Does Barbauld Teach Children How To Properly Treat Animals?

Within this passage, Barbauld intended to teach children of two to three years of age how to properly treat animals, she does this by using the example of a common family pet such as the cat and also of Charles’ mother who rectifies his actions towards the cat. In my opinion, I believe that it is very important that children of such a young age are taught how to properly treat animals, not only for the sake of the animals but also for the safety of the child, especially since they are of such a young age, thus they are not yet aware of how an animal can cause injury to them if they come to pull the cats tail accidentally.
This passage represents the cat as the family’s pet. Instead of referring the animal to “cat”, they instead refer it

to “puss” this could be depicted as being an easier word for a young child to understand and even say, instead of saying the word “cat.” In the passage, Charles asks “where is puss?” the mother answers, and says that puss is under the table, this proves that this animal lives in the home with the family so it must be indeed their pet. The mother explains to Charles that: “You cannot catch puss” (7), this is teaching Charles that must not force the animal or scare it. The mother then gives an order to Charles saying: “Do not pull her by the tail," she says this to Charles as she wants to let him know that it hurts the cat when you pull its tail. She is telling Charles all these things so that way he will learn not to do them again, but she is also telling him as a precaution as by mistreating an animal, it can come back and injure you in return.
The mother then she explains a better, more proper way how to treat a cat, that you instead “stroke” instead of pulling the cat’s tail. She is showing Charles the kind of respect you must show this animal as it is the family pet. When she says: “stroke poor puss” she is using the word “poor” to advise Charles that he did hurt the cat and therefore he must treater more gently. Then, The mother shows Charles the proper and more docile way of petting the cat.
The mother mentions that puss had killed a rabbit and tells Charles that puss must only kill mice and not rabbits. This is educating Charles which animals are “good” and which are “bad.” Rabbits are considered good but should not be killed as they do not harm anything or anyone whereas mice are bad as they can spread deceases and cause damage when losing in the house. Also, it is the duty of a cat to kill mice in the home.
Charles tries to ask puss why she killed the rabbit, and he asks why puss isn't speaking back to him, the mother then tells Charles that puss cannot speak. Even though puss cannot speak human language, cats have their own way of communicating with humans and other animals around them, whereas by saying puss cannot speak, the cat still meows and purrs which is its own way of “speaking” whilst the mother is making the cat seem like an inanimate object that does not even make sound.