Baby on the way

[user1493755772]

Hi looking for some advice
Am currently 38 weeks pregnant and worried how my cat will adjust to the baby.
He's a beautiful lively 2 year old and also a house cat ( we have tired to let him out but he seems terrified of the outside)
He's been around my small nieces a lot and dosnt seem to pay them much attention unless they play catch with him which he loves! However he dosnt like to be alone always sitting with either myself or my partner, follows you about the house and currently sleeps at the bottom of our bed every night,
Obviously I wouldn't leave him unsupervised with the new baby and don't think he would be that interested in her it's just the sleeping arrangements I'm worried about, I don't think it's a good idea for him to be sleeping in the same room as the baby at night! I have tried to convince my partner to try and get him used to sleeping else where before the baby arrives so he's used to it but the wee soul just crys and scratches at the door so we caved in and let him back in he's like out first baby and am so worried he will feel left out and start acting up when things have to change when the baby arrives!
Has anyone any advice please?

He'll probably carry on sleeping at the bottom of the bed, unless it's a non sleeper & then you might find he decamps to another room for his own sanity.

we had the same situation. Before baby arrived I put a sheet of tin foil over the top of the baby's crib to put the cat off jumping in. She did it once, looked terrified and jumped out.
Once baby arrived cat was bloody terrified of the smelly, squeaking thing but was clearly upset at being shut out of the room.

I'm sure many will be horrified and tell me what a bad mother I am but we were getting no sleep because of the crying, scratching cat and eventually gave in and let her in.

She has been no problem at all. Sleeps on my feet and has never been anywhere near dds cot even though it is right up against our bed. Probably not to be encouraged but it was the only way that I got any sleep at all.

Good luck

The first night I got back from hospital, we shut the cats out of our room. They meowed to the point we had to let them in as I wasn't sure if it was the new born or them. (I'd been in hospital for nearly a week, so I think they'd actually missed me). They slept on the bed and avoided her like the plague... something that's only really changed in the past year now she's 3.5yrs and a bit more predictable. Also, she helps feed them, so they will occasionally let her close enough to stroke them We did have a cat net over her moses basket, but honestly didn't really need it.

We shut ours out the bedroom at night before baby arrived. The first night was torture, meowing (Vinocat rarely meows) and scratching at the door, night 2 the meowing and scratching didn't last so long.
Our cat hid for 2 hours when we brought DD home but then has been great ever since. She would sit with me while I breastfed and let me know when DD cried by coming to find me. DD is now 7 and loves cats.
A high place for the cat to get away from toddler is good. Give the cat fuss when you can so he feels included.
One last thing, ignore anyone who says you can't have a cat with babies.
I'm sure all will be fine.

We had two cats when my daughter was born, one who was a very attention seeking affectionate cat, the other a lot more independent but stood no messing around. Lottie just carried on the same enjoying attention, she'd sit by me if I had my DD, so try and encourage your cat to do the same. My boy just walked in, looked in the carrycot on the floor and looked at us as if to say, what's that. We did shut them out of the bedroom initially, but sometimes the door got left open and Lottie would find her way onto her spot on the bed. Neither of them ever tried to get in her bed when she was a baby, not even when it was empty. Having said this I'd always be wary, if your going to shut your friend out of the bedroom, do it now, not when the baby comes as it'll all be too much.

If your cat is a bit nervy, it might be worth getting some spot on drops (Beaphur do some which you can buy online or Pets at Home) and apply in the next few days.

Thanks very much for the advice girls much appreciated

We have a two year old house cat. And Dd is now 6 months.

Cat has been amazing, im so proud of her. We make sure she still gets lots of fuss.

I do shut her out of our bedroom at night as i wake up enough checking on the baby that even though she's never jumped in the cot i think I'd check all the time.

It's been an easy transition. I had my DD and cat sat on my knee today and DS who is 6 sat next to me and thought how lovely it was.

Sorry. That's all a bit vomit inducing. I do love my cat!

And kids obvs

I've got 5 cats. 3 of them have actively avoided ds side day one. One of them 'tolerates' him. The other doesn't care either way. Please don't worry too much. You'll spend more time saving the cats from the baby than the other way round