A cat and a new baby: how to prepare everything
A baby on the way is one of the most common reasons cats are given up, almost always because of fears with no basis. With a little preparation, cats and babies live together perfectly well. Here is what to do beforehand, on the day the baby comes home and in the months that follow.
Myths worth forgetting
“Cats steal babies' breath”: a legend with no basis whatsoever. “The cat will get jealous and attack the baby”: cats don't work like that, although they can get stressed by change. “When you're pregnant you have to get rid of the cat because of toxoplasmosis”: no, a few simple precautions are enough, and we explain them in another article. The real risk of a cat with a baby is far more mundane: that it lies down in the cot or Moses basket looking for warmth, or that a crawling baby pulls its tail and gets scratched. Both are prevented with clear rules and supervision.
Make the changes months in advance
What stresses a cat most is not the baby but sudden changes to its home and routine. So it pays to make them gradually and before the baby arrives: set up the nursery weeks ahead, move the litter tray or food bowl if you need to, not all at once on the last day. If you are going to close certain rooms to the cat, start doing it early. If its feeding and play times are going to change, adjust them now. That way, when the baby arrives, the house will already be the new house, and the cat will only have one new thing to get used to, not ten.
New sounds and smells
A baby crying is an intense, unfamiliar sound for a cat. You can play recordings of crying at low volume while giving it something it likes, turning the volume up gradually over several weeks. Start using the baby creams and wipes you plan to use now, so the smell becomes familiar. Let the cat inspect the cot, pram or bouncer while they are empty, and then teach it that it doesn't get on them, without punishment: by offering it a better spot nearby, higher up and more comfortable. Feline pheromone diffusers can help some cats cope better with change.
The cot is a cat-free zone
A cat doesn't harm a baby on purpose, but it may curl up next to it for warmth, and a baby can't move away. That is why the baby should not sleep with the cat in the cot or in bed, and the simplest solution is for the cat not to have access to the room where the baby sleeps when nobody is watching: a closed door, or a screen door so you can still hear. There are nets for cots and Moses baskets. Teach the cat beforehand that this furniture isn't its own, and give it better alternatives. When the baby is awake and with an adult, the cat can be around with no problem.
The day the baby comes home
Before the baby comes into the house, someone can bring home a piece of clothing with its smell so the cat can sniff it in peace. When you arrive, greet the cat as usual, calmly, without the baby in your arms, and give it a bit of attention. Then let it approach the baby if it wants to, at its own pace, with an adult holding the baby, and reward it with a treat if it is calm. If it would rather leave, let it: many cats watch from a distance for days before coming closer. Never force the cat to sniff the baby or carry it over in your arms. And don't scold it if it hisses: it is a warning that it needs distance.
Don't let the cat lose its place
With a newborn, time vanishes, and the cat is the first to notice. Try to keep its basic routines: meals at the usual times, a litter tray cleaned daily and at least ten minutes of play a day. If possible, have someone else in the household look after it. A cat whose whole world changes and who gets ignored can react with stress: no longer using the litter tray, over-grooming until it hurts itself, or hiding. Keep its high-up refuges and a quiet spot for it too. Cats often end up adoring the baby, sleeping near its room or keeping watch from a distance.
Hygiene: just what is needed
A healthy indoor cat, vaccinated and treated for parasites, poses no significant health risk to a baby if a few basic rules are followed. Wash your hands after touching the cat and before picking up the baby. Keep the litter tray away from the baby's room and the kitchen and clean it daily, ideally done by someone else during pregnancy, or with gloves. Treat the cat for parasites regularly, as your vet advises. Keep the cat off the changing table and the surfaces where bottles are made up. And if the cat goes outdoors, check with your vet whether any extra precautions are worth taking.
When the baby starts crawling
The tricky stage is not the newborn but the baby on the move. Between about eight months and two years, the child will want to grab the cat, pull its tail or fur and chase it, without understanding that it hurts. This is when constant supervision matters most, along with the cat having high escape routes and a room the child can't get into. Keep the food bowl and litter tray out of reach: babies love litter and cat biscuits. And as soon as the child can understand, teach the rules: stroke gently, don't pick it up, leave it alone when it walks away.
If the cat goes outdoors
With a baby at home, a cat with outdoor access deserves a little more attention. It can bring in fleas, ticks or internal parasites, so parasite treatment must be regular and strictly on schedule, as your vet advises. If it hunts, it may bring prey home, and you'll want to make sure the remains don't end up within the baby's reach. And if it shares the street with other cats, keep its vaccinations and its FeLV and FIV tests up to date. It doesn't have to stop going out because of the baby, but it is a good time to consider whether a netted balcony or a catio could give it what the outdoors does, with fewer risks for everyone.
If problems arise
If the cat starts peeing outside the litter tray, stops eating, hides all the time or hisses often, it is not revenge or jealousy: it is stress, and sometimes a health problem that happens to coincide. Take the cat to the vet first to rule out illness, and if it is healthy, ask for guidance from a vet who specialises in behaviour. There is almost always a solution, with changes to the environment and a little patience. What isn't needed, in the vast majority of cases, is parting with the cat: with good information and preparation, the arrival of a baby is just another chapter in the cat's life.
Cats don't steal babies' breath or get jealous: what stresses them is sudden change. Prepare the house months in advance, keep the cat's routines, make the cot a cat-free zone and always supervise, especially once the baby starts crawling.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.