Cat and newborn baby in the apartment

When you get a kitten, you expect it to grow up to be a big, friendly and affectionate pet. In most cases, this happens until the cat is the only object of admiration, but as soon as newborn babies appear in the house, they may forget about the pets a little, which can cause a lot of dissatisfaction on the part of your pet, and even have a negative impact on its character .

This is due to the fact that small children, for small children, are often given more attention than for pets, and it is clear that the cat does not like this at all, since she is used to being in charge and does not want to share her owner with anyone.

In some cases, the owners themselves suspect their cat that it may pose some kind of danger to their newborn child and therefore independently try to separate two such seemingly incompatible concepts as a child and a cat. Very often, in this case, they may even try to throw the pet out into the street, but this should not be done, since under favorable circumstances you can configure the pet to the fact that a small child is the main person in your life and he has no choice but to accept this and to measure up to the second place of honor. In most cases, a cat and a newborn get along quite well, especially if everything is clearly explained to the animal, without at all infringing on it or alienating it from the new little bundle. Some cat breeds are generally considered excellent nannies who can not only look after the baby, but also, if necessary, calm him down when he cries.

Preparation

Cats are quite tolerant of newborn children if you prepare them in advance for the arrival of a new member of the community that lives in this house or apartment. To do this, you need to take the following preventive measures
:

for a cat, one of the main stresses is noise, which is inevitably associated with the appearance of a newborn baby in the house, so you need to accustom the animal in advance to these loud sounds that a baby makes when inviting friends who have small children home;
accustom your pet to the sounds of a rattle, give the opportunity to smell those substances and objects that will be associated with the child: powder, baby cream, lotion, shampoo, cats receive almost half of the information through smell;
You need to talk with your pet about future changes, naming the name of the future child, if it has already been chosen.

For a pet, the appearance of a new family member, especially one of such small size, will always be a surprise to which he needs to get used to.

Security measures

At the same time, it is necessary to observe some precautions related, first of all, to keeping a cat and compliance with certain sanitary standards and other rules that will allow the animal and the child to coexist peacefully .

It is imperative to teach your child that after he has picked up a cat or stroked it, he must wash his hands, even if it is a completely domestic animal. We must remember that there are no completely sterile places in the house, but the cat walks and lies everywhere.

From a very early age, a child must be taught to be caring and affectionate towards animals. A cat can offend a small child only if he himself constantly shows aggression towards her. Therefore, from an early age it is necessary to accustom the child to :

Any aggression against a person on the part of a cat is a defensive reaction to the external manifestation of aggression on the part of a person. And even when it manifests itself, it is limited in nature, i.e. the cat may scratch or hiss, warning that it should not be angered further. But these are extreme measures taken by the animal. Usually, when there is a threat, a cat tries to avoid conflict and would rather hide somewhere or run away.

Source

Rules to follow

The animal must be examined by a veterinarian. Then the pet must receive the necessary vaccinations and prevent worms. In the future, this procedure must be carried out regularly under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Maintain good hygiene. Remember that animals are potential sources and carriers of infectious diseases!
Always wash your hands after handling your pet.
Do not allow the animal to come into contact with the child’s things and toys. If this happens, wash your toys and wash your clothes. Moreover, close contact between the baby and the animal is unacceptable. Do not allow the animal to lick, sniff or touch the child. While the child is small, he cannot fully feel all the joy of communicating with an animal, but he will have time to become infected with some kind of infection. In the room where the child spends most of his time (sleeping, playing), it is forbidden to place cages with birds, animals and place dog and cat houses, as well as aquariums. Animals and the baby must live isolated from each other.
Be more careful about keeping your home clean. Wet cleaning is recommended to be carried out daily, and if the need arises (pollution in the apartment, an abundance of hair during the animal’s molting period), then more often. It is necessary to ventilate the room several times a day. It is advisable that there is no specific animal smell in the room: this will help reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
Never leave a small child alone with an animal. This is a potentially traumatic situation, because the behavior of both is unpredictable. A sudden cry or involuntary movement by a child can frighten the animal or cause it pain. While defending itself, the animal may bite and/or scratch the baby. In addition, an animal, such as a cat, can lie next to a sleeping child in such a way as to cause suffocation in the baby.

Whether or not to have an animal in the house is something everyone decides for themselves. But approach this important decision thoughtfully, taking into account all the positive and negative aspects.

