Question for moms with cats?

griffers · June 2014

This might be so dumb to ask so please go easy on me. We set up a bassinet that we received yesterday. I had a feeling this would happen but our cats want to get in it. I used to work for a vet and we always laughed at the idea of a baby getting suffocated by a cat, but now it doesn't seem that silly. Especially since I now know nothing is supposed to be in bed with the baby. So anyone with kids already and cats that dealt with this? We have 3 cats and they are the kind to be interested in everything especially something they can get inside of aka a crib, bassinet, etc.

MrsSinner402 · June 2014

What kind of bassinet did you get? We registered for an Arms Reach one and on their product website they have a mesh zip up canopy you can purchase. It even has a little mobile in it for your LO.

angeltennis3 · June 2014

This is our first so I don't have any personal experience, but I have thought about this a lot.

For the nursery, the cats are just flat out not allowed in there alone with the baby.

For everything else, we are going to be diligent in training the cats to stay off anything baby, but certain things I think are asking for trouble. Like a pack'n'play. There is just too much room for cats on that so we just bought a used one for travel and if we go to someone else's house, but don't plan to use it in our own home. We do plan on a rock'n'play, bouncer, and swing so we will have to train the cats there.

I did ask a friend how they managed, as they have two cats, and they said the cats do sleep in the baby stuff but if the baby is in it they usually leave it alone and find another place. Regardless, a lot of monitoring will happen!

Littledeer84 · June 2014

We had two cats when dd was born, and my experience was they stayed far away from her! It was a little bit of a challenge to keep them off everything when she wasn't using it, but I didn't want cat hair all over the baby stuff!

griffers · June 2014

It's just a basic bassinet that we got from someone for free. It was new they just didn't want it. It has a swing and some other features but no mesh. I figure baby's crib will be the same way with no way to keep the cats out. My friend brought her baby over and my cats were so interested but I hope that changes with our baby! They were like vultures on the back of the couch when she was BFing! I guess we will have to do as suggested and train them not to go on baby stuff and to keep the nursery door closed while baby is sleeping. Anyone know what age it's safe to stop worrying about this and allow the cats to be in baby's room?

AppleGrapeMSTK · June 2014

Gambit is DS's beat friend. They have been napping together since DS was a year old or so. She always curls up near his legs, so I never worried about safety. Previously we had spring hinges on the nursery door so the door closed on its own every time. Kept the kitties out.

jcsumm0 · June 2014

Our cats checked out the baby stuff, but stayed far away once there was an actual baby in it

atraveller · June 2014

I was as worries as you were, then my cat's arthritis got really bad these last 4-5 months and that concern went away as she no longer jumps any higher than the cushions on the couch. She was also getting very aggressive and hissing and acting out and I was worried I'd have to give her to someone when baby came - but we figured out the behavior was due to the pain she was in - we didn't know. Since she's been on regular pain meds she's mellowed.

My friends who have cats have had the cats get into the baby stuff, but never in a harmful way - one like the PP above would sleep with the baby and they were like best friends. I'd say prepare to have to maybe section the cats off into a particular room if it becomes a problem (baby gates work for cats too

) but realize they may be just fine - curious but not dangerous to your Lo.

Emerald27 · June 2014

You did exactly the right thing. The cats will enjoy the bassinet until baby arrives...then they won't want anything to do with it.

My cats loved all the baby gear, but when we brought DS home, they didn't even want to come in the bedroom for a couple months. Also, the novelty of the baby stuff did wear off after a couple weeks.

Try not to worry, but as with any animal, don't plan to leave LO unattended with your cats, sleeping or awake.

Starfish17 · June 2014

Ours were interested in the baby stuff until we actually brought the baby home - then they avoided everything. It really didn't take any training. When we first brought our son home, we made sure that they were not in the room where he was sleeping, and kept a close eye on them, but we never had an issue.

bumpuser10309732 · June 2014

This is my first but I lived with my brother when his baby was born and the first 4+ months of his life. My cat was interested in his stuff but wanted nothing to do with the baby. He stayed as far away from him as possible. The ONLY time he was any where near the baby is when he wanted to sit with me and I was holding the baby. I'm sure your cat will feel the same way!

Liss1481 · June 2014

angeltennis3 said:

I did ask a friend how they managed, as they have two cats, and they said the cats do sleep in the baby stuff but if the baby is in it they usually leave it alone and find another place. Regardless, a lot of monitoring will happen!

This. Our cats would sleep in them sometimes when DS wasn't there or right before he was born, but it was never an issue if he was actually in it.

nightowl1989 · June 2014

A good suggestion I was thinking of using is putting towels down on everything and letting them check it out. With most cats, the "newness" wears off pretty quickly and they leave it alone.

shiningstars626 · June 2014

It's a really great idea to get the cat used to the bassinet now so when baby comes it's not shocking to them. We were really careful about setting too much stuff up because our cat likes to destroy things. We used a pack n' play and set it up 1 month before baby came so he could explore it. At night we would put something in it to block him from getting too comfortable. We were so worried about our cat trying to make a bed out of our child but honestly he wound up totally not wanting to lay in it when she was there. I was shocked. If you can, try to limit the amount of times your cat can take naps in it...put something in it to discourage a sleeping area so that they know this is not for kitty but for baby. If after baby comes you are nervous, you might have to keep the cats out of your sleeping area until the baby gets a little older. (ours is still not allowed near the bedrooms during night time -blocked with a really tall baby gate in the hallway)

RMiller25 · June 2014

mrscjmb9410 said:

You could try putting tin foil over the mattress of the bassinet/crib so when they jump in then they will associate an unpleasant feeling...one of the moms on DS' BMB used this trick with her cats and they have left all of her DDs stuff alone for the last two years (even though they love her DD).

This is what my sister did, and it seemed to work for her... then again her cats hate her DS (they aren't very social cats anyway) so they would probably stay away anyway.

JessAnnJ · June 2014

I agree with PPs. Babies are loud so our cats stayed away for the most part and we kept the nursery door closed. We did have one night where a cat snuck in the room without me seeing him and jumped in the crib with DD. I saw him on the monitor and ran in. He was curled up as far away from her as possible in the corner watching her.

We did put foil on things to keep them off but that is really a losing battle. When baby comes the foil is no longer practical and they will get inside. Our cats knew when the foil was gone. The cats sit in DD's chair more than she does.

BreandMikewedding · June 2014

griffers said:
It's just a basic bassinet that we got from someone for free. It was new they just didn't want it. It has a swing and some other features but no mesh. I figure baby's crib will be the same way with no way to keep the cats out. My friend brought her baby over and my cats were so interested but I hope that changes with our baby! They were like vultures on the back of the couch when she was BFing! I guess we will have to do as suggested and train them not to go on baby stuff and to keep the nursery door closed while baby is sleeping. Anyone know what age it's safe to stop worrying about this and allow the cats to be in baby's room?

They probably smelled the milk when she was bfing. My cats loved formula when my ds was little. My cats always tried to cuddle with my ds. We didn't let them in his pack n play or crib but they still got in there sometimes. We would spray them with water if they tried to jump in. They would sit in his lap when he was in his bouncy chair. I stopped worrying when he outweighed the cats and was mobile. We still try to keep them out of his room just to keep them in that habit.

MLE_C2B · June 2014

My cats loved the baby stuff, one cat especially. We thought we'd constantly be fighting a battle over the crib. But nope. One cat wanted nothing to do with the baby. The other dared not go in the crib with him but sat protectively next to him for years. Even after his little hands started yanking out wads of fur. So my advice is just don't judge or worry by today's behavior, wait and see.

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