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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Why won't the cat leave my toddler alone?

27 replies

Emma198 · 21/01/2020 18:28

Just wondering if anyone has any insights.

Little girl is nearly 14 months. Loves the cat, is generally good but can get excited and a bit rough, might pull his ear or tail. She squeals with excitement at him.

Thing is, the cat literally follows her everywhere, he's around her constantly and even claws at her door at night. If she's in her cot playing in the day while I have a shower or something, he's on the cabinet next to the cot.

It's lovely and everything but makes it hard work keeping her from pulling his tail etc because he's always there, and i don't like to keep moving him away because i already feel like he's had his nose pushed out of joint by her being here, he's a very loving cat and if there's someone in the house sitting down, he'll be sat on them kneading, until the baby came along now he's just rubbing himself around her all the time.

Not looking for a solution as such, it just makes no sense to me that he's obsessed with her and always rubbing around her when it's not unlikely he's going to get a bash or a tail pull. Wondering if anyone has an insight at all.

OP posts:
JorisBonson · 21/01/2020 20:43

Maybe he's just decided that she is his person. I am constantly bothering our littlest cat which annoys him greatly, but he never, ever leaves my side. He's my little shadow.

bobstersmum · 21/01/2020 20:51

He sounds adorable! Can we have a picture?

WatcherintheRye · 21/01/2020 20:56

It sounds like they'll develop a lovely relationship. I could think you were the tiniest bit jealous Grin

cricketmum84 · 21/01/2020 20:56

I'm with Joris. He's obviously just decided he puffs her. If he was scared of her he would stay well away!

Our little cat loves DD the most, always laid across her knee or trying to get into her arms. She will lay diagonally across her chest or even sit behind her and try to groom her. She is her person.

cricketmum84 · 21/01/2020 20:57

Puffs = luffs

JorisBonson · 21/01/2020 21:06

@cricketmum84 I wish my boy would do that. He just needs to be near me all the time (toilet included 🙄) but WILL NOT sit on my lap 😂

Wereallsquare · 21/01/2020 21:39

Yes, photo, please! Sounds like a real delight. Take every opportunity to reinforce gentleness with him in your DD.

cricketmum84 · 21/01/2020 21:55

@JorisBonson haha it would do your head in after a while! If I wear my dressing gown she climbs all over my shoulders sticking her bum in my face so she can suckle on my sleeve 😂 if you move her she gives you THE most disdainful look.

I get the toilet thing too... circling round my legs while try and have a wee. She has even taken to trying to jump on the toilet seat just as I sit down and has been almost-squashed a few times.

LisaSimpsonsbff · 21/01/2020 21:55

We have this problem with one of our two cats and our 18 month old (the other one makes it clear that DS is beneath his notice). It is adorable but it is also genuinely quite a hard situation to manage - they both love playing with each other but they both have a poor sense of the other one's boundaries, and a tendency to lash out if their own boundaries are crossed... We just have to supervise v closely, and - and hopefully this is some comfort, OP! - even now, at 18 months, DS is starting to be a bit less unpredictable and more responsive to our 'gentle hands' encouragement. The cat remains as mental as ever!

Whynosnowyet · 21/01/2020 21:56

Are you a bit envious op?? Nowt as special as a dc /dpet relationship ime...

madcatladyforever · 21/01/2020 21:58

He loves the baby, if he gets fed up with tail pulling he will leave and go elsewhere in the house.

Wowzel · 21/01/2020 22:03

My elderly cat goes everywhere with my 2 year old, he sleeps in her room every night.

ItsARaveDave · 21/01/2020 22:13

I think it's sweet. Just be persistent with the gentle hands etc. If the cat is pissed off it would have certainly let you know about it by now. It gets easier as they get a but older, DS was the same with DMs cats (she has 6), 4 of them stay well away from him still to this day but 2 of them love him. One of them used to belong to a neighbor who moved and they left her behind so she took shelter in their green house. She gradually migrated to the conservatory and will now come in the house and snuggle on the sofa. Anyway, whenever I go round to theirs with DS, no matter where she is, she will immediately come and find him and will not leave the room unless he does. If he's playing in the garden she will just come and sit and watch him. Though she doesn't much like being touched still, she's definitely got a soft spot for DS.

