What you need to know when there is a small child and a cat in the house. What to fear from a cat and a newborn baby? Cats and newborn babies in the same apartment

Expecting the birth of a child, a woman tries to protect herself from negative emotions. Pets often help her with this, and cats are especially good at this task. Surprisingly, affectionate domestic predators quickly relieve future mothers of stress and worries, because it is not for nothing that folk wisdom says that cats are able to heal from diseases ...

But everything changes when a newborn baby appears in the house.

Often a woman begins to worry that a cat, which was recently the only favorite of her mistress, will begin to experience jealousy and aggression towards a small defenseless creature.

These experiences sometimes lead to irreversible consequences - for example, cats move to live with new owners, and often more sad outcomes of events take place.

Is it worth it to do so? Are cats dangerous for newborns?

Are all cats the same?

The first thing to do is to understand the nature of your own cat. For example, if the owners purchased a Maine Coon kitten in a cattery that has all the required certificates, and at the same time the owners of the cattery responsibly told the buyers about all the nuances of the character of the future pet, then there is nothing to worry about. After all, Maine Coons themselves are distinguished by a very peaceful character, and buying in a good nursery guarantees the presence of a decent upbringing from a representative of their breed. After all, there kittens are surrounded by affection and care, they grew up in love from the very beginning, which means they are not subject to attacks of jealousy.

The same can be said about other cats of noble breeds. Even the strict and sometimes aggressive British, with a good upbringing, begin to behave like the sweetest and most good-natured creatures. They are able to adopt the emotions of the owners, and, therefore, the baby in the house will be perceived calmly and naturally.

If we are talking about the so-called “domestic” cat that does not belong to any particular breed (found on the street, taken from neighbors, etc.), then in this case it is worth paying extra attention to such an animal. For example, there are cases when, after the appearance of a newborn in the house, a cat hid behind furniture, did not leave the shelter for hours and growled at the owners who were trying to lure her out under various pretexts. Undoubtedly, such behavior of the animal causes well-founded fears. Perhaps, if such “symptoms” do not go away in a few days, the owners will really have to make a difficult decision about the fate of their pet.

Is it all about character?

The nature and behavior of a cat is just one of the reasons why pet owners often decide to part with their pets. Medical factors are no less important - for example, animal hair can provoke allergic reactions in a newborn. In this case, parents will have to make a lot of efforts to eliminate allergic factors in the house where both the baby and the cat live.

Undoubtedly, even before the appearance of the baby in the house, the cat must be shown to the veterinarian, to perform all the necessary manipulations and procedures (vaccinations, deworming, etc.) in order to be sure of her health.

What to do if something terrible happens?

If, for some reason, direct contact between a newborn child and a cat nevertheless took place, and the result was scratches on the baby’s body, such scratches should be immediately treated with disinfectants. Moreover, experts strongly recommend that you see a doctor, since cat scratches at an early age can cause a variety of consequences, up to severe inflammation of the lymph nodes.

A cat in the house where the baby appeared is not uncommon, and in frequent cases it only positively affects all family members. One has only to follow certain precautions and follow the simple rules of hygiene, and everything will be fine!

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Even today, some mothers-to-be give away their beloved cats to shelters as the time of birth approaches. They do it with the best of intentions. The fact that a cat and a newborn in an apartment or house are practically two incompatible creatures was convinced by their older relatives or obstetricians of the old school. They also did so in the best of spirits, seeking to reduce the risks to the health and well-being of the unborn child.

How to prepare a cat for the arrival of a newborn in the house

People around you (or doctors) believe that they are doing everything right, but you should not succumb to old fairy tales and share outdated stereotypes. By knowing some of the true circumstances, you can protect the health of both the newborn and the well-being of your cat.

Cat before the arrival of a newborn in the house

Toxoplasmosis bacteria is also found in the feces of infected animals. Therefore, it is worth taking precautions when cleaning the cat litter box. This is best done with hygienic gloves. To prevent toxoplasmosis bacteria, clean the cat's potty at least twice a day, or use special cat litter, removing the used layer after the cat has done its business. If you have a pet such as a cat in your home, you also need to thoroughly wash fresh vegetables and fruits, raw meat you are about to cook, other foods, and regularly disinfect surfaces on which you prepare food. You should also avoid rubbing your eyes until you have washed your hands after petting or playing with your cat. Do not feed your cat or cat raw or bad meat. This will also avoid the threat of infection of the animal with toxoplasmosis.

