At the risk of alienating your sister, you need to get the kitten out of the home immediately and then tell her that you will report her for allowing animal cruelty if she gets another kitten or pet. Under no circumstances should you allow any contact with your own pet. This is one area where you have absolute authority.

I am not a child development expert by a long-shot, however in my thirty-one years of teaching elementary school I have come across a number of children with problems great and small. At five it is not unreasonable to expect a child to emphathize with other living things and to treat all living things with respect. However, at five it is also possible that the problem is not as serious as it would be if the child were a little older. Some immaturity could be coming into play here. But, any child who repeatedly hurts a pet, or seems to take pleasure from inflicting pain on a pet does need a psychiatric evaluation to determine the extent of the problem and explore possible causes and cures. All too many times children start with animals and work up to humans. For the sake of the child and in the long run for the sake of your sister and society at large you will need to try to get him this needed evaluation. If he attends public school, your sister can go through channels to have this done through the system if money is an issue.

Best wishes and thanks for caring about both the kitten and your nephew.
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

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