I found this and thought some people might find it useful.

Cats and Babies Can Coexist

Cat shelters often take in cats cast out when the owner is expecting a first baby. Many couples have a cat for many years before starting a family, but reject the cat once a baby is due. You usually prepare for the birth of a baby once the pregnancy is confirmed; you should extend this preparation to your cat.

How will Puss react to the new addition? A timid cat which is over-dependent on you, but hides from other people may become jealous and spray to cover up the scent of the baby. It needs to become less dependent on you well before the birth. A devoted cat that joins in human activities will have hurt feelings, but is likely to join in with caring for baby if you let him. An independent cat who treats you like a hotel will probably ignore the baby if hotel services remain unchanged. Many cats become protective of what they view as a 'people-kitten'.

Ignore scare stories about cats harming infants, they are usually exaggerated and are only newsworthy due to their EXTREME rarity (the endnote about the Malaysian baby has caused scares, but is not comparable to a domestic situation)

Tales about cats suffocating babies abound, but actual occurrences are very rare; in many cases the presence of the cat was incidental. There was one confirmed case where the baby inhaled the cat's fur and its breathing was obstructed. Use a crib-net to keep your cat out of the crib or pram - this will reduce any accidental scratches and the transmission of bacteria.

Get information from your doctor and your vet about cat-borne organisms that can harm unborn babies and take appropriate precautions e.g. don't handle soiled cat litter and scrub garden vegetables before eating them.

Ensure Puss is healthy and vaccinated. De-flea and de-worm him regularly.

Establish the cat's new routine gradually. Let him sniff the crib, pram etc but teach him not to get inside them. Let him investigate the nursery before making it out-of-bounds; if he knows what's in there, it is less of a tantalising mystery. You may need to fit a scratch-guard to protect the shut door from an over-curious cat.

Get crib and pram nets so that the cat cannot bed down with baby. They must be taut when fitted or the cat may use them as a hammock.

Gradually reduce the amount of time spent petting your cat. After the baby arrives you will have less time for petting. Establish a special 'cat-time' e.g. in the evening (after a baby's bed-time) or get your partner to become more active in caring for the catand giving it attention.

Ensure Puss's feeding area and litter tray are well away from areas needed for preparing baby's meals. If you use litter trays, persuade Puss to use a covered litter-tray with a cat-flap entrance. Establish a feeding area out of reach of a toddler e.g. on a table in the utility room.

When baby arrives, Puss will be curious and slightly wary of the new and noisy arrival so don't panic when he sniffs the crib or hangs around. Many cats soon lose interest and look for entertainment elsewhere.

Keep the nursery door closed or fit a screen door when baby is asleep, but make sure Puss is not shut in the nursery as well. Keep windows closed (or fit mesh screens) to keep cats from entering from outdoors. A baby alarm or intercom will allow you to monitor baby.

Keep baby's feeding utensils out of Puss's reach and wipe up spilt baby food before Puss gets into the habit of hanging around and doing it for you. Keep cat food and baby food well separated.

If you get tired or irritated, don't take it out on Puss.

Keep a sense of priorities. You only have one pair of hands: baby is top priority, cat usually second and most other jobs can wait a few minutes.

Regularly de-wormed and de-flea Puss. Check which flea powders are safest in a house where there is a baby or toddler.

Wash your hands after petting the cat and after cleaning litter tray, cat bedding and food bowls.

Encourage visitors to pay attention to the cat as well as the baby. Don't make Puss feel rejected, the baby is part of his life too.

Beware that some cats love to suck on wool and may be attracted to baby blankets!

Don't leave cat and baby together unattended; most scratches are due to a cat fending off an inquisitive crawling baby. The warmth of a crib is attractive to cats and though they usually stay away from a baby's face (most dislike the smell of human breath) it is a good idea to fit a crib net.

thats good to know i have a cat i love him to bits i would not want him out of my life if a baby came along xx

That's really useful to know - thank you!!

We've got a cat who is spoilt rotton - she's been my baby for 6 years!! We're gonna have to work hard to make sure she still feels loved when the baby comes along...

It took her about 6 months to get used to having the dog around but now they get on fine (most of the time!!)

xx

Thanks for this info!! I would never consider getting rid of my babies, but its great to have these hints to prepare!!

That was really helpful. Thanks for posting it. I have such a wonderful cat, and we could never get rid of her if we had a baby.

hope you dont mind me asking, but just wanted to know how it all went, has your cat got used to your baby?, im really worried about my cat, im due in Dec and need some advice to help my cat,

thanks

And remember ladies, cats "free to a good home" generally means anyone who doesn't turn up in a van marked "Wobbles & StirCrazy - furriers"!

good post
I love my cats of 7 yrs and WAS worried.
We adopted 2 dogs in 2 years and the cats seem to be ok with them in house..but I always try to have kitty time!!! We snuggle at night..which is why I never get a good sleep..haha My bedroom is also the kitty room ( no dogs) but baby may end up there in the first few months.
Only time they spray is when we don't keep the house neat and tidy...haha its a little reminder to clean up and keep our stuff off the floor..LOL
My main concern is training my 70-90 lb dogs to listen and not over power baby as they seem to think " the world revolves around them"
oh well I have alot of training time...
thanks again from another cat lover!!

I dont get it... Are you trying to be funny?

Apologies... it's a line from a book called "the un-adulterated cat" by Terry Prattchet (sp?)... generally, its an insert name here gag... the book also great advice on naming your cat according to its breed and feeding...