Preparing a cat for a newborn in the house

Some cats are like little old maids who can't stand any change. If your cat has the same personality, it may be necessary to gradually prepare her for the arrival of a newborn in the house. Otherwise, she can experience real stresswhen a child appears in the house, and his appearance will be accompanied by new objects and a variety of sounds characteristic of a baby.

In order to relieve your cat of the stress associated with the arrival of a newborn, you need to do the following:

• You can record the cries of babies on a tape recorder and turn them on from time to time so that the cat can acclimatize and get used to new sounds.
• Wipe your hands with baby lotion before you start playing with your cat. A new smell can be associated with a positive mood in a cat, which will make her feel less stressed.
• Arrange the baby furniture as soon as possible so that the cat has a few weeks to explore and get used to the new furnishings.
• you should also take care of some safety of children's furniture, because if the cat finds it comfortable, the animal will definitely try to sleep in the children's bed.

You can cover the surfaces of children's furniture with cardboard, and place double-sided tape on top so that the cat is uncomfortable on the sticky surface.

If the cat litter box was also located not far from the room, which is now planned to be a nursery, it is worth moving it to a more suitable place. You can move the toilet a few tens of centimeters a day until it is where it will now stand, and you can put a chest of drawers, a bedside table or some other thing in the old place so that the cat is not tempted to defecate where she did this before. You should also take care of a new place to play with your cat, as well as the usual care and feeding for her.

All changes also need to be carried out gradually, over a period of about two months, so that the animal gets used to the new place and the new mode of communication with it. Perhaps, instead of a young mother, someone else from the household will take care of the cat. Your cat also needs to get used to the change of owner and caregiver.

Cat and newborn in the house

When you return from the hospital with your baby, find an opportunity to greet your cat in a quiet environment. It will probably be difficult to do this, since there may be numerous relatives, grandparents of a newborn baby, and other family members in the apartment. If your cat is not very disposed to large groups of people, she may hide and lie low. When everything calms down a bit, the animal will again appear in your eyes. You should definitely find an opportunity to interact with your cat.

In order for the cat to get used to the newborn faster, you can leave a piece of baby diaper or some item of baby clothes where the cat can explore it. If the cat, having missed your presence in the house, follows you around, including in the nursery, make sure that she does not jump into the crib with the newborn. There is a strange myth in the world that cats suck the air out of the lungs of babies, although, of course, it has nothing to do with reality. The danger lies in the fact that sometimes, in search of warmth, the cat may get too close to the face of the child, which will make it difficult for the newborn baby to breathe.

When the newborn sleeps in his crib, close the door to the nursery, making sure that the cat stays outside. If you don’t have a separate nursery, and you all together, including the cat, exist in a limited space, then you should take care of the canopy over the newborn’s bed. All these precautions allow you to avoid cat urination in the baby's crib, if the cat is imbued with great sympathy for the newborn, and also tries to make sure that the owners do not forget about her either. Some time will pass, your cat will get used to the new member of your family, and you will still be able to enjoy the company of your furry friend just as calmly.

Denial of responsibility : The information provided in this article about having a cat and a newborn at home is for guidance only.

It is unlikely that you will have a kitten when you have a newborn in your house. But it often happens that a cat or a cat is already present in the house when the family is preparing for the arrival of the baby. Even during pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to be frightened by the fact that the animal does not belong next to the baby, that its hairs can cause an allergic reaction in the child, and the cat itself is a carrier of almost all existing diseases. Is it so dangerous to have a pet in the apartment that you have to part with a family member?

Street cats and cats can get sick with various types of lichen and infect a child, they can also carry particles of earth containing worm eggs on their paws and wool. Owners of pets who walk by themselves should limit their access to the room with the baby, clean the house more often and monitor the health of the pet.