Natalia Taishcheva, Ph.D. honey. Sciences, Assistant, Department of Hospital Pediatrics, Russian State Medical University

Possible risks

First of all, you should take care of the baby’s safety, 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 fetal development to miscarriage. Therefore, it is recommended that the animal be examined by a veterinarian before the child is conceived.

If the pet turns out to be sick, it should be treated, and then, in order to prevent the disease, you need to carefully monitor its hygiene, let it go outside as little as possible, do not feed it raw meat, and also regularly and diligently clean its tray.

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

To prevent fleas, it is recommended to purchase a special collar, regularly bathe your pet and treat its skin with antiparasitic agents.

Some experts argue that a pet can behave unpredictably during periods of hormonal surges, so many advise spaying or neutering it. But if you would like your 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 medications. In other words, you need to give the animal hormonal medications on a regular basis to prevent the onset of estrus.

I am pregnant. Should I be afraid of toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can seriously impair fetal development. The feces of cats with an active Toxoplasma infection contain this parasite. For a pregnant woman to become infected with toxoplasmosis from a cat, the following must happen:

The cat must have an active infection. Cats can only become infected by eating raw meat and prey with this infection. An active infection may have no symptoms, but remember that it only lasts a few weeks and is then suppressed by the immune system.
A pregnant woman's mouth should contain feces from a cat with an active infection.

This means that getting an infection from a cat is extremely unlikely if the cat lives indoors, does not go outside, and eats canned or dried cat food. To be completely safe, the US Food Safety Inspectorate suggests pregnant women follow one very simple rule: “Do not clean your cat's litter box yourself.” Remember that there are other ways to get toxoplasmosis (not from cats), as well as other infections that can harm your baby (and they have nothing to do with cats!).

What diseases can a cat give to a child?

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease of humans and animals caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The causative agent is neither a virus, nor a bacteria, nor a helminth (worm). This is the simplest microorganism.

Many parasitic organisms develop with a change of host. This means that they do not live in the same organism all their lives. One stage of development can take place in one organism, and another in a completely different one. There may be two or more such hosts.

The definitive host of Toxoplasma is cats or other members of the feline family. The primary or final host of a parasite is the organism in which the adult stage of the parasite or the sexual stage of the protozoan lives and reproduces.

An intermediate host is an organism in which the larval stages of parasite development or the asexual generation of a protozoan occur. Intermediate hosts of toxoplasma can be humans, rodents, birds, and livestock.

Infection occurs from the primary host.

There are the following routes of human infection:

through the gastrointestinal tract. This can happen through contact with contaminated soil, cat feces, or the cat itself. Infection is also possible when eating unwashed foods, eating meat products and eggs that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment;
through blood. This can happen through contact with contaminated meat through cuts on the hands, through the saliva of infected animals, and less commonly through blood transfusions;
vertical path (from mother to fetus through the placenta). The baby becomes infected if a pregnant woman contracts toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.

Manifestations

Toxoplasmosis can occur in acute, subacute, chronic, subclinical, inpatient (lack of symptoms and development of immunity) forms, as well as in the form of carriage.

In the vast majority of cases, this disease is asymptomatic in people with a normal immune response.

In the acute course of the disease, headache, weakness, fever, enlargement of lymph nodes, liver, and spleen are possible. Less commonly, a roseolous-papular rash (in the form of nodules and inflammatory spots) may occur.

As a rule, all adult cats that have been outside and eaten raw meat or mice have already had toxoplasmosis. A danger to a child is a primarily infected animal that has just become ill. And this is usually a kitten.

Toxoplasmosis is very dangerous for pregnant women. It can cause pregnancy failure and fetal death in the womb.

Also, due to severe damage to the nervous system, eyes, heart and other organs, newborn babies with congenital toxoplasmosis often die in the first day of life.

If a child infected in the womb survives, then in 100% of cases he is disabled with severe damage to the nervous system and paresis.

Due to the enormous danger of the disease, pregnant women undergo immunological tests when registering - serological reactions with determination of the titer of immunoglobulins of class G and M (IgM and IgG).

Class M immunoglobulins are produced during a fresh infection (that is, a person is currently infected with Toxoplasma). Class M immunoglobulins are detected in the blood two weeks after infection.

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The lifespan of IgM is about six months. If there is no IgG, then such a woman does not have immunity from toxoplasmosis. And that means it needs treatment and careful monitoring.

