My Cat And The Arrival Of A Baby: What Precautions?

When the house cat was until now the only focus of its masters, it is important to take certain precautions when the family grows, and this begins long before the arrival of the baby. The birth of a child can indeed disrupt household routines and the cat must be able to navigate without stress. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the cohabitation between the animal and the baby goes well. Let’s do a check in.

During Pregnancy: Preparing The Cat For The Arrival Of The Baby

The birth of a child involves a change in lifestyle, and the new parents are going to be totally taken up with their baby. They usually ask many questions about their cat’s behavior, hygiene, child safety.

Arrange A Consultation With The Veterinarian

Ideally, a small visit to the veterinarian can be scheduled a few weeks before the birth of the child to check if the cat:

• • East in good health which may require a blood test for example,

• • East up to date on their vaccinations and if necessary have him vaccinated or make the necessary reminders,

• • has no parasites in which case it is dewormed or an anti parasitic product is recommended.

We take advantage of this consultation to gather valuable advice from the veterinarian on the attitude to adopt with the animal when the baby is born.

At Home

At home it is necessary to solve certain behavioral problems if this has never been done before. A cat that gets a little too comfortable must be cropped long before the birth of the child.

• • There is no longer any question of the cat squatting in the room destined to become the baby’s room.

• • If the animal is quite solitary and does not support visits, it must be used to it because friends and family members will follow one another to meet the baby when it is born.

• • The cat must be familiarized as soon as possible with the cries and cries of children. We can regularly invite a couple of young parents friends for example, or why not have the cat listen to these sounds through a recording.

It is equally useful to do discover new smells to the animal like the toilet milk for toddlers. Let’s not forget that they will soon be part of everyday life and that the cat has an extremely developed sense of smell.

When Baby Is Born

During the few days when baby is still in the maternity ward, it is important to bring home some clothes he has worn so that the cat get used to its smell. When returning from the maternity ward, the newborn must be present to the cat, always under the supervision of his parents.

It’s normal to spend a lot of time with the little one, but you shouldn’t neglect the kitty or always keep him away. Some parents choose to place their cat during the first months but this is not desirable because in this way the cat risks being very disturbed Or jealous to feel abandoned. On the contrary, if he is totally integrated into the family, the cat-baby cohabitation will go much better. It is recommended to arrange for the kitty a corner of its own, away from comings and goings, and if possible away from noise. He will be able to take refuge there at his convenience and find his peace there.

If a maternal helper has to spend time in the home, you must also think about doing everything you can to get the animal used to her presence. Some cats don’t like to share their surroundings very much with strangers.

Behavioral Problems In The Cat Discovering The Newborn

Despite many precautions on the part of their masters, some cats show signs of behavioral problems when baby arrives. Some suddenly defecate outside the litter box, others are aggressive, still others abandon their kibble or spend their time compulsively licking themselves. For soothe a cat who does not accept the arrival of a newborn baby, one can for example:

• • Provide him with a jar of catnip (Nepeta cataria) commonly known as catnip.

• • Use spray pheromones to spray on the cat’s basket for example,

• • Ask the veterinarian for a treatment based on essential oils,

• • Make an appointment with a behavioral veterinarian if nothing helps.

Cat And Baby Arrival: Hygiene Precautions

It is essential to brush your cat very regularly and to check its coat when it comes back from a walk in order to dislodge ticks and fleas if necessary. Its litter must also be cleaned very frequently and disinfected just like the bowl and the bowl of water of the small feline. The cat’s claws must be cut very regularly to limit the risk of scratching.

One crucial question remains: should we allow access to the baby’s room ? In this area, it is above all a matter of common sense. We do not leave the cat alone with the toddler but nothing prevents it from entering this space if at least one of the child’s parents is there and if the animal is in excellent health of course. It is still necessary to ensure that the child is not allergic to cat hair.

On the other hand, the baby’s room must be strictly forbidden to the little feline if he is accustomed to urine marking, if he is aggressive, if he is sick or if he has always had an unpredictable behavior.

To facilitate the cohabitation between a kitty and a baby, each master should compel himself to educate your cat as soon as possible even long before having a child. This allows, when the day comes, not to be concerned about this type of problem and to be much more peaceful.