Cats and cribs

wildtot · September 2015

Anyone out there have suggestions on how to keep cats out of cribs? First baby and we have two cats.

Taraphanie · September 2015

I read somewhere that you can put foil paper in the crib. If the cats try to get in there, they won't like the feeling. You might have to do it for a couple of days or a week, but eventually they will associate the bad feeling with the crib and won't go again.

MyCousinVinny · September 2015

We had 3 cats when we had DD1 and they never even tried once to go into the crib. But I've heard of the tin foil trick as well.

mojomama6 · September 2015

I know this is a super unpopular opinion that may get me flamed, but I just got rid of my cats when I had kids. They were all adopted out through a no kill organization, but I just wasn't up for it anymore. The fact that I had 12 of them and my then husband didn't do a damn thing to take care of them the whole pregnancy might have played into my decision, but whatevs.
My friend just doesn't allow hers in the bedrooms at all, at any time. That would certainly keep them out of the crib!

thaisac1 · September 2015

Knottie2891384 said:
Anyone out there have suggestions on how to keep cats out of cribs? First baby and we have two cats.

I was thinking of this yesterday!!! Was looking at cribs at a local store and couldn't help but picture my kitties in there either cuddling with the baby Or actually taking the baby's place altogether.

I suspect the only way to avoid it is by not allowing the cats into the nursery...

lilp2015 · September 2015

Our 2 like to sleep in bed with us. We will start the transition of them not allowed in our room before we have the baby.

Katherine8908 · September 2015

I just kept the door closed and when it was open they had no interest in getting into the crib

toomuchkalesalad · September 2015

Our cat never went into the crib if it was already occupied. But I heard that lemon oil sprayed around the no-go zones work!

wildtot · September 2015

Well for now we will have to do with our one bedroom apartment so i cant just lock them out. We move to a two bed next year.

pinottoparenthood · September 2015

our cats never got into the crib but one always wanted to sleep in the bassinet. Luckily our son hated it anyway so we never used it. We always close his door at night so they're used to not going in there, but I would start doing that now so they get used to it... if they're used to going in whatver room, they may scratch on the door when they can't get in. @mojomama6 I feel ya... if I thought that anyone would take my old, fat, crochety cats, I would probably adopt them out, too.

MyCousinVinny · September 2015

Just...wow at the flippant attitude of getting rid of pets.

AnnikaD20 · September 2015

We had the crib set up well before DS moved into it, and the cats were bored of it by then. Plus, they're uncertain about the little guy and usually keep their distance.

Foil works well with a lot of cats. If you have really stubborn cats, a tent cover is an option.

amaniupendo · September 2015

Ours wasn't interested and actively steered clear of the baby. The baby was enough of a deterrent. I would just close the door to the room.

mumidi · September 2015

We'll keep the nursery door closed. We didn't have cats when DD was a baby but we usually kept her door closed anyway.

stanol · September 2015

My DH and I joke that we bought the most expensive cat bed ever. Our cat loves the crib...especially after we wash the sheets. I never heard of the foil trick. Now that DS is 2, I probably missed the boat on getting her not to sleep in his crib. On a cute note, I have caught the cat spooning my son.

pinottoparenthood · September 2015

MyCousinVinny said:

Just...wow at the flippant attitude of getting rid of pets.

Agree to disagree :-D Like I said, I DIDN'T get rid of them because I took on that responsibility and I would never abandon them or let anything bad happen to them... but they shred my furniture, claw my son's nursery door while he is sleeping, meow upstairs in our room/outside my son's room at night, etc. etc. And to me, my human family takes high priority over my cats. So if I could find a loving home for them, hell yes I would send them there.

kcbarbo78 · September 2015

I've had one of my cats for 12 years, the other for 7, and the most recent addition is a 10-year-old former stray with FIV and no teeth that I adopted from the shelter where I volunteer. Even if I wanted to get rid of them (I don't), I doubt they would be able to find another willing human to take them on. I'm extremely attached to them, and while I was going through IUI and IVF, I used to joke that they were my emotional support/therapy cats because they would cuddle with me when I was down and would lift my spirits and calm my anxieties. I'm hoping to smooth the transition for them. I bought a huge cat tree that stands over 6' tall so that they can have a high place to climb to get away from a grabby baby/toddler. (They love it, and it has also saved my furniture and carpets because they prefer to scratch on it). I'll also start playing audio of a baby crying in a couple of months to get them accustomed to the noise (human infants cry at a frequency that really affects cats, and it can make our feline friends very alarmed). I'll also start shutting the door to the room that will be the baby's nursery in order to get them accustomed to that room being off-limits (we did that with my husband's office, and now they have no interest in that room). If that fails, we'll try the tin foil trick or citrus spray (cats tend to be repelled by citrus). When my husband and I moved to London for a few months for his job and had to leave the kitties behind with sitters, we bought a product at Petco that was basically a wide double-sided tape that we put all over the couches to discourage scratching and also to keep them off the leather ottoman. (It sticks to their paws when they try to scratch or climb onto a particular piece of furniture, and they hate that and learn to avoid any sticky surface). It worked, but it might not be the best option if the finish on the crib is likely to be damaged by the tape's adhesive, or if they're able to leap into the crib without climbing. Good luck!

