Cats and a newborn baby on the way

[AmaranthusRosa]

Hi,
I just need some advice please. I am going to be giving birth in March..i have three cats in my household who are already wondering why their owners tummy is getting bigger by the day and they are already playing up.

I have a net to put over the moses basket to protect baby, however ive seen the net wont go over the cot as it just collapes in like a canopy. I dont really trust the nets to be honest.

Im not getting rid of my cats, but i also dont want them to cause a hazard for a newborn..so does anyone have any tips on making my household which is very small also, safe with 3 cats and a baby?

TIA.

[earwicga]

You have to ensure that the cats don't have access to wherever your child is. It's unlikely that they would do any harm, unless your child is allergic to cats, but you won't be able to keep the cats out of the cot as they just love warm milk smelling places!

[mrsnich84]

in preparation for my baby's arrival ive stopped letting my cat into the bedrooms and she spends the night in the kitchen so she cant roam too far. she spends most of the day outside playing anyway. im curious to see how she'll be with the baby. I think she may be curious and probably a little bit jealous.

[aStarWithHerOwnWays]

My two cats lost interest the minute I brought the baby home, tbh. They were initially disgusted with us for disrupting their well ordered lives but showed very little interest in him or his stuff. Occasionally one of them would sit in the pram but never while he was in it.

It might depend on their ages though - mine are old and lazy. If yours are young and frisky they might be more of a problem.

Definitely keep an eye on them, but you'll get plenty of time to gauge their reactions since the baby will likely be with you or at least in eyesight pretty much the entire first few months.

[LacksDaisies]

Having had several babies with cats in the house and family members with the same, cats in cots is not something we have ever had a problem with, and is the majority view of lots of cat owners I know. Cats HATE screaming babies and most run a mile in the other direction.

Never had nets or anything, but our current cat isn't allowed upstairs so it was never an issue over the cot.

We did have to eject her from the pram on one occasion, but only when it was empty, and she did try and jump into it once when DS2 was in there; watching a cat trying to backpedal mid flight was quite funny and she landed on the handlebar. Could have been worse I suppose.

She scratched DS2 once as well, when he was about 6 months old, but he had grabbed hold of her as she walked by his bouncy chair wouldn't let go and was hurting her so it was a defensive thing.

now he is a boisterous 2 yo, she avoids him like the plague and has never scratched him since that first time, even though he has done lots worse to her since!

I suppose as well that it depends on the nature of the cat. Ours is quite placid and loves being petted so not a worry; if yours is of the psychotic cat variety then you may have cause for concern!

[Grandhighpoohba]

Feliway hormone defuser -You can get from the vet or from Pets at home - chills out your cats so they are less inclined to react to the upheaval.

[mrsnich84]

i got one of those feliway thingys. luna licked it, looked unimpressed and buggered off

[Rapaccioli]

My experoence was almost identical to aStarWithHerOwnWays. My mother bought me a cat net when I was pregnant with my first child.

I binned it as soon as she left the house.