Cat Nets???

10 replies

IssMc · 27/04/2015 07:24

I'm expecting my first baby any day now and am worrying a little about keeping the cat off her while she sleeps. I don't expect a problem during the day when I can keep an eye on both of them but at night the cat will be in the bedroom with us and baby (if locked out she cries, yowls and claws the door all night - it breaks my heart and means no sleep!) I have a little crib for beside the bed. I've let the cat investigate it a bit and she hasn't shown a great deal of interest but I'd like to at least have a mesh or net cover for it just incase. I know these exist but can't find them anywhere. Anyone know where I can buy one (or want to weigh in on if I am being crazy too anxious or cat loving sop?) Input greatly appreciated!!

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BanKimoon · 27/04/2015 08:35

You can get them from Amazon www.amazon.co.uk/Clippasafe-CL160-Cot-Cat-Net/dp/B0006H4PEO

Our much cosseted cats got kicked out overnight when DS1 came. As a new mum you have enough night disturbances and stress without adding a cat to the mix. Can you start shutting them out of your room overnight now so they have some time to get used to the idea? Do you have a spare bed or even a nice spare duvet she can snuggle up on? You might find sharing with a newborn and a cat really fine but in my experience it's much easier to boot them out. Our cats got used to it surprisingly quickly. The main issue was them getting in during the day and sleeping in the cot, leaving car hair everywhere! But I tended to just cover it with a blanket. They had quite restricted lives for a few months but now DS is 18 months they're allowed in all the rooms during the day and all except his at night, they're quite happy!

Good luck with it all!!

HarimadSol · 27/04/2015 09:27

I worried about this a bit, too, so I decided to keep my cats out of the room at night. I soon found, though, that they were much too wary of DD's noise and sudden movements to try to sleep near her. I don't worry much about it any more.

Sunflower1985 · 28/04/2015 22:13

This probably won't happen to you, but just as a warning, after my ds was born I had this strong biological urge to protect him from our lovely cats. They'd spent 9 months sleeping on my bump, happy and warm, but then when ds came along I couldn't stand them to be near his cot or slinking around me. So they were booted out of the bedroom.

They were finally allowed back in when he moved into his room at ~ 12mo. The weird feeling is gone and they're back on the bed where they belong.

guinnessguzzler · 02/05/2015 20:16

Mothercare sell them too.

Hillijx · 03/05/2015 00:45

We also booted our cats out but like others have said they have never shown any interest in smothering the baby like everyone warned us about. (My nan even rang up to say how she had been worrying about the cats and the baby!) I have had 3 children now and occasionally one likes to sleep in their beds when they aren't in there but other than that they steer clear as the loud sudden noises baby makes aren't to their liking. I did buy one from nct website but it never got used. Before the children they slept with us every night and one would cry if locked out but they soon got used to it and now I find it quite nice not sharing a bed with two cats so I have never let them back in......it's funny as before children I would have never said that! Poor cats!!

TinyMonkey · 09/05/2015 21:03

We booted our cat out too, I couldn't stand having him around my newborn. We ended up having to shut him downstairs at night. I felt very protective of her and he looked really threatening (assume it is a hormonal reaction). She's five months now and loves him, he tolerates her! We do still try and keep him out of the bedroom though as he loves sleeping in her cot.

Honsandrevels · 09/05/2015 21:10

Another one who kicked the poor cats out! Our cats hated the baby so everyone was happy. I do remember spending lots of time when pregnant worrying about how the cats and what I'd do if the baby was allergic to cats!

I've never understood the point of a cat net as a solution as surely a cat jumps on it and it pings into the cot creating a suffocation risk?

TheVeryHungryPreggo · 09/05/2015 21:25

We kicked the cats out when I was pregnant. One of them is very vocal and does the yowling/clawing/tapping at the door. The person on the side of the bed nearest the door (DH!) had a plant mister filled with water on his bedside table. A few squirts was all it took and they all got the hint and found alternative accommodation. I prefer having a cat free bedroom as their 3am racing games using your sleeping form as a springboard are a bit annoying when you're already up three times a night with your infant.

I did buy the cat nets but mostly used it for keeping the cats out of the empty pram or Moses basket, whichever wasn't in use at the time - they were tempted by the prospect of a cosy place to kip but had no interest in it when the occupant was in situ.

WhispersOfWickedness · 09/05/2015 21:28

We didn't bother with cat nets, even our very dopey cat (who will let our now-aged 3 and 5 year olds do just about anything to him) gave the DC a very wide berth when they were small and shrieky. As a pp has said, the main problem was the cats sleeping in the cot when it was empty, but we just used to put something over the mattress that we could remove when we put the baby in it.

guineapig1 · 09/05/2015 21:32

Yes, agree with whispered, our cats showed no interest in anything (cot/crib/pram etc) when the baby was in it but liked to nap in it when the coast was clear! Easily solved by either shutting cats out of that room or covering the crib of whatever with an old sheet. Now a few years later we have the opposite problem, DC would love the cats to sleep on their beds and are deeply flattered when they do, cats on the other hand are not keen and get off the beds when DC get in!

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