Cat only question, no where else to turn!

[aussiesmum]

:-P

Seriously though, I have a friend who is pregnant (4 mo) and she has a 5 mo old kitten. When she told me I thought, hum.. there are things you are supposed to do when you have a baby with dogs, so there must be things to get your cat/kitten prepared for a new baby...

Do the same things as with dogs work? (baby sound tapes, putting the swingy thing out, etc)???

thanks :)

[Marsha]

I have cats and always have, so I had at least one when each of my 3 children were born. I didn't do anything to get them ready, but it's possible that there are some good ideas out there. In our situation, the cats liked the infants just fine. Infants have cribs, basinettes, blankets, and all kinds of things that cats like to curl up on and in, and they don't seem to mind sharing these things with the infant!! (Grandmothers don't seem to like this and will resort to the old wives' tales about sucking the breath out of the baby, etc). The cats have more trouoble when the baby starts walking unsteadily. My cat that was around for all 3 childrens babyhood learned to get out of their way to prevent being stepped or fallen on. He also taught my middle child to stay away from him early on. I don't remember the child getting scratched, but he must have, because he always had the greatest respect for that cat!!

I guess the main thing, and I'm sure your friend's doctor has discussed this with her, is that someone else should be doing litter box duty for her while she's pregnant. Cats can carry toxoplasmosis which can harm the fetus. It sounds scary when you read about it, but lots of people have pregnancies and cats with no problem. That would be the precaution that should be taken.

[Daniela Jantzen]

I guess the main thing, and I'm sure your friend's doctor has discussed this with her, is that someone else should be doing litter box duty for her while she's pregnant. Cats can carry toxoplasmosis which can harm the fetus. It sounds scary when you read about it, but lots of people have pregnancies and cats with no problem. That would be the precaution that should be taken.

To be on the safe side: ask the friend to consult her doctor for a blood test. In case she already has developed toxoplasmosis antibodies, there is no need to panic.;)
If not, please ask her to proceed as Marsha suggested.

In general, if cats and babies get along or if problems might arise as soon as the baby is born, depends a lot on the cats individual character.
The more sensitive a cat, the more preparation should be done, just like with dogs and babies.
One thing to look for could be feliway (the cat version of DAP) or bach flowers if your friend fears the cat might be taken aback by the sudden changes in its environment.
In such cases, it is also mandatory to provide the cat with resting places far away from the child!
This is also the case once the child becomes a little toddler or a small infant with not that much of a coordination.
Once again, if the cat is self-confident enough, it will clearly show the child its limits. If not, supervise and manage the situations!

Danny