My cat makes me paranoid...

babykitcat

So we had our baby girl last Friday and my cat worries the hell out of me! DH found him laying on her once. I don't know what to do. Anyone have any pointers? Clearly my baby comes first and if kitty has to go kitty has to go ....but just checking to see what other people are doing.

Knottie16832459

Barriers! We have a baby gate on her room already, but it's for the cat. Once I find a good sale, I'm putting them on all rooms - I was so thrilled when I realized that'll keep the cat out but we can keep doors open. I've had it on the baby room since the little s--- of a cat got her fur all over the baby linens after I spent 6 hours doing laundry. It's worked like a charm!

ColoradoHiker

Was the baby in her crib when the cat was on her? Is there a door to her sleeping area/ room that you can close so the cat doesn't have access to her while she's sleeping? Getting rid of the cat should not be your first option, obviously. We have three cats, and plan on either keeping the nursery door closed while the baby is sleeping, or in an area where he can be supervised.

cararie

We are also worried about our cat with the baby. Right now our plan is to just not let her in our bedroom and/or the nursery unless we are there to supervise, this includes while we are sleeping. We adopted our cat nine months ago (the day before we found out we were expecting!) and she has slept with us in our room every single night since then. We kicked her out about a month ago though so she doesn't associate no longer being able to sleep in our room with the new baby coming home. Now she's only allowed in our room when we're awake and one of us is in there with her. I agree with PP that giving the cat up should not be your first option. You just have to be vigilant and make sure that someone is always there to supervise when cat and baby are in the same room together.

babykitcat

DH was downstairs doing laundry and cleaning, I was upstairs napping and he had baby. Baby was sleeping and DH came around the corner and kitty was curled up on the baby's chest. It absolutely terrified me!!! I am recovering from quite the intensive labor and have a knee injury that prevents me from carrying baby around to much. The thought of dealing with a cat, my recovery and my knee is all so much...its really getting to my anxiety.

BabyG1010

tinfoil. Lay it on furniture you don't want your cat on. Before our LO came my cat was all over the baby things. He now just avoids her things even though there is no tinfoil anymore.
Honestly, it sounds crazy. I looked like a lunatic with little pieces of tinfoil laying all over her furniture but that cat hates the stuff. (You only need a little piece, you don't need to cover the furniture or anything.)

I know that doesn't instantly solve your issue but it could be a start.

mollypuss1

There are lots of options to train the cat to stay away before you have to resort to giving up the cat. Tin foil is a great idea. You can also buy cat safety nets and things like that to protect the baby when they are in their cot, crib, pram, Moses basket etc. They sell them in all shapes and sizes if you have a look on Amazon.

There is also a generic safety dome you can buy to keep the cat out. I'm in the UK so my Amazon link is for here but I'm sure you can get the same or similar in other countries.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safety-Cover-Me-Canopy-protection/dp/B00792EU4E

ColoradoHiker

Haha, one of my cats eats tinfoil! The others avoid it like the plague though

1stComesLove421

With our first I ended up giving our cat to my young cousins. They love him! He was an over-friendly cat. Never hissed or bite, but he always wanted attention and would also lay on baby girl. Plus he was very fluffy and caused us both allergies. It would have been manageable to keep him, but he was an indoor/outdoor cat and kept coming home with ticks. It became a hazzard constantly finding ticks everywhere.

Try gates and a spray bottle full of water.

babykitcat

My phone never lets me reply directly to a post so thank you Mollypuss1 !! I just went on Amazon and ordered a safety net Im also doing some crib netting research.

I literally had a meltdown about it today and phone DH crying saying I don't want the cat. He calmed me down said it was my choice but also stated we have options.

We have a spray bottle 1stcomeslove421 ! We just got it earlier this evening.

I will keep taking advice!!!! My sister is coming tomorrow to take the cat for the day. It will be nice to ease my mind for a day. I was pretty worked up!

samisargent

We put a screen door on the baby's room. I feel much more comfortable now knowing she can be in there by herself without the kitty bothering her. As for when shes in her bassinet, that I will just have to watch for. But we've had our bassinet set up for about a month and discouraging the kitty to go near it. 

shantyrae

Knottie16832459 said:

Barriers! We have a baby gate on her room already, but it's for the cat. Once I find a good sale, I'm putting them on all rooms - I was so thrilled when I realized that'll keep the cat out but we can keep doors open. I've had it on the baby room since the little s--- of a cat got her fur all over the baby linens after I spent 6 hours doing laundry. It's worked like a charm!

I saw a good idea on pinterest on how to make baby gates from fabric!

sistio

If you can, swap out the door for a screen door. That way, you keep the cat out of the room but he/she can still look inside the room and you can hear the baby when he/she cries.

babykitcat

I think I might get DH to put a screen door going into the basement. Lots of room, lots of windows, his litter and toys and huge cat tower are downstairs too.

Our bedroom and main living space is upstairs but if we the door can work both ways....barricaded upstairs or barricaded downstairs.

You ladies are awesome! Thanks for the advice