When is the best time to get a cat with kids?

[Magpie24]

I'm expecting my first child in November. I grew up with cats and always wanted one of my own. Me and my siblings loved having the cats around when we were little. The cats didn't seem to mind either (although maybe they did!)

But with a baby on the way is now the best time? I worry a cat would get anxious with all of the noise. If not, when would be a good time? How old would kids need to be do people think?

I wouldn't get the cat now tbh. Wait till your dc are about three years old and understand enough not to pull the cat's tail.

We had our cat long before the dc came along and it was fine, but she was already well settled into our house. Even so, she went through a phase of weeing on the floor when the baby cried. We didn't pay her much attention for the first year of each dcs life and I felt quite guilty for neglecting her, even though she probably didn't care.

Hi OP we got our first cat when my youngest was 2 and we had no problems at all she is still a very friendly cat and gets on well with the DC. I think it depends on the type of cat you get as some breeds are better with children than others.

Depends a lot on the cat and what you want. I arrived when the cat was already in situ - cat put up with a lot of tail pulling and behaviour it would not have tolerated from adults, it was almost like it treated me like a giant kitten. So a very laid back adult cat might be fine.

However if you really want the kitten experience you are going to have to wait years.

Thank you all. Definitely want an adult cat not a kitten, but it seems like the general consensus might be to wait a few years.

We got our cat when our child was 5. It's worked really well 😊

I think there is a difference between a cat who has lived with you for a long time and is relaxed and secure, who will probably cope with a certain amount of tail pulling, vs. A cat who has only just settled in then being faced with all of the turmoil of a new baby, which isn't really fair.

I’d had my cats for five years before ds. The main problem was them trying to sleep in his cot. This caused quite a bit of stress so I’d say 4 years and up.

It is lovely companionship.

Till they’re 3/4 and potty trained and not as unpredictably loud.

We had 1 adult cat and three six month old kittens when DS1 was born. No problems at all - cats could snuggle up to DS1 or keep away as they wished.

We had an adult cat when DS was born and got a new kitten when he was 6m old. That cat grew up with him and he was really upset when he died at 15.