Preparing 2 indoor cats for baby

[Zara1984]

I'm 27 weeks with DC1 - and I am wondering when and how to start preparing my two cats for the baby!

One is a Tonkinese, the other is a Burmese - both female. Both very affectionate and gentle (a bit needy actually!), altho the Tonk can be a bit yowly at times (her Siamese side coming out!). We live in a large 2 bedroom apt, they are totally indoors cats.

The most obvious thing that will have to change is the cats sleeping on our bed with us! I plan to buy them a big new comfy bef and have them sleeping in the living room at night permanently. I expect some crying/scratching at the door for a few weeks until they get adjusted. Was going to do this when I start mat leave at 38 weeks, but maybe I should do it sooner? Was worried it was a bit mean to do it sooner, so they are not alone all day while we are at work and sleeping alone at night.

What else can I do to prepare them? Have read the standard online guides eg play sounds of babies crying (they don't seem to care), bring blanket home from hospital with baby smell on it (not practical as I'm scheduled for same day release, plus cats would just think its a blanket for them to sleep on!).

Would very much appreciate practical tips from those who have done this! Eg how do you manage during the day - eg need to go to the loo, is it safe to leave baby in bouncer/Moses basket in same room as cats (am presuming no!)?

Thanks!!

Obviously will not let them sleep in/on any of the baby things beforehand.

[alistron1]

We had a cat when DS2 was born. TBH the cat stayed out of DS2's way - he didn't like the crying The only issue we had though was that he'd lunge at visitors when they tried to pick DS2 up.

[Zara1984]

Thanks alistron

Bumping this thread - surely other cat owners have managed the baby/fur baby introductions and can give me some tips?! :)

[Fluffycloudland77]

From what I've seen on here most cats seem to ignore the baby.

Have you looked on youtube? lots of videos of crawling babies totally mauling cats and the cats just taking it with a rather resigned look on their faces.

Their not alone anyway they have each other for company.

[VenusStarr]

My sister has a 10 week old baby and her cat was totally disinterested for the first few weeks after my niece came home. She has started to sit by my sister when she is feeding but is basically neither her nor there about the baby! cat is an indoors cat although she does like to go in the garden on her lead and this has reduced a bit since the baby came along which she's not too impressed with!

However my two cats have met the baby a couple of times now (at my house, they are indoor cats). Previously when my niece has come round and cried the cats would stick their heads through the bannister with a worried look on their face :). Most recently on Saturday one of the cats was very interested in baby, almost climbing into the car seat (my sister was feeding baby at the time), cat rubbing her face on baby's toy. When I was holding my niece my cat came right over to give her a good old sniff :) so she was very interested, didn't see my other cat for the whole visit!

[RugBugs]

I did nothing to prepare our three cats (2 burmese and a burmilla) for DD's arrival

They all had a good sniff when DD was brought home and laid on the floor but they were very uninterested. We got a cat net for the moses basket, much needed as our female burmese was a PITA for trying to get in it. There was much howling and tearing up of carpets for a few nights when they were shut out our bedroom but it subsided pretty quickly.

We already had lots of nice high places for our climbers to snooze in, we have some Russell Hardy furniture which has been much used, they have a comfy bed they all squeeze into that is out of DD's reach.

I was a little worried our needy burmese would be put out but she has actually been the best of all three, our boy sprayed the day DD crawled and our burmilla has a limit to how many cuddles/tickles she can handle. I'm sure your cats will love having you around more even if they have to share lap time

I would love a tonk btw, absolutely gorgeous cats

[TeaandHobnobs]

My cat is quite wary of DS (15 weeks) - he will go up to sniff him occasionally, but if DS moves, the cat is off.

Cat has occasionally shared my lap while DS is feeding / dozing (the time they were both dreaming at the same time was pretty funny).

He's not bothered too much by crying, but if it gets very loud he usually vacates.

He doesn't try and sleep in the crib or Moses basket when DS is in there, but I have had to turf him out of an empty one a couple of times. I bought a cat net (even though everyone says they are pointless) which I've never used over DS, but I might start using to dissuade kitty from going into empty beds.