If there are people suffering from allergies among the relatives of the baby, then it is possible that your newborn will also suffer from this disease, and not necessarily in the same form. That is, if you have a reaction to the flowering of poplars or to strawberry extract in cookies, then your child can breathe calmly in June, enjoy eating grandmother's berry beds, but not endure the presence of "woolen" pets in the apartment. As a rule, you can immediately understand that a baby is allergic to animals - his body will show this by the onset of tearing, reddening of the eyes, sneezing and coughing. If the diagnosis is confirmed, you will have to give the cat into good hands - the health of the baby should undoubtedly be more important for you, despite pity for an innocent animal.

How to prepare a pet for the arrival of a baby?

Cats are special animals, with their own character, habits and affections. Any change can offend them, which is why many advise preparing pets for the arrival of a new family member.

First of all, you need to take care of the health of the cat in advance - give her the necessary vaccinations, check for infections and give an anthelmintic. If you have been thinking about spaying your pet, then do the surgery before you give birth - so you will have the opportunity to support the animal during a difficult period. Such measures will reduce the risk of inappropriate behavior of the cat during its hormonal storms, and the cat will become calm and non-aggressive.

In order for pets to take the presence of a child in the house for granted, often invite friends who have small children to visit you. Take a closer look at how a cat or a cat reacts to a baby. You can also introduce the animal to the smells that the newborn will exude - smear your hands with the cream with which you plan to care for the baby's skin and let's smell it to the pet, use baby wipes.

It is clear that the cat's access to the crib to the baby is undesirable. In order to teach the animal not to climb there, you need a certain time. Assemble the bed in advance and fill it with something that a cat or a cat might be afraid of. It can be something rustling or unpleasant for the animal. You can also tape the edges of the bed that your pet can lean on while jumping into the crib with double-sided tape. Having stuck several times, the cat will remember these troubles and will no longer strive to get there. The composition remaining after the adhesive tape will be gently removed with soda slurry.

How can a cat react to a baby?

Most cat owners did not report any problems when introducing a pet to a newborn. These animals are by nature very cautious and will carefully and shyly look at a new tenant. Realizing that there is no danger from the child, they, as a rule, become indifferent and live quietly on. Very rarely, cats begin to be jealous and dirty - a cat can begin to urinate on things and a child's bed, as if marking, declaring that this territory primordially belongs to him, and little strangers do not belong here. In this case, you will have to think about how to restrict the animal's access to the room where the newborn is, and continue to monitor the pet and correct its behavior.
Equip a place for him in another room and spend more time with him there so that he does not feel abandoned, and if you live in a one-room apartment, the cat can temporarily live in the hallway or in the kitchen.

But even if the baby and the cat met without problems, try not to leave the animal alone with the child. After all, a newborn often does not control his movements and can hurt the cat, in which case the pet will undoubtedly consider it necessary to protect itself and injure the baby.
If you have a cat in your house and you are expecting replenishment, do not listen to advisers who say that the animal in the house is only harmful and needs to be disposed of. If your baby does not have an allergy, and a domestic cat or cat reacted well to the appearance of a new family member, such a neighborhood will only benefit. It is noticed that children who have pets are more adapted and intellectually developed, they grow up kind, caring, attentive and responsible.

For some time now (a month, two ... a year) a fluffy miracle named Vaska has been living in your house, or some kind of Kaserol, why not, we love to come up with funny nicknames for pets. For example, a hamster named Apocalypse, or a bulldog named Bartholomew. And now this miracle has become so beloved that, it would seem, live in perfect harmony and never part.

But the test shows two stripes, and if for the first couple of months we don’t notice anything because of wild delight, then unpleasant thoughts come to our mind. And what to do with the cat? And the first thoughts as a rule: I will give it to my parents, my girlfriend, to a shelter, I will take it out into the street. But is this the way out? Is it worth parting with a pet because of the appearance of a baby in the family? How will this affect the child and should we be afraid?

What scares us

In fact, our experiences are not groundless, but before deciding to say goodbye to your beloved animal, read the article to the end.

Our very first fear- sores. Some animals, especially cats, due to the characteristics of hunters, can be carriers of various kinds of diseases.