IgG indicates a previous illness. That is, if IgG is detected in a pregnant woman, this means that the pregnant woman had contact with Toxoplasma in the past. Class G immunoglobulins provide long-lasting, stable immunity, which guarantees protection against recurrence of the disease.

As I already said, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis consists of carrying out serological reactions (enzyme immunoassay or immunofluorescence reaction). In this case, the blood is examined.

Blood sampling is carried out twice, with an interval of 2-3 weeks. This allows you to determine the increase in IgM and IgG titers.

Other methods for detecting toxoplasmosis:

Tests with toxoplasmin. A positive result indicates a previous or chronic course of toxoplozosis.
Ultrasound of internal organs. Allows you to detect enlargement of the liver, spleen, lymph nodes.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis is carried out only by a specialist (infectious disease doctor, pediatrician, therapist). Parasitocidal drugs, for example, chloridine (Daraprim, Tindurine, Pirematamine), can be used.

Lichen

Feline lichen in a child is a rather serious contagious fungal disease, manifested by small spots with clear boundaries.

Fungi of the genus Microsporum and Trichophyton, which cause this disease, parasitize not only the skin of animals, but also infect humans.

Most often, lichen is carried by small kittens with weak immune systems. Thanks to such carriers, this type of fungus is popularly called cat lichen. The same disease may be referred to in medical literature under a different name – ringworm.

Fungal diseases can be transmitted to humans directly from a sick animal or through contaminated objects. Of course, when precautions are not followed.

Ringworm can affect any part of the body, but is most often localized on the neck, face, back, and forearm.

Feline ringworm appears as pink spots with clear boundaries. Often the border of the element is presented in the form of bubbles. The spots quickly increase in size and tend to merge if there are several of them. Characterized by itchy skin and peeling of the skin in the affected area.

When the scalp is affected, the hair in the lesions breaks off at a level of 0.5 cm from the base. Hence the name of the disease - ringworm. The affected area takes on the appearance of a shaved area of the head.

It is better for a person to start treatment after laboratory testing by a dermatologist.

Treatment of this disease is complex. Usually includes cutting the hair adjacent to the affected area, antifungal agents (topically and for oral administration), and restorative drugs (immunomodulators).

Cat scratch disease

This is an infectious disease that develops after being scratched or bitten by an infected cat. Felinosis, benign lymphoreticulosis, Mollaret granuloma, cat scratch disease - these are all names of the same disease.

The main causative agent of felinosis is the bacterium Bartonella henselae.

The main reservoir of infection is infected cats. The bacterium practically does not cause any pathological conditions in animals. But its toxins are dangerous for humans. Children and young people suffer from this disease more often.

The bacillus, getting on the skin at the site of a scratch or bite, subsequently enters the bloodstream. In this case, a primary inflammatory focus (suppuration in the form of an abscess) is formed at the site of damage. This is the result of the production of toxins by the microbe at the site of injury. The child’s condition at this stage does not suffer.

Then the pathogen enters the lymph nodes located closest to the gate of infection through the lymph flow. An inflammatory process develops there. Lymph nodes increase in size, become denser and painful. Most often this occurs with elevated temperature.

When the pathogen enters the bloodstream, the infection affects many target organs. The lymph nodes, spleen and liver become enlarged, and skin rashes appear. The heart muscle may be affected and the disease myocarditis develops.

All this is accompanied by weakness, general malaise, loss of appetite, sweating, and rapid heartbeat.

Often the affected lymph nodes suppurate. Also, not only regional lymph nodes, but also distant groups of lymph nodes can be involved in the process.

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Typically, diagnosing this disease is not difficult. It is easy to notice with the naked eye. Parents themselves are able to notice inflammation at the site of the cat scratch and subsequent enlargement of the nearest lymph node.

In most cases, this disease heals spontaneously. But it happens that it is impossible to do without intervention from doctors.

Antibacterial therapy is prescribed. In case of severe lymphadenitis, anti-inflammatory treatment using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed.

Helminthiasis

A child can become infected with some helminths (worms) from cats. I won’t go into detail on this. Just keep in mind that you need to monitor the cat’s health, and children who have contact with cats need to regularly prevent helminthic diseases.

