Question for moms with cats...

carpntrgrl

So we set up the bassinet at the end of the bed...and the cat has been thanking us profusely for finally getting her such a comfy perch to watch over us from.

We're going to use a spray bottle filled with water I think, but are there better, tried-and-true methods to keep the cat away from climbing into the crib, bassinet, etc? She's a maternal, nurturing cat, at worst I'm pretty sure she'd just get in there and give the baby a tongue bath, but still I'd like to train her to keep away from baby's sleeping spots before LO gets here.

Thanks in advance for the advice. 

Binksmarie

We are having the same problem with our 3 cats and the crib. We just don't want their hair everywhere. I've just been locking them out of our bedroom which is where the crib is f

Binksmarie

We are having the same problem with our 3 cats and the crib. We just don't want their hair everywhere. I've just been locking them out of our bedroom which is where the crib is for now.

Runaway22

secondaryPULSE:

Lay a sheet of aluminum foil in the bassinet.

I've heard this works well. Personally (not trying to flame here), I think the spray bottle thing is cruel. But that's just me.

I actually posted a similar concern to the AP board a couple of days ago about bedsharing with pets. Apparently, not many cats really care for newborns, and it's not usually much to worry about, based on the replies I got. 

Sorry, I am inept and cannot make it clicky...

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/71848557.aspx 

holly321

Once the baby arrived, the cat stayed out of everything.

walter7878

My cats laid in everything when it came home before my son was born (high chair, stroller, cradle, you name it), but once he got here, they steered clear of him. As for what you can do beforehand, I'd either try the spray bottle or aluminum foil. Or just put the bassinet away until the baby gets here, and then she'll probably avoid it.

My female cat is also very maternal and is a groomer, but she didn't ever lick him or anything. My male cat actually howled and paced back in forth in front of his room when my son cried when we first brought him home and I flipped out, thinking it was some kind of weird behavioral thing, but that happened exactly once.

We did put a baby gate on the door to DS's room, and that has kept them out of the room. I feel better about that because I don't want their hair in the room, since you never know about allergies.

FWIW, I spent a gross amount of time worrying about my cats before my son got here, but they've adjusted. Now they actually let him pet them and rub up against him and he fed them both birthday cake on his first birthday. Ha! Good luck! 

SidraJedi

holly321:

Once the baby arrived, the cat stayed out of everything.

This is what I have heard too and knowing my little beastie's personalities I can see them just being sort of freaked out and keeping their distance from the LO. They are both elders (12yrs old and 19yrs old this year) and smarter than they are curious. Only the older one gets in the bouncy chair. I'm sure that will change when there is a baby in it. She's liable to stay across the room as far away from baby as possible, at least for a while.

emd886

Tinfoil! We set the crib, swing and pack-n-play up a long time ago. We put tinfoil on all of it and the cats wont touch it. I dont know if they dont like the noise it makes if they step on it, or if they dont like the feel of it but they stay out of all the baby's stuff.

PrplMonky5

Tinfoil only works for some cats.  Just as a heads up.  My one cat LOVES tin foil, especially the lights that get reflected off of it, and doesn't mind stepping on it either. 

We have been keeping the cats out of the baby room, so there aren't any concerns there for us, but we are going to put the PNP in our living room.  We'll probably just sit there with a squirt bottle and wait.  I hate doing that to them, because they are all generally good cats, but they have to learn somehow and it is only water.  We are also banking on the fact that a lot of people say after LO is born, the cats leave everything alone.  So fingers crossed on that.

My oldest hasn't been doing so well with all the changes that just the pregnancy has brought about and after LOTS of trips to the vet, we now have him on a low dose of anti-anxiety meds.  So there are a lot of options out there.

artroyer

We got lucky... we set our stuff up early and the cats pretty much left it alone. However, once the baby came they definitely decided to keep their distance! Chances are that your cat willbe a bit standoffish at least in the beginning.

red daisy

Tinfoil didn't work for our cats- they were all over the crib, pack & play, etc. before my son was born.  Once he was born though, they wanted nothing to do with him and kept their distance, like the others have said.

starting all over again

I have 2 cats, one could care less. The other wants to think everything belongs to her. I've had to keep the rail on the crib up. I put the bouncy chair in the stroller. The car seat is in the car and I've had to put the bath tub in the in the bassinet. I'm thinking that once the LO is here and has her scent all over everything there won't be a problem (with this particular cat). 

carpntrgrl

Thanks for the input ladies! I feel much better now!

JumpAroundBucky

My cats slept in the PNP until the baby was born. We tried putting tin foil in it, which workd for most people, but they didn't care. I have very sweet, snuggly cats, and I thought they would be all up in the baby's face and want to snuggle him all the time, but they actually haven't really come too close to him, and have absolutely not gone in the PNP where he sleeps.