CATS AND BABIES: PURRFECT HARMONY

Cats can play a wonderful role in a child’s life. However, it is important that their relationship is cultivated from the outset. Planning to bring a baby into this world is a very proud moment for many parents, but it can also instill a degree of panic, especially when considering where the family cat fits into the new arrangements. Well-meaning family members often warn about the dangers of cats and can sometimes convince the parents-to-be that keeping their beloved kitty will risk the health and well-being of their new baby. Unfortunately, the Internet can often compound the worries with old wives’ tales blaming innocent cats for sucking the breath from babies or smothering them whilst they sleep.

Consequently, parents-to-be start to view their cat in a different light, and think that parting with their cat is the best option. As a result, many cats find themselves being rehomed, banished to the outdoors, or worse still, relinquished to the nearest animal sanctuary, all of which are unnecessary and extremely stressful for the cat.

Forward planning

Cats can play a wonderful role in a child’s life and if a few simple measures are put into place prior to the baby’s arrival, then there is no reason why a wonderful relationship cannot be cultivated. As hard as it might seem, it is important to look at things from the cat’s perspective. This will give a view into their world and how the patter of tiny feet will impact on their life.

Cats are creatures of habit. They dislike disruption to their routine and can be extremely sensitive to changes to their environment. Imagine how confusing it must be when suddenly there is a hairless, funny smelling, strange sounding creature in their territory. Adding to this, furniture for the new arrival will clearly change the cat’s living space and often the cat will find that it’s restricted from favourite areas and certain rooms of the house. From the cat’s perspective, this takes place without any warning and worse still, nobody seems to have any time for kitty anymore.

Many people incorrectly assume that displays of negative behaviour from the cat, such as hissing or behaving in a less friendly manner, must be based on jealousy towards the new arrival. In fact, the cat’s behavioural changes are not based on jealousy; they are actually caused by stress and anxiety mostly due to changes in their daily routine. As a feline behaviourist, it is not uncommon for me to hear that people have punished their cats for these behaviour changes or indeed have banished the cat to the garage for the unforeseeable future. Instead, what the cat requires is a little reassurance, patience, positive reinforcement, and above all else love. Providing that you plan in advance, you will have plenty of time to prepare your cat for the baby’s arrival, ensuring that you can live as one happy family.

Clients often ask me what they can do prior to the arrival of a new baby to reduce any stress for their cat. Fortunately, there are several steps that parents can take to promote a lasting friendship between their cat and their new baby.

When the New Baby Arrives – introductions

The safest rule is to supervise all interactions between the cat and the baby. To begin with, sit comfortably with the baby in a quiet room and allow the cat to observe, approach and sniff. Keep a close eye on the cat and reward all positive and appropriate interactions, e.g. by giving a favourite treat for relaxed behaviour. Try to stay calm at all times and speak calmly and softly.

It is very important to set aside some time everyday to give the cat special attention e.g. grooming, cuddles and play. Two play sessions of 10-15 minutes can prove very helpful in keeping kitty happy. If you are a little too busy with the baby, then perhaps another willing family member can oblige in giving the play sessions. It is easy to overlook a cat’s needs when you’re busy looking after a new baby.

Never force a cat to get up-close-and-personal with the baby before she is ready and ensure she can retreat to a safe place, if time spent with baby becomes a little too stressful.

A quiet life

The key to a successful relationship between cats and babies is to plan in advance, keep the cat’s routine as normal as possible and be calm and relaxed when interacting with the cat and baby. By put-ting these measures into place, your cat and new baby should get along famously. It takes a little preparation and patience but it’s worth it for a happy and peaceful family home. If you have concerns that things are not going to plan, consult a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist for further advice.

Start before the baby arrives – seven steps to minimise stress:

Consider how the cat’s daily routine and social interactions will change when baby arrives then begin to slowly adapt the cat to these changes.

1. Try not to overcompensate by giving the cat an overabundance of attention prior to the baby’s arrival, because it will be very unlikely that you will be able to maintain this once the baby is home. Wherever possible, try to maintain the cat’s normal routine and schedule.
2. If certain areas of the house will be out of bounds to the cat once the baby arrives, e.g., the baby’s nursery, then gradually over a few weeks, try to keep the cat out of the room. By starting this early it will give the cat time to adequately adapt to this new arrangement.
3. Create a sanctuary room for the cat so that she can retreat to this area if she feels stressed. Fill this area with itemsthat smell familiar to the cat e.g. toys or a scratching post covered in their scent. Remember, cats love cardboard boxes! Try placing a few boxes in this area and put a worn item of clothing in each box. The communal scent of the family will reassure the cat of its territory.
4. It might be beneficial to purchase a pheremone diffuser from your vet. A ‘plug in’ diffuser mimics the phero-mones produced by cats. This promotes relaxation and calm behaviour and signals to the cat that they are on safe territory.
5. Cats can be very sensitive to strange sounds, such as a baby crying. Try to make these sounds gradually familiar prior to the arrival of the baby. You can try playing a recording of a friend’s baby crying or purchase a sound-effect DVD online. The recording should be played at a low volume while the cat engages in something positive, such as eating or playing. Over a period of a few weeks, increase the volume until the cat seems comfortable and relaxed with these noises at high volume.
6. The cat also needs to be prepared for the new smells that will arrive with the baby. Scent is very important in the cat world and the cat may want to sniff the changing table, babies clothes, the cot, etc – allow the cat to do a full investigation. If the cat looks a little anxious around any of the new baby items, offer her a tasty treat when she approaches the object. The parents-to-be should also start wearing baby lotion, baby powder and other products that will be used on the newborn. This will help the cat associate the scents with their owners and so they should seem familiar when the cat smells the baby.
7. Take the cat to the veterinary surgeon for a clean bill of health. Make sure that she is free of fleas and worms, by using reputable products such as Frontline and Drontal respectively, and update vaccinations as necessary.