Preparing cats for baby

[Tulip5]

Hiya, currently 24w and starting to prepare our furry babies for the new addition. (7 year old female cat and two boy cats almost 2.)

I read that playing clips of a baby crying quietly, and gradually building up frequency/volume is good but our female cat acts really weird - she'll sit bolt upright, nose about to find out where noise is coming from then bite my thigh! She's done it a few times now, each time going for my thigh - she doesn't break the skin, so I'm trying to work out if she's really stressed/panicky, or just trying to get my attention / alert me to the crying. The boys just prick up their ears then go back to sleep/grooming/playing - whatever they were at.

She's always pretty tolerant of niece when she visits, and just cleared off when she was crying as a baby, but that was just a few hours here and there so I'm a bit worried about how she'll be around all day every day baby.

Mother in law hates cats and just says we should rehome but she's part of the family and we see that as a last resort, but obviously don't want her biting baby when he/she arrives or have her totally stressed out. Not played the clip for a few days, and wondering if there's a better way to go about things?

Anyone experienced this, or have any advice/tips?

Many thanks!

I'm not sure why she's doing it tbh, but you need to discourage it immediately in case somehow she sees it as a threat. Try giving her lots of positive reinforcement when she basically doesn't respond, and then move her off, move away, possibly flick her paws to stop clawing or biting.

We have 9 cats, when DD was born we had 3 adult cats, my boy steered clear of any noise but would come for cuddles with me and her when she was sleeping and being calm. Our situation was a little different as when she was 2 weeks old our Momo had 6 kittens, but with DS who was 2 she was no more protective of the kittens then she was with adults. 3 weeks after that so when DD was 7 weeks old, our Lady had 4 kittens. She did see DS as a threat but her mothering skills were completely different to Momo. But nursing mums are more highly strung then adult cats.

We kept three of those kittens, and DD and one of the kittens from the first litter are best friends now, he would always be near her and would put himself between her and any other cat, and almost protect her. He was weary of DS, but he was a toddler, but all that cats saw DD as less of a threat and took to her quicker than DS.

What you need to do is encourage and praise the behaviour you want and nip anything else in the bud. Kept them off of baby furniture even if it means shutting doors and have a baby only zone. We had to take my best friends cat in, as he loved baby so much he would lay on him in the moses basket at every given chance.

Good luck, on all baby fronts

Thanks sugarplum, will try persevering with that. Just starting to get baby stuff now but will try keep them away from it as you say. have moved into downstairs guest room (next door to bathroom for my 101 trips a night!) and plan to have wee one in Moses basket in there with us for first few months so have been keeping door closed in preparation...

Ps wow- 9 cats! Hubby put foot down at 3!