint is usually chalk, water, and food colouring. Worst case scenario, kitty will be blue for a little bit and might have dry fur and skin (from the chalk absorbing the moisture). Wiping and brushing will help.
“Of course, if you have any concerns beyond that, call your vet. It’s never a bad move if you’re unsure or feel that something is off. But I’ll bet dollars to donuts that you won’t need vet care.”
Others had more unorthodox solutions. One suggested: “Have you considered orange chalk? Seems you have two options, orange chalk the head, or chalk the rest of the cat blue.”
And someone else said: “Just leave it…cat looks good with the blue fur.”
Thankfully the cat’s owner seems to have seen the funny side. Replying to a comment, they said: “My wife and I had a great laugh at it as well lol, couldn’t even be stern with our son without smirking.”
