Advice on getting 1yo baby to be gentle with 4yo cats

[Queenofpi]

We have two cats - female and male litter mates - that we have had from kittens. When the baby was born, they all but disappeared for a few weeks (what is this noisy thing you have bought into the house?) but seemed to calm down after the first month or so, just leaving the room in protest if she cried. However, she is now crawling. Male cat will not eat if she is in the same room and rarely goes near her. Female cat has been more accepting, rubbing up against the small human and allowing the odd clumsy pat. The baby is getting rougher though, although we are trying to get her to be gentle. Today, female cat got fed up and swiped at baby while she was being grabby. Apparently that wasn't enough revenge, as cat was walking past baby ten minutes later she batted at baby again (this time baby wasn't doing anything!) I am not about to re home cats (or baby!) but would really appreciate some advice on encouraging gentler behaviour from the baby.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I think contact needs to be more closely supervised, hold the babies hand to stroke the cat while saying gently so she learns. It will be a long road though because babies don’t understand the walking soft toy can be hurt.

Cats have really good memories, as you’ve found out today, and a sense of justice.

If you can afford a high tower for them she can perch on that and watch everything but she’s safe from over enthusiastic patting.

[HappyHammy]

The cats need somewhere to escape to when they feel baby might want to touch them, have you got towers, boxes, escape places where they can hide.

[DesLynamsMoustache]

We do 'gently' and stroke DD's arm softly when saying it. Loads of praise when she strokes the cat gently. When she gets excited and starts getting a bit slappy, we either hold her hand and guide her to stroke gentle again or we just remove her from the cat and say 'that's enough'. One of our cats is exceedingly tolerant and will let herself be hugged and hauled about so we tend to intervene rather than leave it to the cat to decide when to leave!

[DesLynamsMoustache]

Also yes, our cats basically have their own room than DD is never in so they have somewhere to go to get totally away from her

[Alsoco]

I have the opposite problem, trying to convince my cat that babies are not live bait 🙄😳😂

[Alsoco]

disclaimer: no need for the social, children are kept well away from the beast

[Queenofpi]

We have a tower and a couple of soft snuggly places at the top of the stairs (behind the stair gate) so they have baby-free places to escape to.
We do try to get her to stroke gently and hold her hand while she touches them, but she pulls her hand away and then grabs!

[Queenofpi]

😂 VERY strong sense of justice!

[Iminaglasscaseofemotion]

Well you could start by not letting it get to the point where the 1 year old has an opportunity to get rough with the cats.

[Queenofpi]

Thanks everyone for your posts, I guess it's just a case of keep a close eye on them and repeating "gentle" ad nauseum!