How did your cat react to your newborn?

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My partner and I are self-confessed cat loons. We currently have an outdoor (neutered) male moggie who hunts a lot and occasionally gets hissy if he doesn't get his way. When he was a kitten he was very scratchy, although hes mellowed a lot. We sadly lost one of our cats recently and have been pining for another but with a baby due (hopefully) in January we know we should probably wait a while to see how the current cat responds and to get into a routine with our baby.

I've been surprised by the stories about owners getting rid of their cats because of how stressed the cats have become by the new arrival. I really cannot contemplate giving my cat up.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and how did you manage?

Oh, and congratulations! :)

Thank you! Yes, that sounds sensible - I was trying to persuade myself otherwise, as we've wanted a cat for years, and it was always 'when we have a house with a garden'; 'when we stop renting' etc. About (more touching wood!) to complete on purchase of said house with garden, so it seems to a shame to still have to delay. But new baby plus new cat plus toddler does sound faintly alarming!

We had 3 cats when we had DDs (DDs now 4.5 and 2.5)

Cat 1, elderly neutered female - bit grumpy looking, but she was a quarter persian so could have just been her normal expression. She was the only one who would approach a baby, and then only if we were holding the baby, so she was really approaching us. Would let year old DD1 maul her and be purring happily. Sadly had to be PTS a couple of years ago.

Cat2, female neutered - avoided DDs until cat 1 died and then took over the 'being mauled by kids' role. She now gets on fine with them and they are very gentle with her, she will seek out DD1 for a cuddle.

Cat 3, male neutered, son on cat 2 - has been on a 4.5 year sulk since DD1 was born. Avoid children and spends most of his day outside or hiding in a bedroom. Comes for cuddles in the evenings. Will tolerate sleeping children and has a few time sat on DD1 while she's sleeping recently.

Unfortunately, our cat upped and left after the birth of our baby

Prior to this, she (the cat) would pee a lot in the corners of different rooms.

I was told that this isn't that rare and that cats often can't cope and get very jealous.

When we walked in with the baby he looked like he was going to burst into tears (if a cat can look like that). His face indicated that he knew exactly what we was going on and that he was no longer our top 'kid'.

But he settled in time. We had no further issues.

Our cat has always been wary, when ds was a tiny baby she seemed to watch over him but once he got bigger he would pull her fur so he would get a little scratch which taught him very quickly how to treat her nicely, now my ds is 3 and is really good with her she still runs away if he's noisy or jumping around. When ds was born our health visitor came round and she told us that cats being a danger to babies is a myth, they are more likely to snuggle in the covers than lie on a babies face. I'm now 34 weeks with dc2 and I will have no worries leaving my baby and cat in a room together. The cat has always been confined to the kitchen on a night so nothing needs to change there anyway. x

Our cat has been fab with DD. she's a Female, neutered Bengal/moggy cross (pic on profile).

I have a lovely pic from when DD was days old snuggled up on me, with the cat on my lap

She has always been a good hunter but she went into overdrive once we got baby home. I did explain babies just liked milk but also got "TAILS to you!" and a triumphant presentation of an only half-dead mouse about half an hour later

She has been wonderful with toddler DD and her mates too

Congratulations! Of our two (one male, one female), both came to see what was going on when we arrived home with small child, and then scarpered sharpish on hearing first cry. However, we have a few photos where there is a small child asleep in the moses basket, and the female cat has a paw protectively on the edge. The male cat avoided coming anywhere near after the first cry.
Like others, did spend a bit of time chasing them out of empty baskets and gyms though.
Interestingly, now small child is 2.9 the female one avoids and the male one comes up for random food distribution cuddling - go figure.

We have two cats and a 2month old baby girl. Both cats (with totally different temperaments) have been fine. A bit curious/ nervous at first, and now they either ignore her as they try to get past her and onto my lap or give her a quick sniff when passing. They did try to colonise her basket/ car seat/ cot at first though - they are the perfect size for cats! I am always aware of where they are and our bedroom door is shut at night (we do miss the cats in bed ) but other than that no change really. I am very relieved as was also horrified when I realised people sometimes give their cats away on becoming parents. Congratulations!!

Our cat pretty much ignored both our children. She was about 18 months old when DS arrived and would look at him occasionally but that was about it. The only change was that she always used to sleep on our bed at night, but stopped as soon as DS was born.

She is quite wary of the children, but she will let DS stroke her if she is lying down. Otherwise she runs away.

My cat was the original PFB in our house - she was doted on and her every need met. I worried about how she'd be when DS was born - she's very prissy and haughty (but lovely!). Because we ended up being in hospital unexpectedly for five days of labour, FIL kept coming every day to feed her. I think she was very upset when we finally got home with DS because she cried and wee'd in the corner of the living room. Thankfully it was a one off - I honestly think she thought it was another cat! When she realised it wasn't, she was totally cool.

Since then she's been like everyone else has described - sniff, disinterest, keeps out of the way, life resumed as normal for her. She has - however - been quite unexpectedly considering her self-centred little ways playing the concerned nursemaid when DS screamed. She'd mew sympathetically, look at him with concern, then me, then back to DS. Quite sweet really

My cat gets on just fine with DD, (18 weeks)
Sniffs her & kisses the top of her head.

If the wailing gets a bit too loud then Cat just looks a bit & goes in the sunroom for some peace!

I took a lovely photo of them both on the sofa last week laying together, Top & Tailing, they both looked at the camera & it makes me melt

First child - came up for a sniff (only when I was very close though - cat too apprehensive to come anywhere near the child when I wasn't close). Didn't take much of an interest but did always used to come quickly when DS was crying. Very interested in his toys though! Also very protective when strangers around, hissing at them, saying close to the baby etc. Now DS is 2yo the cat likes being around him and gets upset when he's out at nursery, but she still doesn't tolerate DS petting her that much.

Second child - an occasional sniff but mostly completely ignores him.

My cat is a Bengal, which is apparently the 2nd worst breed with children. Can't say I've noticed anything negative at all.