The main thing is not to be scared, this mainly applies to those cats that were picked up from the street, who constantly walk anywhere, they collect all the bacteria when catching rats, through dirty soil, from other animals, as well as from eating raw meat. Those who have cats only at home, have vaccinations, are not in danger, except that allergies or the nasty nature of the animal will be the biggest problem.

If you hear the words of relatives, friends, read rumors that having an animal, especially cats during your pregnancy and even more so after childbirth, is dangerous due to toxoplasmosis, then first we will figure out what it is ...

But if the thought occurred to you that you can only get infected through animals, this is a mistake. A person is also at risk, eating the same raw foods, or poorly processed, dealing with dirty soil, birds. This is a reason to conclude that the problem will not only be in the animal. As a rule, you can get infected from a cat only in the first 2-3 weeks of the disease.

As for animals that are not allowed outside, the risk of infection is very small, and it depends on what the pet is fed and whether it is allowed to communicate with other animals at close range.

In addition to Toxoplasmosis, such manifestations of the presence of harmful bacteria in a cat as lichen, cat scratch disease, and helminthiases are possible. These are fairly common diseases.

Concerning allergies, then everything is a little more complicated. Here you can’t change the cat’s diet, and you won’t ban him at home, making a lot of vaccinations. A child either has allergies or they don't. And do not believe the words of breeders that there are non-allergenic breeds, this is used as a marketing ploy. Allergies may not appear at the first contact, it is worth knowing.

And this is the case when you can justify your decision to find another home for the cat, but not to get rid of it or take it away, but to find a good owner. Yes, the second requires time, which will decrease with the advent of the child, but throwing cats anyhow, you betray him, thereby destroying his faith in love. In addition, as you know, cats do not get used to people, but to their place of residence, and for him it will be a huge stress. Domesticated cats will find it most difficult to adapt to the street, they do not catch rats, they do not know how to hide from the weather, they do not know what a car is and whether it is necessary to be afraid of it. And to spend a little time for the sake of a happy life of a child is quite real.

Animals in the house where the baby appeared, in principle, have a positive effect on the situation. Dangerous moments are minimized if the cat is healthy, there is no allergy. Most often, in this case, there are experiences in those whose pet has a bad character. But for this there is no reason to look for another home for him. After all, there are many places that send trainers even to the house, and can help rein in the bad behavior of a four-legged friend.

Thus, if your furry pet is domesticated, does not walk anywhere, calm and you constantly give him all the necessary drugs, then it is unlikely that this will have a bad effect on your child (unless the baby is allergic). On the contrary, it is positive. And to make their coexistence pleasant is quite real.

Life with a cat is a happy home

Cats, of course, are not dogs wagging their tails and licking everyone. Cats have a temper, but if they love their family, then this love is unique.

A cat in the house has a positive effect on the development of the baby and his upbringing. According to psychologists, communication with a furry friend helps the child become more responsible, friendly. In addition, children who grew up with an animal from infancy are most often very kind. But if your house does not yet have an animal under 3 years old, do not rush to purchase it. But if you have already managed to acquire a kitten, then remember that he and his relationship with the baby will require attention.

You do not need to worry about cleanliness in the house up to shine. It is quite enough to pay attention a little more than usual to clean the tray with gloves, change the filler more often, wash the bowl every day and change the water in it, wash your hands and not give the cat raw meat. For those who are worried about cat shedding, they now offer to shave the cat, this is very convenient, since for 1.5 months you do not need to vacuum a pile of wool every day.

Building relationships

The baby was brought home. And the first thing the cat sees is not the envelope in her hands, but the hostess. Happiness from the fact that sweets will appear in the house, three meals a day and caress for the cat at this moment is like a pink veil before your eyes. And then he hears it... the cry of a baby. And here the cat is alert, hisses and rolls back.

Young parents make the mistake of taking this immediately for hostile behavior and no longer let the cat near the baby. In fact, this is a completely understandable reaction, since cats react very strongly to noise and are distrustful of everything new. In addition, they are very curious. Hissing is more of a defensive reaction in this case than a manifestation of unfriendliness.

