Preparing Your Cat for a New Baby

It is important for owners to prepare their cats well in advance of the baby’s arrival home. Preparing the cat will then mean he or she won't associate the baby with a lot of changes and less attention. It is cruel to dump a cat outside when the baby arrives, and clipping its nails is not recommended if the cat does venture outside from time to time, as this is its means of escape should it be chased by a dog or something equally threatening, and claws are used to defend itself in a fight.

All cats will benefit from some preparation before a new baby’s arrival, but those who are nervous, skittish or needy require extra consideration. Cats are creatures of habit and tend to prefer consistency. They’re easily upset by abrupt changes in their routine or environment. If your cat didn’t grow up in a household with young children, he might have an especially hard time adjusting to a new baby because the baby’s appearance, loud, strange sounds and strong smells will be unfamiliar—and maybe even frightening. It’s best to start getting Kitty ready long before your new baby makes her debut. However, if that opportunity has already passed and your baby will arrive soon, don’t worry. It’s not too late to pave the way for peace in the family.

Getting Your Cat Ready

Gradually introducing your cat to the new experiences, schedules, sights, sounds and smells he’ll encounter when the baby comes will be very important

Things to do With Your Cat in the Lead up to the Birth

• Allowing the cat to familiarize itself with the nursery is advisable, but owners should not allow the cat to sleep in the crib.
• All the new baby things coming into the house will smell strange or even scary to your cat. Unwrap baby toys and supplies from packaging and introduce them to your cat one or two at a time. Place new baby items several feet from your cat’s food bowl and leave them there for a few days. This way, your cat will experience them in a low-key way and will be rewarded with his food for approaching the new things.
• To some cats, babies seem like aliens from outer space. They smell, sound, look and act differently than adult humans. So buy a CD of baby sounds, available from amazon.com or dogwise.com, and play it during your cat’s meals and when you snuggle or play with him or have a friend with a baby make a recording. At first, play the sounds at a very low volume. As long as your cat remains comfortable with the sounds, you can gradually increase the volume over a couple of weeks until you’ve worked up to a realistic level of noise.
• Rub baby products you will be using such as baby lotion and powder on yourself for your cat to smell. Give lots of treats or attention while she sniffs you.
• Take a baby blanket and wrap something in it that simulates the shape of a baby and sit with it in a feeding position and encourage your cat to sit with you. Make sure the “bundle” smells like a real baby. Also walk around with it in your arms.
• After the baby is born, a blanket that has the baby’s scent can be brought home and shown to the cat. The cat should be allowed to sniff the blanket, but not sleep on it.
• Make sure the cat is up to date with worming and flea treatment.

Preparing for toddlers

To help your cat get used to childlike movements, spend some time each day crawling around and lying on the floor, running through the house and playing with baby toys. Be ready to praise or toss your cat a treat if he comes near, but if he chooses to keep a distance instead, that’s okay. Don’t force him to approach.

Start getting your cat used to the baby’s prodding fingers now by playing Poke the Kitty. Very gently give your cat a little poke, pat or pinch. Then immediately give him a yummy treat or his dinner. Play this game at least two or three times a day until the baby arrives.

Things to do with Your Cat When the Baby Comes Home

• When introducing the cat and baby for the first time, owners should avoid rushing the introduction. Introductions should involve talking to the cat and allowing it to smell the baby. Remain calm and do not over react.
• Offer the cat a treat in the presence of the baby every time to begin with for the first 3 or so days but wean the cat off treats after that gradually (treat every other time) so that she doesn’t become demanding of treats.
• It is important that the cat associates the baby with a positive experience so owners should talk to the cat or treat whenever they are with the baby.
• Owners should attempt to keep the cat’s routine the same as cats are creatures of habit.
• Owners also need to set aside time everyday to spend with the cat without the baby present. This might mean playing with the cat, grooming the cat or simply allowing it to sit on the owners lap for half an hour.
• When the baby is sleeping, owners should make sure the cat doesn’t have access to the baby. This is a good time to have a quick play with the cat also.
• When the baby is older and begins to crawl and walk, it is advisable to have an area that the cat can escape to and where the baby cannot access. A small barrier across a door allows the cat to jump over but does not allow the baby through.
• Synthetic cat pheromones are available from veterinary clinics that have a calming affect on cats. This may help should the cat become upset or stressed about the baby

Keep a Consistent Schedule

Your schedule will become very chaotic when the baby arrives. Decide now when you’ll be able to consistently feed your cat, scoop his litter box and give him some one-on-one attention and play. Start to gradually shift your cat’s schedule so that he’s already used to it when the baby comes. If necessary, buy an automatic feeder with a timer, such as the Super Feeder^® or the Furry Feeder™  in order to keep regular, predictable feeding times.

Minimize Changes in Attentnion

Resist the temptation to give your cat extra attention in the weeks before the baby’s due date. This will only set him up for a bigger letdown when the baby comes and he suddenly gets less of your attention. It’s much better to start shifting kitty cuddling and play to set times that your cat can look forward to and gradually give him less and less attention at other times of day. This will ease your cat into a schedule that you’ll probably be able to maintain once the baby comes.

The Baby’s Room

Decide now if you will or won’t allow your cat into the baby’s room. Everyone in the family should agree on this rule and stick to it.

If the Baby’s Room Will Be Off-Limits

Move any furniture your cat loves to sit on out of the baby’s room so he can still have access to it when the baby comes. Keep the baby’s door closed or install a very tall baby gate in the doorway to get your cat used to restricted access now. Set up a comfy cat bed or cat tree just outside the door. Keep a canister of cat treats in the baby’s room. Every time you enter, leave a couple of treats in the cat bed. After the baby comes, when you rock or feed her, occasionally toss a treat into the cat bed. This practice will make your cat happy to be around the baby while rewarding him for staying out of the room. If he tries to sneak into the baby’s room, just gently remove him. Don’t punish or scold him, as this might make him fearful or aggressive toward you or the baby.

If the Baby’s Room Won’t Be Off-Limits

Place a cat bed or cat tree inside the baby’s room. Use the treat-in-the-bed technique described above to reward your cat for being near the baby yet out of your way.

When Guests Visit

A new baby means frequent visits from friends and family. Nervous cats will prefer to stay in a quiet room with the door closed when guests arrive. During visits, periodically check on your cat and offer treats or a few minutes of play. If he seems anxious, let him stay in the quiet retreat until your guests leave. Make sure your cat has access to food, water, something comfortable to rest on and a litter box while he’s in the quiet room.