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Parenting

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Original poster

Anyone with babies and cats? Help!

16 replies

LunaBear26 · 15/11/2023 11:02

I have a 4 month old son and an indoor cat. I'm worried about when DS starts crawling as we have litter trays in the house due to the indoor cat.

At the moment we have 2 litter trays - one in the bathroom upstairs and one in the living room (living and dining room all in one room and the only room downstairs other than the kitchen where there's no extra space).

The one downstairs in the cats 'favourite' but that's the one I'm most concerned about. Will we just have to be constantly watching DS and work on teaching him not to go near it as soon as possible? Should we get rid of it completely? Should we try to cover it somehow? Our cat is a Norwegian forest though so covered trays aren't big enough for him really :(

Anyone with experience of babies and cats, any advice would be appreciated! Thanks! :)

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InTheRainOnATrain · 15/11/2023 11:05

We have the self cleaning litter robot, it’s in the understairs cupboard and we install a catflap on the door. No issues whatsoever.

TinyTeacher · 15/11/2023 11:27

Use baby gates, or cat flaps of necessary. Cats can get over a baby gate no trouble!

Babyboomtastic · 15/11/2023 11:31

Yes for putting it in a different place only they can access, but also yes that you'll need to be watching them all the time. Crawling babies are a menace to themselves and you'll need eyes in the back of your head anyway. So the level of supervision is no different if the tray is in or out of the room, but at least you won't be removing your child from it's vicinity 50 million times a day (save that for bins, plug sockets etc instead 😂)

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BertieBotts · 15/11/2023 11:41

I had to put the litter tray in another room and close the door, letting the cat through manually when necessary. I agree that baby gates are great because they are not remotely cat proof but they are toddler proof until they get to an age they can understand not to touch it anyway.

We had the same issue with food/water bowls. I put them on a high surface where the cat could reach them but the toddler could not. I don't know whether I'm just crap at toddler wrangling, but I never had any luck with having anything forbidden and accessible in the house. I babyproofed everything for my own sanity.

There are these big fireguard style baby gates that you can buy - Babydan, I think? Which can be fixed in a half-hexagon shape to block off certain areas, if that would work for your open plan area. Or you could look at creating something like an ikea hack - I have seen things online where people adapt something like a large chest or sideboard to contain a litter tray inside, with an entrance for the cat that doesn't attract the baby, and then you can open a large door on the front or the top (which can be locked) for cleaning the tray. This helps avoid litter being strewn around the house too, and can contain smells. When the chest is closed it can be used as a surface for storage/decoration, or as a seat, for example, in a hallway or utility room where you can sit to put on/take off muddy shoes, rather than somewhere to sit and relax, which probably wouldn't be very pleasant!

drad · 15/11/2023 12:25

We put our litter tray in a large cupboard and fitted a cat flap in the door of the cupboard so only cat can get in

Eumie · 15/11/2023 12:37

Do you have any hallway downstairs? Our cats tray is in a piece of hacked Ikea furniture in the hallway. Occasionally my DS will try to play with it, but we keep repeating it’s dirty & wash his hands if he goes near it. We also only have one tray for one cat - I’ve only had multiple trays when I’ve had multiple cats.

Something to consider is that the cat might prefer to use the upstairs one if the baby is playing in the living room. Depends about how your cat feels about the baby. My cat hides when the baby is playing, and wants nothing to do with him.

Haydug · 15/11/2023 12:49

I have a 22 month old son. This was my worry a year or so ago! But to be honest, he's never been interested. From as young as he could understand, I tried to tell him it was a bad thing to go near by saying 'dirty' etc, so he's never touched them. Once or twice he has lobbed toys in them, however😑

Winnipeggy · 15/11/2023 12:56

Ours isn't in the front room but we have to explain to our LO not to touch it, and she never has. I think if you just keep telling him no he will get it. Tbh you'll be watching him all the time anyway until he's a few years old so it'll just be another thing to add to the list!

Scirocco · 15/11/2023 13:25

21 month old DC and a 15 year old cat - they get on really well. Cat has plenty of safe hidey spots too. We have 2 litter trays, and just consistently reinforce that it's the cat's toilet and we don't touch toilets without washing our hands. The closest DC has come to touching it has been using a dustpan and brush to clear up some litter from the floor after a change (that's one of DC's 'jobs' for cat care, along with 'helping' me put out food).

CoalCraft · 15/11/2023 13:35

I have two kids and an indoor cat. Honestly it's just never been an issue. DD1 did have a phase where she kept crawling over to the cat's food/water but we were relentless in redirecting her and telling her no and she got the message in the end. DD2 might have crawled towards a litter tray once or twice, but again, a quick "no" and redirect sorted it out.

Neither have ever actually touched the cat litter. They both know not to.

Crimblecrumble1990 · 15/11/2023 13:50

I find when they start moving, you know constantly where they are anyway. There's so many ways they could potentially hurt themselves.

I put my baby in her walker or high chair if I'm going to be distracted for a little while so I know she can't go crawling up to the dog etc.

I find when they are at the age where you are not watching them all the time anyway then they are at the age where 'we don't touch that' is easy to learn.

AegonT · 15/11/2023 15:12

We were just firm that that was the cats' toilet and was dirty and shouldn't be touched and neither of my kids were interested in the trays. Now DD2 is potty trained the cat gets a big clap and she wants to award him a sticker when he poops in the tray rather than on the floor!

Original poster

LunaBear26 · 15/11/2023 15:36

Thanks for all your replies! I'm going to look at whether I can separate it off from the room with a baby gate or something similar or whether I can repurpose some of the cupboards we already have. Thanks for all your suggestions! :)

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Original poster

LunaBear26 · 15/11/2023 15:38

@AegonT haha I love that! I'm a sucker for stickers haha

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Original poster

LunaBear26 · 15/11/2023 15:41

@Eumie my cat isn't bothered by him at the moment and will only sniff him and that's it right now. I think he's more annoyed at this little thing which makes lots of noise and now gets all the attention instead of him haha! But that might all change once DS starts moving around more like you say!

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soberfabulous · 15/11/2023 15:44

This has never ever once been an issue and our DD is now 10 and best friends with the cat.

She did once attempt to eat a cat biscuit....she never did it again or went near them!

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