And after 10 minutes you can already observe the picture of how the “fluffy” carefully approaches the baby. This is where the defensive reaction kicks in, not just the cat, but the parents. And they try to hide their little bundle from their clawed paws as far as possible. But this is wrong. In this situation, the cat is interested in understanding what is in the diaper, whether it poses a threat. And slowly creeping up, they only worry about what they will get.

Cats have a genuine interest in everything new, until he makes sure that he is safe or until this subject becomes commonplace for him. Therefore, you should not drive the cat away from the child. On the contrary, it is worth under close supervision to allow the cat to approach the baby. And sniff it. Thus, he will make sure that this lump does not pose a threat to him.

If you initially treated the cat as a “child”, then during pregnancy it is time to prepare the cat for the fact that it will take less time for him, otherwise a sharp decrease in care can cause jealousy. If the attachment to the expectant mother is stronger than to the rest, it is worth improving relations with the cat from other family members. It is worth accustoming a cat to independence.

Cats often show maternal instincts for children. They come to the defense if the child cries, teach him to go to the potty, help the very young to develop a grasping reflex. Cats can also protect. Become a child's friend.

• First of all, before the birth of the baby, take the cat to the veterinarian. Let him be examined, given all the necessary vaccinations, dewormed. If you are not offered to take all the tests, ask for it yourself.
• If you planned castration or sterilization, then you should do this before the baby is born. The first couple of days the cat or cat may behave aggressively, but then they become more affectionate and pliable, as the problematic sexual behavior will come to naught.
• Buy a cat more toys, sharpener for claws. Get in the habit of cutting your cat's nails every couple of weeks. If wool will be strewed from it - take it to a haircut.
• You can invite friends with children to visit in advance so that the cat remembers how the children look and their behavior. Train your cat to the sounds of rattles and squeakers.
• Find a way to wean your cat from being curious about the baby's crib before the baby is born. For example, cans, scotch tape and everything that will scare the cat away from this place.
• Cats are good at understanding calm conversational tones. Therefore, talk to them more often about the child, say the name.
• When you arrive from the maternity hospital, take time for the cat, pet it, feed it delicious. Let him feel that you have not forgotten about him
• Let the cat get used to the new family member. Surely the cat will want to sniff the child, let him do it. If the desire does not show, then do not force to sit next to the child. A cat is not a dog, it will not do what you want. Perhaps her curiosity will wake up later.
• Be sometimes alone with the cat, do not miss those favorite cat things that you did before together.

• Don't forget about the safety of your baby. Control the joint stay of the child and the cat. Teach your child how to properly handle animals as they grow up.
• In no case do not shout at the cat, even if he scratched the child by accident. Cats forget the misbehavior after a while and may simply not connect your abuse with what he usually does. In addition, the cry causes a negative reaction in cats, and it can suddenly annoy you, even if this has not happened before. Speak calmly, explain to him that it is impossible to do this. But next time, monitor their communication more carefully and do not allow this to happen. This is not easy to do, but it is worth trying and everything will work out.
• The cat has a good effect on the development of the baby, for example, teach your child to go to the potty when a cat goes to his tray. Feed the cat together.
• Do not worry that the cat can suffocate your baby in the crib. It's just a myth. Cats love warmth, and the desire to crawl into a baby's crib is associated only with finding a warm place. In some cases, this is how cats protect the baby.
• Toys for a child and a cat should be different. This is not only a hygiene rule, but will not cause problems in the future when the baby wants to play with everything. Therefore, you need to immediately accustom the child to the fact that the objects of the game are different for them.
• The cat must have its place. Do not put the baby's crib where the cat used to sleep.
• Be prepared for the fact that the cat can wake the baby. This is especially evident in those pets who like to wander at night. Don't shout at the animal.

In any case, it is quite possible to establish relations between a cat and a child, as well as a life together. And do not forget the words of Dr. Komarovsky that a child has perfect immunity from birth, and instead of placing him in sterile conditions, you need to train and strengthen this immunity. As a last resort, no one forbids you to move the cat into the next room.

The life of a cat and a child is very exciting and full of funny moments!

