yes u are a saint, i would have been far less polite, but lets put the blame firmly where it belongs, kids are only brats, if there PARENTS let them be.
The rentakid comment was brilliant, perfect comment to make back, i am sure the child would have been dumbfounded by it.
i personally constantly supervise even my ten year old with my cats, and if i c her do anything i think my cats would not like, she will be reprimanded firmly and it WONT ever happen again.
Kids sometimes do things that are not cruel, they just need to understand what a cat enjoys and does not and read its body language, which is what i am teaching my daughter.