Allergy

Allergy to wool is not a completely accurate concept. Since an allergic reaction in a person does not occur to the fur itself, but to the desquamated epidermis of the skin with the secretion of the skin glands of the animal.

These allergens are extremely small, so they are easily picked up in the air and can be transported over long distances.

In connection with the above, it becomes clear that there are no non-allergenic cat breeds. If you hear such statements, then this is just a marketing ploy.

Yes, hairless cats are less allergenic. Their epidermis also sloughs off, but it is not retained by the hair. Therefore, with thorough regular cleaning, allergens are more likely to be removed more quickly. But it is impossible to completely exclude their effect.

Allergy to wool most often manifests itself as nasal congestion, sneezing, prolonged runny nose, watery eyes and itchy eyes. Children often experience periodic obstructive symptoms (dry paroxysmal cough, shortness of breath), temporary asthmatic attack (attack of suffocation).

The allergy may not appear immediately upon first contact with the animal. Allergy symptoms can take weeks or even months to develop.

Moreover, allergies to cats most often develop in children prone to allergic diseases. For example, with a burdened history of allergies, when the child’s parents themselves are allergic. Or if the child has an allergic reaction to something other than cats. If you have such a child, think 100 times whether it is worth keeping a cat in the house.

Cat and newborn in the house

When you return from the hospital with your baby, find a quiet opportunity to greet your cat. This will probably be difficult to do, since there may be numerous relatives, grandparents of the newborn baby, and other family members in the apartment. If your cat is not very keen on large groups of people, she may hide and hide. When everything calms down a little, the animal will appear before your eyes again. You should definitely find an opportunity to interact with your cat.

To help your cat get used to the newborn faster, you can leave a piece of a baby's diaper or some piece of baby clothing where the cat can explore it. If a cat, missing your presence in the house, follows you on your heels, including to the nursery, make sure that it does not jump into the crib of the newborn. There is a strange myth in the world that cats suck the air from the lungs of babies, although, of course, it has nothing to do with reality. The threat is that sometimes, in search of warmth, the cat may get too close to the baby's face, which will make breathing difficult for the newborn baby.

When your newborn is sleeping in his crib, close the nursery door, making sure the cat remains outside. If you don’t have a separate nursery, and you all, including the cat, live in a limited space, then you should take care of the canopy over the newborn’s crib

All these precautions allow you to avoid cat urination in the baby’s crib if the cat takes a great liking to the newborn and also tries to make sure that the owners do not forget about her. Some time will pass, your cat will get used to the new member of your family, and you will still be able to calmly enjoy the company of your furry friend.

Author of the article: Ilya Samokhvalov, “Moscow Medicine”

Newborn and cat in the same apartment

A baby and a cat can get along well together. However, in order to prevent your child from getting sick, you must follow several rules.

Main risks

Children are quite often allergic to cats. The risk of its occurrence can be minimized if you sterilize your pet, regularly brush it outside the house and periodically wash it with special shampoos, carry out wet cleaning daily and empty the apartment of objects that accumulate dust (for example, take out carpets, bedspreads, large soft toys).

Cats are also carriers of worms, lichen (a fungal skin disease) and felinosis (an infectious “cat scratch disease”). However, with a timely visit to the veterinarian, your pet can be cured. In the future, it will be enough to carry out prophylaxis with medications once every two to three months under the supervision of a specialist.

The most unpleasant moment remains. Cats are the main carriers of toxoplasmosis, a serious parasitic disease. If your pet is often outdoors and periodically eats raw meat, it may be infected. This disease poses a real danger to a pregnant woman, as it provokes severe pathologies of the fetus and often ends in miscarriages. Therefore, even at the pregnancy planning stage, the cat should be taken to the veterinarian and checked for toxoplasmosis, and the expectant mother should be tested. If the disease is detected, you will be prescribed a course of treatment. Prevention of toxoplasmosis is simple: you need to minimize the animal’s stay on the street and do not feed it raw meat; all family members must wash their hands after each contact with the pet; A pregnant woman should never come into contact with cat feces, so one of your relatives should clean the litter box for the entire nine months; if you work with the ground, you need to do this with rubber gloves.

Important! Even at the pregnancy planning stage, your pet should be taken to a trusted veterinarian. The health of your baby will directly depend on the health of your pet.