DH and I used to have a cat when we lived in another country. We had to come home suddenly and didn't know for how long so some friends agreed to look after her whilst we were gone. She took a shining to their little girl who was about 18 months old at the time. They spent every minute together and she used to sleep in her cot with her and everything. We weren't able to go back and our friends still have her and she's still obsessed with their daughter who must be about 8 or 9 now.

lamalama · 21/01/2020 22:22

I had a cat years ago when I was pregnant and she followed me around the house. She could be sleeping on the sofa and as soon as I moved to go to for a shower she'd be there sitting on the bath mat waiting for me to finish. I didn't notice at first but my partner did. It was if she knew there was something different about me.

overnightangel · 21/01/2020 22:33

Is it a tabby ? Tabbies tends to pick one person in the household to attach themselves to, even more so as the cat gets older in my experience

Original poster
Emma198 · 21/01/2020 22:37

Haha no not envious, just like lisa says, it's not an easy situation to manage as i want to protect him from her but he won't leave her side. I am constantly saying "nicely, gently" and showing her what to do. She buries her face in him and goes "aaawww".

Because i suspect he feels he's had his nose pushed out of joint, i don't want to keep moving him away.

Ever since she was a tiny baby, he's cuddled up next to her at every opportunity. Had to make room for both of them on my knee ❤

He wasn't treated very nice when he was younger, he's a rescue that i got when he was about 4. Such a lovely boy. Spot his brother peeking from behind him, he gives the baby a veerryy wide berth. Sensible cat.

Why won't the cat leave my toddler alone?
OP posts:
EL8888 · 21/01/2020 22:50

Sounds too cute! Cats just decide. I had 2 cats for around 3 years, moved in with partner and 1 decides he’s her favourite person ever. The last 3 years with me were all forgotten 😂

Helini · 21/01/2020 22:59

This is my fury overlord, OP. She will tolerate Toddler DS. More so than she tolerates the dog.

Why won't the cat leave my toddler alone?
cricketmum84 · 21/01/2020 23:01

Aww he's a naughty tuxedo just like Ivycat!

Why won't the cat leave my toddler alone?
Why won't the cat leave my toddler alone?
MissPepper8 · 21/01/2020 23:06

My female ragdoll does this with DS, she hounds him and chases him and he plays with her and pets her. He's two but she went through a phase of nipping at his legs if he wouldn't smooth her when he was standing.

I hope she's not like this with a new baby, well have to find another home for her as the nipping isn't a good thing around kids. I've told her off so many times and I part them when she does it.

What's that all about? Our other ragdoll isn't bothered at all lol she just cries if two year old comes near her.

januarysickntiredofyou · 21/01/2020 23:21

One of my cats was like this with my DD1, until DD2 came along and now she is all about the younger one. They love each other. I worry that DD2 will be too rough but figure they'll work it out.

I get completely ignored Confused

Wereallsquare · 22/01/2020 07:21

Aw, he's lovely! I am so glad he has had a happy ending after a rough start. May he and your DD have a long and loving friendship.

The other cat photos are darling too.

Sipperskipper · 22/01/2020 07:25

Aaaah he is lovely! I have two cats, one of them who avoids DD (2.5) and one who just loves her. When she wakes up in the morning he jumps straight in her cot, always following her around, sitting next to her etc. If she ever cries or is upset, he comes running from wherever he is to be near her. It’s lovely, and having such a friendly animal has meant she has really learned how to be respectful and gentle. She loves feeding him and giving him treats too.

Lonecatwithkitten · 22/01/2020 07:58

My precious first born girl cat the beautiful moggy adored my DD and slept with her every night until the DD she died. Some cats choose their people and are tremendously loyal.

Toddlerteaplease · 22/01/2020 09:23

@MissPepper8 I hope you are joking about rejoining your cat, for behaving like a car.