How do cats react to newborn babies? The birth of a child is a significant life milestone for both you and your cat. A new baby in the family may bring about changes to the household that might stress out your cat because cats function best with the same regular routines and familiar humans. The good news is that your infant and cat may peacefully live and, ideally, become best friends with the right preparation and introductions. Here's how to prepare your cat for success in forging a good bond with your child.
1 - Use baby lotions and powders.
1 - Use baby lotions and powders.
Cats utilise scent to communicate and are highly focused on it. They rub on items in your house with scent glands on their bodies to mark their territory. Have you ever witnessed your cat scratching at the sofa or felt them rubbing against your leg? It is making an imprint on your furnishings and on you with the help of its scent glands.
When you bring a newborn home, the familiar rooms where your cat once lived are sure to have a lot of new smells. You'll be using creams and baby powder on a daily basis, not to mention that you'll soon be knee-deep in soiled diapers. While you can't accustom your cat to the smell of a nappy, you can introduce them to lotions or powders.
2 - Change your routine early.
Make decisions about what areas will be off-limits and if you'll let your cat into the baby's room before the baby is born. Start implementing those adjustments weeks in advance. Start shifting part of the cat's care to another family member a few months before the baby is born if you are the cat's primary caretaker and you know you won't be able to pay her as much attention after the baby comes. Your cat won't feel so threatened either by the baby's requirements because they are already accustomed to depending on another person in the house.
3 - Introducing your cat to young children
Invite any family members or friends who have recently given birth to stay with you for a couple of hours. This will allow your cat enough time to get accustomed to a baby's sounds and motions. You should provide your cat with delectable goodies both before and after these sessions so it can form favorable connections. Play records of baby noise during your cat's playtime if you don't know anyone who has a baby. Every session, turn up the level a little more until your cat doesn't seem frightened by the noise.
4 - Put everything at the level of your cat.
Put a few of your baby's toys and equipment (such as bottles, diapers, and wipes) close to the cat's food bowl on the floor. She will be able to view these novel things on her terms in this manner.
5 - Keep your cat's areas to yourself.
The baby's room should ideally be situated in a part of your house that your cat doesn't frequently visit. It's usually best to keep your cat out of the nursery for the first few months after the birth of your child. You might be dealing with a stressed-out cat if your cat's favorite hangout occurs in the area the baby will be sleeping in. You can think about first setting up the baby's stuff in a different location in your house.
6 - Use a relaxing diffuser.
Install a personal space calming diffuser in your home's primary living space about a week before the baby is due. The diffuser aids your cat in adjusting to a new environment and lasts for four weeks. These diffusers mirror the pheromones a cat naturally emits to let her know everything is fine. Use a Personal Space Calming Collar as an alternative to a relaxing diffuser. The diffuser and this have the same calming effect, but the collar keeps your cat comfortable wherever she is.
7 - How to respond when the baby returns home
7 - How to respond when the baby returns home
If you weren't able to do so already, bring home from the hospital a blanket or onesies that has your baby's scent on it as soon as possible so your cat can become accustomed to the baby's smell. Despite the fact that a new baby may significantly change your routine at home, make an effort to maintain regular feeding, playtime, and litter box usage. You don't really want your cat to feel alone or isolated. He will feel much more secure and confident and will be less disturbed by your new kid if you maintain a regular schedule.
Keeping the cat away from the kid's room and only allowing your cat and infant to share a room when you can watch over them are other precautions you should take. Spending time together unsupervised can carry some risks, which you ought to try to avoid. You don't want your cat to cuddle up so closely to your sleeping newborn that he obstructs the baby's breathing because cats want to cuddle up for warmth. Also, you don't want your youngster to become overly excited and squeeze your cat or startle him, maybe frightening him into biting your child.
Make sure your cat gets a specific space in the house all to himself, whether it be a warm, cozy hiding place like a covered bed, a place to keep his water and food bowls, or a litter box location. When he feels overwhelmed by all the changes in the house, he can go there. Make sure he has exclusive use of that area.
It takes a great deal of patience and preparation to introduce the cat to a new child. Your cat will acclimatise much more quickly if new sounds and smells are introduced to it in advance. The cat and your child might become good friends as they grow older together.
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