Preparing the Cat for Baby’s Arrival

Every change in daily routines can deeply disturb our precious pets. Cats are creatures that are strongly stick to their routine, and coming of a new member of our family greatly affects the established order of our daily activities. Even the cats that are not very sensitive and timid can feel threatened by these types of changes. In spite of many warnings spread through the Internet about cats and babies, we can remind ourselves that we have once considered a cat as our own family member, before we were not even thinking about the baby. And every change in our family, does not affect only us, but also our family members, including the cat. It is completely unfair to leave the cat in a shelter, because of unproven warnings that are mostly ungrounded. In order to facilitate the cat to accept a new situation, we can start with the preparation necessary for our cat to become accustomed to our new family lifestyle. The article “Cats and Babies” gives us some good tips on preparing the cat for baby’s arrival.

Make changes to routine in advance – if you are no longer going to allow your cat to enter certain rooms or sleep on your bed, start making those changes now.

Create a barrier to the babies room or cot – cats love sleeping somewhere warm and high and nothing is cosier than a babies cot. If you are worried about your cat jumping into the cot, you can install a screen door- this way you can still see and hear the baby but puss can not access the room. A tall baby gate may also do the job, although some cats may still jump over this.

Allow your cat to smell the news smells associated with the baby such as powder and wipes well in advance.

Make sure flea and worm control is up to date. A check up by your vet is a good idea while you have the time.

If possible obtain a recording of a baby crying and play this regularly at home so puss gets used to the new sounds prior to the arrival of the real thing.

Send home a blanket from the hospital that has babies smell on it so puss has time to get used to the new smell.

When you bring home baby, don’t force the introduction. Cats like to do things in their own time. Ideally have someone hold the baby while you give your cat lots of attention.

You want puss to think of baby as a positive addition, so when baby is around try to get someone to give your cat some attention and if he/she likes food, then give lots of favourite treats. That way the baby starts to become a good thing in the eyes of your cat.

Always allow puss to escape if he/she wants. Cats do not respond well to being pushed into circumstances they are uncomfortable with, so make sure he/she always has somewhere to run to and feel safe.

Stick to some kind of routine if possible – it is the change in routine and all the new smells that tend to upset cats, so try to stick to regular feeding times if possible. Try your hardest to find some time in the day to give your cat some individual attention- This is important to help your cat feel like he/she is still an important member of the family.

Pets, in general, have been considered as the most beneficial company for our children. They help children to learn easier, socialize better, and develop good self-esteem and a sense of responsibility. The bond with animals helps children to develop compassion for other beings that are different from them. This early bond teaches them unconditional love and assists them to become kind, warm-hearted, and merciful human being. The cat-children relationship not only helps children to decrease the risks of asthma and allergies, but also is good to stimulate their imagination and joy. It increases children’s immunity and lessen their anxiety. This relationship can be a cornerstone for children’s future relationships with other people, and through animals, they can establish a good and a caring relationship with nature.