Subtleties of dating

The arrival of a new person in the family will change not only the life of the young parents, but also the life of the pet. The cat needs to be prepared in advance for the fact that you will pay less attention to it. Start gradually reducing communication with your pet. At the same time, one should never completely forget about its existence. Otherwise, the cat will be jealous of your baby and treat him aggressively. Play with the cat, pet it, encourage it. Just don't do it as often as before.

Train your cat to go into the nursery in advance. He's probably used to the fact that the whole house is his territory. With the arrival of the baby, conditions will change. Always close the door to the room where the baby will live. In a one-room apartment, you need to allocate space for a crib and block it off with curtains or furniture so that the cat has time to get used to the fact that she is not allowed there.

What are they afraid of?

Why does such a problem appear before the birth of a child: cats and newborn children. There are several reasons

possible allergy to cat fur; according to statistics, this pathology occurs quite rarely, but if such a situation arises, the animal can always be isolated;
a cat can become a spreader of infection, but only if it lives both at home and outside.

The last one is very significant. There is a common belief that cats should be allowed outside. But this is not so, because this is a domestic animal for which the territory that it controls is important, in this case, this is the area of the apartment or house. Side factors that encourage a cat to go outside can easily be overcome: by sterilization, at least of the cat, and drug intervention (sedative drops) for the cat.

If we can’t arrange a cat’s life, then why are we trying to have a child? Communication between a cat and a newborn is inevitable after the baby appears in the house. These creatures are very curious, and having become members of the family, they are also jealous, so you need to prepare your pet for the arrival of a new resident of the house.

If there are a lot of cats

Of course, many people purposefully have cats at home, most often buying famous breeds for divorce. But many simply pick up kittens thrown away by someone or even adult cats that, by the will of fate, ended up on the street. As a rule, this entire flock gets along peacefully with each other.

And he perceives a person as an external strong animal that feeds, cares and caresses. The appearance of a new living creature, which is not much smaller in size than the cats themselves, raises almost no questions for them; on the contrary, animals must immediately be taught not to do the following :

It is quite possible to establish this relationship between cats and cats, since this animal is smart and understands its place in the house. Having become accustomed to these basic rules, cats react completely calmly to newborn children.

The cat and the small child are not the hunter and the prey

Can a cat harm a baby? For many parents this is a matter of particular concern. Therefore, when a baby appears in the house, the animal is isolated, or - even worse! - they get rid of him. Neither the first, nor even the second can be called a good solution, because a cat and a newborn can get along wonderfully under one roof

The main thing is to behave correctly and take precautions

How can four-legged pets harm a small child? Can cats choke children? Is this true? Horror stories about cats killing innocent babies are an echo of medieval superstitions, in which they appeared as a tool in the hands of the devil. In addition, this is reflected in a complete lack of understanding of cat nature. There is absolutely no reason for cats to attack a child. Yes, they are predators, but this does not mean that they can recognize a baby as prey. Cats hunt small birds and rodents, and newborn babies are not at all like them.

The kids do not look so formidable that cats could attack them in self-defense. On the contrary, the baby, rather, awakens the instinct of care and patronage than gives rise to aggression

Everything indicates that the cat feels that she is dealing with a young representative of the human race, and behaves very carefully towards him. This is not so surprising, since a small kitten and a newborn have similar proportions, move awkwardly and make similar “meowing” sounds.

All mammalian babies stimulate the initiation of protective instincts. Stories of children raised by animals are not legends, but documented facts.

Another thing is that some pets do things that their owners obviously won’t like - for example, cats can hiss at newborns, sleep with them in a warm crib or stroller, and constantly hang around. However, all this does not indicate aggression - rather, a defensive position or a manifestation of interest, or even sympathy, with a tiny creature.

Cats in a home with small children can only be dangerous because they are carriers of various diseases.

However, the likelihood that a child will become infected with something from an animal that does not leave the house and is under the constant supervision of veterinarians is reduced to almost zero. We are more likely to bring some microbes into the house ourselves than a cat that has little contact with the outside world. Therefore, if she does not leave the house, there is no need to worry about the child’s health. But if your cat walks on its own, then you should limit its contact with the newborn, take more care of hygiene and find room in your busy schedule for visits to the veterinarian.

