General Fatwas
May Children Play with Birds, Cats, and Similar Animals?
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin
Local English rendering of the selected Arabic question and answer. The Arabic source remains authoritative; this is not an official published English edition.
Question
May children play with birds and animals, based on the hadith of Abu Umayr?
Answer (English translation)
Yes. A child may be given a bird or a cat to play with, provided he does not harm it. If he harms it, he must be stopped.