Introducing cat and baby

I'm having a (real) baby, but the original baby of the house Boogie (my cat) is a concern...for my mother at least, who is convinced that he's going to lay on the babies face, thus sucking out it's soul while we are sleeping. Personally, I can't see this happening. Cats don't suck babies souls (usually) but if you are having a baby there are some precautions you can take because you will be bringing a new member into your family, and you want your pet to be okay with that.

Before you bring the baby home...

If you're a responsible pet owner, your cat is probably up to date on his shots and is in good health! Before bringing baby home, if you haven't already, take your pet for a vet check up. If you're worried about your cats claws, have the vet trim them. You can also do this at home if you have nail clippers...we clip our cats toenails every other week. There are also other alternatives such as claw stoppers which can be put on/tested out before the baby comes home.

Let your cat into the nursery...let him smell the babies new toys and crib and don't stop him when he rubs and leaves his scent on them. When the baby is born bring home a blanket so your cat can sniff and get accustomed to the babies scent.

If you're worried about your pet jumping into the crib or on the changing table, you can apply double stick tape to the area around them. There are also crib nets you can buy, for when your newborn is inside. To keep your cat completely out of the room, keep the door closed or install a pet gate.

Once your baby arrives...

Don't seperate them! Introduce cat to baby, and baby to cat. Chances are, after a sniff and a rub your cat will become bored and we move on to more challenging endeavors.

Continue to pay as much attention to your cat as you did before...having a new baby is exciting and you're going to be very busy, but don't forget the furry creature who was there first.

Don't leave baby and cat alone until you feel 100% safe. Cats don't intentionally scratch babies, but they may not be able to resist if they see a little foot squirming under a blanket..to them, it's just play.

But, do cats really suck babies souls?

Before Infant Death Syndrome had a name, babies were found dead in their cribs and on occasion, a cat would be in the vicinity. With no one else to blame, rumours started that cats, lured by the scent of breastmilk on a babies lips, lept into cribs and smothered the newborns. There is no evidence to support this theory...