Stories about cats that strangled newborns can be safely called tales. The animal does not pose any threat to the child, and if we act correctly, it will not even become jealous of it. Cats and newborn children are quite capable, if not to make friends, then at least to coexist peacefully, without creating problems for each other.

The cat and the little child are not hunter and prey

Can a cat harm a baby? For many parents, this is a matter of particular concern. Therefore, when a baby appears in the house, the animal is isolated, or - even worse! - get rid of it. Neither the first, nor even the second can be called a good solution, because a cat and a newborn can get along wonderfully under the same roof. The main thing is to behave correctly and take precautions.

How can four-legged pets harm a small child? Can cats choke children, is it true? Horror stories about cats killing innocent babies are an echo of medieval superstitions in which they figured as a tool in the hands of the devil. In addition, the complete lack of understanding of feline nature affects this. There is absolutely no reason for cats to attack a child. Yes, they are predators, but this does not mean that they can recognize a baby as prey. Cats prey on small birds and rodents, and newborn babies are nothing like them.

Toddlers do not look so formidable that cats can attack them in self-defense. On the contrary, the baby, rather, awakens the instinct of guardianship and protection than gives rise to aggression. Everything indicates that the cat feels that she is dealing with a young representative of the human tribe, and behaves towards him very carefully. This is not so surprising, because a small kitten and a newborn have similar proportions, move awkwardly and make similar “meow” sounds. All mammalian babies stimulate the launch of protective instincts. Stories about children raised by animals are not legends, but documented facts.

Another thing is that some pets do things that their owners obviously don’t like – for example, cats can hiss at newborns, settle down to sleep with them in a warm bed or stroller, and constantly spin around. However, all this does not indicate aggression - rather, a defensive position or a manifestation of interest, or even sympathy with a tiny creature.

Cats in a house where small children have appeared can only be dangerous because they are carriers of various diseases.

However, the likelihood that a child will become infected with something from an animal that does not leave the house and is under the constant supervision of veterinarians is reduced to almost zero. Rather, we ourselves will bring some microbes into the house than a cat that has little contact with the outside world. Therefore, if she does not leave the house, there is no need to worry about the health of the child. But if your cat walks on her own, then it is worth limiting her contact with the newborn, taking care of hygiene more and finding a place for visits to the veterinarian in a busy schedule.

What to do when a newborn appears in the house with a cat?

The animal does not view the baby as a troublemaker and competitor, as it might happen if we brought another feline into the house. However, a newborn cat can cause some stress. However, it is associated not so much with the presence of a child, but with the fuss and bustle that usually accompanies his appearance in the family.

Can cats be jealous of a small child? And how! However, it is in our power to help the pet get used to the new situation faster.

1. First of all, we do not need to immediately and completely isolate the animal from the child. So it will make sure that this crying lump is just a small person who does not pose any threat to him. In addition, the crying of a newborn can awaken the instinct of guardianship in a cat, because this is a danger signal. In this case, the pet will try to hurry up with help, as he would do in the case of his own offspring. In such a situation, the obstacle in the form of closed doors will cause him additional stress and anxiety.
2. Upon the arrival of the child home, give the cat the opportunity to smell and even touch it, if he has such a desire. The reaction of animals to a new family member, of course, is highly dependent on their temperament. Some cats initially keep a short distance, others immediately occupy the crib. But surely all of them will be interested in a newcomer, because feline curiosity has become a proverb! However, no matter how alive the cat's interest in the newborn baby, it is better to stop it carefully, not to allow it to physically contact him. A cat has no place in a child's bed.
3. Although your attention is absorbed by the offspring, always remember that the cat has so far been the favorite of the whole family, and now it suddenly turned out to be relegated to the background. He is not a man, and it is difficult for him to understand why he was suddenly expelled and not allowed to enter the room where the child now sleeps. And the more he was spoiled before, the worse it is for him to endure a new situation. Therefore, continue to show the animal the same sympathy, show interest in him and devote some time. Let it be present in the daily care of the child, sitting down somewhere in the corner, watching your manipulations. If you find time to stroke the cat, say kind words to her, she will have no reason to envy and contacts to wash hands). The relationship of a happy animal with a baby will develop positively. And after a while you will be able to see that cats and small children can become good friends.