Felines are great friends of children and do not pose a danger to pregnant women, but they need some help to adapt to new-born’s
The arrival of a newborn or more! Going home doesn’t just turn the lives of new parents upside down. Cats also suffer – and enjoy – their presence. Most cats get along well with babies and living with the animal will also benefit the child. However, all cats need to prepare for the arrival of a baby at home. How? Here are six steps to get them to be friends: knowing that living with felines is safe during pregnancy, establishing routines for the cat with a new born at home, accustoming the animal to children’s toys and scents, making the necessary changes before after birth, decide if the kitten will be able to enter the child’s room and not neglect play time with the cat.
Cats and Babies: Great Friends
Most cats get along well with babies . In addition, their coexistence will not be a source of problems, but will benefit the child: living with a feline strengthens the child’s immune system , enhances the children’s self-esteem, fosters their sense of responsibility and can even promote the habit of reading in the child. small .
But the new born will not only turn the lives of recent parents upside down, it will also transform the day to day of the felines, who will need the help of their owners to adapt to the little one. We must bear in mind that the arrival of a baby in the family implies an important change in routines for the feline.
Housing is their whole world for cats. Any change can be a source of stress or fear in felines. So, how to make living together at home, with cats and babies, good and the whole family, human and furry, happy? The following tricks help to achieve a good coexistence between new parents, felines and newborns.
1. A safe pregnancy with cats
Toxoplasmosis is probably one of the main fears of pregnant women who live with a cat. In fact, 13% of feline abandonments in Spain occur during the woman’s pregnancy.
However, an extensive study published in the specialized medical journal British Medical Journal , one of the main investigations on the contagion of toxoplasmosis at this stage, emphatically denies that there is an association between living with cats during pregnancy and the spread of toxoplasmosis . In other words: pregnancy with felines at home is not only not dangerous, but these animals can help the pregnant woman to get rid of stress . So, what are the main sources of contagion of the toxoplasmosis parasite ?: contact with contaminated soil, eating raw meat or eating unwashed fruits and vegetables.
In any case, to stay calmer, it is advisable to go to the vet, check that the cat is healthy and avoid going outside the feline during pregnancy. Another measure that will provide greater peace of mind during pregnancy is to clean the cat litter box with the help of gloves or have someone else take care of this task. These are simple guidelines that will allow the woman to enjoy a happy wait with her dear four-legged friend.
2. Routines for the cat and baby
All cats will benefit a little from pregnancy preparation that helps them understand the arrival of the baby. This preparation is especially important for felines who are not used to dealing with young children at home.
The routine at home will turn into chaos once the baby arrives. For this reason, it is convenient to plan with the couple what will be the easiest hours to feed the cat or to play with it, start them and respect them once the newborn is at home.
3. Accustom the cat to the baby
Felines need to prepare for the baby’s arrival. For this reason, it is important to gradually introduce into your life the noises, daily routines and even smells (lotions, soaps, etc.) with which you will need to live once the child is there.
A trick? It is convenient to establish a positive relationship between the cat and these new everyday elements. How? With games, caresses, pampering and tasty edible rewards. We can leave the baby’s toys near the feline or place the new accessories for the child near the food or rest area of the animal, so that it becomes familiar with them. It is also advisable to use a little infant lotion or baby cologne on our own body. This will make them more familiar to house cats.
4. Changes for the cat, before the baby
Will you need to change the cat’s food area or litter box once the baby arrives home? If the answer is affirmative, these modifications must be made before their birth. In this way, the stress and uncertainty of the animal will be reduced when the little one is already at home.
5. Attention and affection for the cat
Cats need their humans and will continue to do so once the baby comes home. However, the needs of the newborn will make it difficult to spend so much time with the felines. That is why cats should be accustomed to their new play schedule. Without neglecting it!
It is not a good idea to duplicate the affection towards the feline during the weeks before the child is born: it is much better to establish routines of games and cuddles in advance and try to respect them after the arrival of the little one .
6. Will the cat be able to enter the baby’s room?
Will the cat be able to enter the baby’s room? This is a question that should be resolved before the arrival of the child and respect it among all .
If the answer is no, it is advisable to prepare the baby’s room in advance and close its path to cats before birth.
Do you have more tips to prepare for the arrival of your baby with cats at home? You can share them in the comment section. Thanks!