MyCousinVinny · September 2015

pinottoparenthood said:

MyCousinVinny said:

Just...wow at the flippant attitude of getting rid of pets.

Agree to disagree :-D Like I said, I DIDN'T get rid of them because I took on that responsibility and I would never abandon them or let anything bad happen to them... but they shred my furniture, claw my son's nursery door while he is sleeping, meow upstairs in our room/outside my son's room at night, etc. etc. And to me, my human family takes high priority over my cats. So if I could find a loving home for them, hell yes I would send them there.

These behaviors are known in cats so I'm not sure why you would own a cat knowing all of that was a possibility. Taking on a pet is a commitment so if you thought that a human family would ever hinder that commitment, perhaps there should have been a second thought.

I am aware that you aren't getting rid of them but many people do once they have a family and it's an irresponsible attitude to have. They are living creatures that shouldn't be treated in such a flippant way.

pinottoparenthood · September 2015

MyCousinVinny said:

MyCousinVinny said:

Just...wow at the flippant attitude of getting rid of pets.

Agree to disagree :-D Like I said, I DIDN'T get rid of them because I took on that responsibility and I would never abandon them or let anything bad happen to them... but they shred my furniture, claw my son's nursery door while he is sleeping, meow upstairs in our room/outside my son's room at night, etc. etc. And to me, my human family takes high priority over my cats. So if I could find a loving home for them, hell yes I would send them there.
These behaviors are known in cats so I'm not sure why you would own a cat knowing all of that was a possibility. Taking on a pet is a commitment so if you thought that a human family would ever hinder that commitment, perhaps there should have been a second thought. I am aware that you aren't getting rid of them but many people do once they have a family and it's an irresponsible attitude to have. They are living creatures that shouldn't be treated in such a flippant way.

You're probably right. I adopted them when I was young and in college and honestly wasn't thinking that far in advance. Like I said, I'm not shirking my responsibility, but I can't help how I feel and I'm not going to apologize for it.

FWIW to the OP, we have never had any issues with our cats being aggressive or anything like that towards the baby. Just super annoying!

AmadorRose · September 2015

I know my two cents don't matter, but I adore my fluffy orange tabby. DH and I joke that he's helping incubate baby because, while he has always preferred DH in the past, for the past week or so he is always laying on my chest or belly if I'm on the couch. When I'm up and about, he follows me. When I go to bed, he lays at my feet when he has always slept on DH's side previously. I would take him everywhere with me if I could. All that being said, if I have a child who, like my niece, is so allergic to dander that he or she requires several breathing treatments on top of asthma and allergy meds after being around a cat, I will rehome. I love my cat, but my children will come first if I have to make a decision. If that makes me a terrible pet owner, so be it. Judge away, but I will side eye the hell out of someone whose cats come before their children.

MyCousinVinny · September 2015

I mean, of course if there's a medical reason or aggression present, rehoming a pet is the best option. I would never put my pets above my family in that respect. I'd never give a side-eye to that.

Getting tired of the added responsibility of a pet after having kids? Yeah, I can't get behind that reasoning for rehoming.

wildtot · September 2015

I dont wany to get rid of my cats. They are declawed and friendly. I just dont want all that hair or and dirt being dragged in. Has any one tried a crib tent/cover?

kcbarbo78 · September 2015

Knottie2891384 said:
I dont wany to get rid of my cats. They are declawed and friendly. I just dont want all that hair or and dirt being dragged in. Has any one tried a crib tent/cover?

Good idea! I found this link, which seems to have some good, common sense suggestions: https://www.pet-happy.com/how-to-keep-a-cat-out-of-your-babys-crib/

loveymay · September 2015

My cat is a 17 pound drama queen, and he rules the house. We tried every trick in the book when he was a kitten to keep him from destroying everything (foil, citrus spray, citrus smelling furniture polish, ammonia spray, special cat spray from pet smart, sticky cat tape, water guns, foam darts...lol.....) The only thing that worked was a big spray bottle. He also figured out how to open doors (our doors have handles not knobs). We tried locking doors, but that was too much of a hassle for us to have to constantly unlock a door to get into a room. He also has a thing about doors being closed, so he goes around and opens any closed door. We finally learned to live with it! He is also afraid of kids, so I don't think we'll have a problem with him trying to get into the crib. And as long as he is friendly to baby (once he gets accustomed to it, fingers crossed!!) I don't have a problem with him getting in the crib. He is a giant cuddle bug!

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