Child and kitten

Many people ask the question: “Should I get a cat if there is a small child ?” And we ourselves want to, and the child is touched by the pussies at a party and on a walk - children really love animals. But somehow it’s scary... They’re afraid for the child, especially when he’s still just a baby - what if the kitten scratches him or bites him? They are also afraid for a kitten, when the child is big enough to do a lot, but still understands little - what if he tortures the poor animal? Let's try to figure out what happens when a kitten and a child .
Those who have both children and cats know that fears are largely exaggerated. And the benefits for a child’s psychological development from communicating with a cat are enormous! Especially if the family is not large. The baby is lonely in the world of big adults, and by taking a cat into your home, you will give him a friend. Playing with a cat, a child learns a lot, first of all, that another creature also has its own will and feelings, that it is not a toy. Learns to care: “Now let’s feed the pussy!”

He will grow up to be a completely different person than a child, whose whims are tolerated and fulfilled by everyone. The cat won't tolerate it. If she doesn’t want to play, she will leave; if you squeeze her against her will, she will use her teeth and claws. So what if the baby gets a couple of scratches? But he won’t get much deeper scratches on his soul later, when he grows up and also wants to “cuddle” someone. The lesson of respect for the freedom of others learned in childhood will remain forever.

Also, do not worry that the child will harm the cat. Yes, from the outside it may seem that he is playing with her “wrong” and causing pain. But look - how do kittens play with each other? How does their own mother treat them? “They fight and bite, training their agility. They are predators. Even a small kitten can stand up for itself; it has claws and teeth.

Moreover, a cat always feels how a person treats it. She feels that the child loves her and is simply playing with her, albeit awkwardly. If you spank her in anger because she did something wrong, she will start to shy away from you, but not from a child who pulls his tail, paws, or ears. It’s simply amazing how calmly the kitten goes into the arms of the baby who has just “tormented” him! The main thing for us here is to trust the child. And the cat too. They will understand each other perfectly well, and they understand each other better than it seems to us from the outside.

Of course, if a baby hurts a kitten, he needs to explain this. Then it will be clearer to him why his friend broke out, scratching his hands. But only explain how we explain to him everything he encounters. Under no circumstances should you scold or punish a child while standing up for the cat. After all, he is our child. He trusts us and expects us to be on his side in any situation. His peace rests on the confidence in our love.

Our child's relationship with the kitten is his relationship. And they are very important to him, because children really love animals and become very attached to their furry friends. He will protest vehemently if we interfere. And he will be right - it is tactless on our part to regulate his “personal life.” He may be small, but he is a person who has the right to his relationships, his experience in them and his bumps. By respecting this right, we can teach him to respect the privacy of others.

The most difficult thing is to cope with “animal defenders” in the person of grandmothers and others who, without a second thought, traumatize your baby’s psyche. Shouting: “Let the kitten go!” He’s torturing him!” They attack the child, scold him, and take away the cat. And he becomes offended - after all, he knows that he didn’t do anything wrong, he was just playing with his friend... And then he can really begin to take out his offense on the animal that served as the reason. Don't be shy to stand up for your child. Most likely, animal activists will not agree with you, but you know that the child and his trust are more important! And you are raising him, not them.

I hope I was able to dispel your doubts. If there is a small child in your house, this is not only not a hindrance to having a cat, but even the opposite. For our child to grow up happier and more humane, a kitten is simply necessary! And our home will become more comfortable with a cat. To avoid missing a new article, subscribe

Cat's relationship with newborn

Some expectant mothers worry that the cat will offend a small child. But more often than not, such fears are not at all confirmed when the baby appears. Even those furry pets who were not particularly fond of children before, at the birth of a baby, show care and affection towards him. Many people lie down in the baby’s crib, and when he cries, they run and call the young mother. They sometimes even begin to defend the child themselves if someone offends the child.

Cats are more relaxed about a newborn in the house. But they rarely show aggression. They clearly distinguish between children who simply came to visit and those who were born and are growing up before their eyes. They may scratch or be afraid of the first ones. They usually don’t do this with the latter.

Cats usually start scratching not a newborn baby, but an already grown one. Then it is more often a defense against it than an attack.

Prepare your cat for the birth of a baby

You still have to prepare the animal in a certain way for the arrival of a baby in the house. This is especially true for those cats that walk outside. Before the baby is born, it is better to stop letting her go on such walks. The cat must also be thoroughly washed to remove dirt and treated for fleas and skin parasites, if any.

Twice a year (spring and autumn) the cat must be treated for worms. If a baby is expected in the family in winter or summer, then even during these seasons the cat should be given an anthelmintic for prevention.

