Newborn baby and cat in the apartment

When a young couple is getting ready to have a baby, they usually don’t even think about how the pet will react to the new family member. Fortunately, most often it does without excesses, but there are also situations when a cat or a cat reacts to the appearance of a baby in a completely unexpected way. As a rule, this is due to jealousy, but it also cannot be ruled out that such a dramatic change can cause stress in the cat. To avoid negative consequences, you need to properly prepare for the appearance of a child in the house.

First of all, you should take care of the safety of the baby, because even domestic cats can harm a fragile body. Animals often cause the development of the following diseases:

• allergy;
• lichen;
• felinosis;
• helminthiasis;
• toxoplasmosis.

The most dangerous is the latter disease, because a woman can "catch" it from a cat even during pregnancy. The consequences of the disease are very sad: from pathological abnormalities in the development of the fetus to miscarriage. Therefore it is recommended examine the animal at the veterinarian even before the moment of conception of the child.

As for other ailments, it is not difficult to get rid of them, you just need to give the cat the necessary drugs in a timely manner, get vaccinated, monitor its hygiene and visit the veterinarian for an examination.

Some experts argue that a pet can behave unpredictably during hormonal surges, so many advise him to be castrated or sterilized. But if you would like the cat to have offspring in the future, then during adaptation and getting used to the newborn, you can regulate its condition with the help of special preparations. In other words, you need to give the animal hormonal medications on a regular basis to prevent the onset of estrus.

Before a newborn child appears in the apartment, it is necessary to properly prepare the cat. If before that there were no children and the pet received all the attention and affection of the owners, then you should gradually reduce the time spent together and teach her to be independent... So that she does not feel deprived and does not feel resentment, it is recommended to buy new toys for her and do not forget to pamper her with her favorite delicacies. Alternatively, you can get a second cat.

So that the appearance of a child in the house does not come as a surprise to the animal and does not cause negative reactions, a number of recommendations should be followed.

• Invite friends with small children to visit. By contacting them, the pet will gradually get used to babies, harsh sounds and increased attention on their part. Of course, you need to make sure that the kids do not offend the cat, otherwise in the future it may react negatively to all the crumbs.
• Set up a room or corner for a newborn in advance... Let the animal sniff new objects and get used to their smell. It is important to make sure that the cat does not lie down on the baby's things or jump into the crib. Such attempts must be stopped immediately, but without aggression and shouting.
• A cat can be jealous of a child if it is not given enough attention, so you do not need to push her away when she asks for affection. In addition, you should ask about the same guests who will come to visit you and the baby.
• Acquaintance of a pet with a newborn should take place in a calm environment. Let him smell the baby and the things brought: diapers, bottles, nipples, powder, and more. It is advisable to feed the animal and the baby before meeting, so that they are both calm and relaxed. Otherwise, crying and abrupt movements of the child can scare the cat and cause aggression.
• At first, you cannot leave the animal and the newborn alone. - it is imperative to look after them. In this case, you should not interfere with the manifestation of interest on the part of the cat to the child. She can rub against him, lie down next to him and even lick. Such gestures should be regarded as caring - they are encouraged to be encouraged. But remember that it is best not to let your pet lick the newborn's face, as this may be unsafe.

Playfully, the baby can inadvertently touch the pet, throw it with a toy, or make a loud, harsh sound. At such moments, you need to be near and show the animal that he should not be afraid. Over time, your pet will get used to it and will not react harshly to unexpected or unpleasant sounds.

It is believed that families with pets grow up more empathetic and compassionate children. From the first days of life, they learn to love and care for those who are smaller and weaker. When planning a replenishment in the family, you should not think that the cat can harm the baby, and even more so, you do not need to get rid of him. It is enough to correctly and timely prepare the animal for the appearance of a new family member, and all problems will disappear by themselves.