horsemommy

So I'm due friday, baby's room all done, stoller in the living room, bassinet set up in our bedroom. We share our house with 2 very bossy and annoying cats, who have taken to sleeping in EVERYTHING that is new in the house, baby wise.

My vet said to let them explore these new items, etc, but I dont' like the idea of them lounging in all my new baby stuff.

Any suggestions? I know the most logical suggestion woudl to be keep baby's room door closed, but they will stalk the room, and the moment the door is open they will sneak in there, and I will never get them out. Keeping the door closed I dont' think will solve the problem.

What has everyone else done to deal with new baby and cats?!

Please help!!

Vickie

We let our cats explore the baby things, but not get in them (they weren't allowed in the crib etc.). They are locked out of her room and have been since we set it up. It can be a pain to constantly try to keep them out though.

taperjeangirl

My youngest (she is still a baby only 6 months) is a terror when it comes to baby things! I tried letting her expolre but she just ended up being destructive, she has a bit of a plastic fetish and chews anything plastic, so for her own good and for my own sanity we have had to shut her out of the room the baby will be sleeping in completely.
The first night was really hard as she slept by the door most of the night :sad:
Then we made sure one of the other cats were in through the night to make sure that she had company and she has been fine since.
My older cat is quite bossy and I thought he would be more bothered about being shut out of one of "his" rooms but he has been fine!

I felt like an evil witch for shutting them out but it's best for them, rather than bringing home a new baby and suddenly turfing them out, I think that would bother them more!

wilbrabeany

I'm sure when LO comes home screaming that scare the cats enough not to go in there??? I dont let our cat or dogs upstairs so its not a prob for us other than downstairs, but they're all inquistive so i'll have to watch them

poppy

I have been wondering about this as well.

My cat has a thing about biting through thin wires (has cost us a fortune replacing phones, internet cables etc), so when we are not in a room, we have to shut the door else he sneaks in and bites through the wires!!! So he is used to being shut out of empty rooms.

However, I am worried about how he will cope with a new baby. He is quite a skittish cat and runs away whenever there is a sudden noise, so a baby crying will probably be enough to frighten him off. However, my mum did say that you have to watch cats around babies as they like to snuggle up somewhere warm and soft and this could end up being the baby's moses basket with the baby in it. This has worried me a bit. What are the rest of you cat owners going to do?

Donna79x

Hey hun, I have same problem with my 10 months old cat who thinks it great to sneak in the room and have a cat nap in the moses basket!!! ARGH.... I have cleaned it 3 times now and hate cat hairs on the baby stuff!!!! When you find a solution please let me know ha ha :-) xxxx

xxkateeeexx

hey i dont hav a cat but my friend does n app kittens are bad for gettn in prams ...cots n moses baskets. and cud become quite dangerous so she has a spesh net that goes over the pram...kinda like a bug net fr summer.....this stops the cat tryn to get in wth the baby. x

TallulahM

I have had this same problem always, with first two bubba's and anticipating it with the next since we now have 7 cats (god help me).

Cat's hate lemon, reeeally hate it, placing a few slices of lemon near the door/cot/other baby items, or even rubbing them gently with a slice of lemon should be enough to put the cats off. You can also but a spray that does the same thing, from most pet shops, but I avoided this on baby stuff cause it was chemical (though probably safe to spray near and around the door).

Essential oil of lemon might also work quite well, haven't tried this one.
They also hate pepper, and having a line of ground pepper across the threshold of babie's room kept my cats out even long after the pepper had gone (they remembered the sneezing fits evidently!).

Even with keeping babie's room closed and using other deterrents, please buy cat nets for your cribs and cots, cats do and will snuggle down with baby and can unwittingly suffocate them, sad but true

BeckyBoo

I have a 9 week old kitten, and she's terrible but she goes anywhere new, not just baby stuff. I have a net to put on moses basket and my crib. And just have to keep an eagal eye.

missjess

My cat cannot jump higher than a foot so I'm happy ! Although she's not really bothered to go into the room and she's scared of Josh because he grabbed her tail a few times!