[QUOTE=stephwiggy;4431608][QUOTE=crossroads;4429905]I don't see what having a dog has to do with it - we have TWO

You are so right though.... ANY animal needs proper management when a child comes along. The most mild tempered, polite and affectionate cat could cause an injury by accident.... Living with animals always will pose risks, but we do it because the benefits generally outweight the risks and the risks can be managed.

my cats ignored Hannah when she was a baby and from early on we worked on teaching Hannah "gentle" with the cats. We'd take her hands and show her how to pet them. Now she is generally very careful with them--but that doesn't mean she couldn't accidentally hurt one of them one day and they could strike back. It's really about not leaving the child alone with the cat (any animal really).

I don't see any reason why your cat would attack a baby. It's more likely to leave the room when he/she cries and want to curl up in her cot the rest of the time. I'd buy a cat net, to keep the cat from doing this (sleeping in the lovely cosy cot). I definitely wouldn't get the cat de-clawed, this is a barbaric practice and I believe it is actually illegal in the UK. Many many people have babies and cats living in harmony. I have two cats and them being a problem hasn't even crossed my mind, I'm more worried about the dogs! Love your cat!

I'm pretty sure it is illegal in the UK. I've never heard of anyone in UK having it done. I used to use a cat forum though and I think quite a few of the Americans did it. Must depend on the state?

I think it is illegal here too - I had never heard of it until I joined forums and heard about it being done in the US. I also think it's a competely inhumane and barbaric practise... The process does not just remove the claws, but the end of the toe as well. Yeeeooowwwcch!

Cats have claws - you want an animals without claws, you buy a goldfish :/

Yes declawing is something not too uncommon in the U.S unfortunately, and I too am totally against it. Not just because it's an unecessary and painful procedure, but because if your cat ever gets outside, which they all inevitably do at some point, they are completely defenseless. They need to be able to run up a tree to escape a dog or coyote or whatever. People that declaw just shouldn't have a cat in the first place.

I know that's not what this thread was about, but just my 2 cents on that!

my cats - who live with my mum now due to my hubby being allergic were totally fine when bailey was born, i trust them 100% around her. They are very nice natured cats who didn't really bother with her to be honest!..
they had a little sniff and i just let them get on with it, and they love her to bits!... i think its great that shes been around them from a young age because they are'nt afraid of her, and don't really mind when shes trying to clap them as she can be a bit rough sometimes!

Firstly i would say - don't rely on cat nets. There was a post the other day (either on here or 2nd tri?) about how many people's cats liked to use the cat net as a hammock! They may work for some, just don't rely on it.

I think the danger is really when they're in the cot, i know our cat like to sleep on my head sometimes especially if its cold - i guess its a warm spot for him! but i've regularly woken up with him on my head. So i've started keeping our cat downstairs on an evening now, to get him used to it.

Once they're toddler - they probably will get scratched. Our God son (who's 2) likes to play with our cat - mostly fine, but he went too far the other day, rupert (our cat) sort of went to bite him, but didn't - just wrapped his mouth round tom's finger, if you see what i mean? just to warn him. I think its good for them to learn that a cat is a living thing, not a toy. I was quite reassured in a wierd way, its like he knew that he has to be more gentle because tom is little.

On the de-clawing - i agree this is cruel, and pretty pointless too, as they still have teeth!

Babies are so warm and milky... cats are often attracted to them and want to sleep on them! We also shut our cat downstairs at night, and when LO was having naps in the day... We quickly got into the habit of knowing roughly where she was in relation to us/the baby (also because I was scared of tripping over her when I had baby in my arms). I thought it would be much harder than it was actually... the adjustments we had to make were quite small.

he he, i was thinking to myself that the lady must have a tiger,

in all honesty though, we have a cat, i wouldn't dream of getting rid of poor little Felix, i am sure your cat will settle in to the new family life and like the others say, don't let the cat babysit as i can see that becoming the problem, but i am sure your cat will go off in search of peace and quiet rather than listening to a screaming baby in its ear!

good luck!