What to do when the child grows up?

As your child grows up and becomes more mobile and active, you must remember to give the purr a place to rest from the toddler's antics. Make sure your cat is not cornered and can always find a safe place to sleep where your child cannot reach her. Heavy furniture and special shelves are perfect for preventing a curious baby from getting to your pet when he wants to be alone.

Children grow slowly, and cats usually adapt well to new environments. Teach your little one to respect their pets and not cause them discomfort or pain, and they should get along well. Your child will benefit from living with pets and gaining lifelong memories of a furry childhood friend.

How do you get along with children?

Such a pet will enjoy communicating with the baby.
Sphynxes are very good with children because they themselves do not grow up. Felinologists believe that cats of this breed are excellent nannies who will not only play, but also take care of the child. Together they will make an ideal tandem and give parents the opportunity to relax. For cats, the intrusiveness of children will only be a joy. But the exception is very young children under 1 year old. A newborn may suffer from excessive care and curiosity of the animal. There are often cases when an interested pet frightens the baby or damages the skin due to an attempt to lick. The special rough structure of the tongue is not dangerous for adults, but provokes irritation in children. The Sphynx is also good for families with children because of its lack of fur. The child’s play space will not have to be constantly vacuumed and tidied. Research by felinologists has found that a child who has contact with a cat from an early age learns faster, masters sensory skills, develops reaction and empathy. Thanks to the activity of the animal, the child will also get to his feet faster and will actively burn energy during joint games. Sphynx cats rarely cause allergies, but despite the lack of fur, it is better to first make sure that there is no negative reaction from the body. Enzymes released through the skin can cause rashes, redness, coughing and sinus congestion in sensitive people. Symptoms may be mistaken for a cold, so the doctor should be notified of the appearance of a pet.

Preparation

for a cat, one of the main stresses is noise, which is inevitably associated with the appearance of a newborn baby in the house, so you need to accustom the animal in advance to these loud sounds that a baby makes when inviting friends who have small children home;
accustom your pet to the sounds of a rattle, give the opportunity to smell those substances and objects that will be associated with the child: powder, baby cream, lotion, shampoo, cats receive almost half of the information through smell;
You need to talk with your pet about future changes, naming the name of the future child, if it has already been chosen.

For a pet, the appearance of a new family member, especially one of such small size, will always be a surprise to which he needs to get used to.

Are cats dangerous for small children?

A well-trained and socialized cat is no more dangerous to your child than an older sibling of a similar age, and may even be less dangerous! However, just as you would not leave 2 small children together alone for a long time, the communication between a cat and a child needs your supervision. This also applies to sleep, since if a pet sleeps with a newborn, it can cause difficulty in the baby’s breathing, as can also be caused by poorly placed plush toys, towels, etc.

Even if your cat is aggressive, remember that a newborn is unlikely to cause aggression in your furry friend, since he is inactive and in the eyes of a purr does not pose a particular danger. However, in order to be completely sure that unpleasant incidents will not occur, it is best to consult with an animal psychologist before the child arrives at home.

Remember: Tens of millions of children are growing up under the same roof as cats all over the world! As recent studies have proven, children who grew up under the same roof with cats are healthier and less likely to suffer from allergies than children who did not have animals.

If you got a cat after having a baby

Sometimes it happens that the decision to have a cat in the family comes after the birth of the child. In this case, you should be aware that sooner or later the baby will have to be introduced to the pet.

By the way, such a situation can be called ideal, since by the time the cat appears in the family, the basic principles will have been formed and consolidated, and the pet will be able to quickly get used to the rules of behavior, and will also take seriously not only the owner himself, but also all members of his family, including the little one. child.

Check weighing

To ensure that kittens are getting enough food and are gaining weight well, you should weigh them daily in the first week of life and at least twice a week for the first month - we recommend keeping a weight gain diary. It is convenient to use electronic kitchen scales for weighing.

The weekly increase should be about 100 grams. By the age of two weeks, healthy kittens should certainly double their original weight. Contact a professional if you suspect your kittens are not gaining weight well. Signs of malnutrition can also include constant squeaking, restlessness, and poor sleep.

What to do when a newborn appears in the house with a cat?

The animal does not view the baby as a troublemaker and competitor, as would happen if we brought another member of the feline family into the house. However, having a newborn cat can cause some stress. However, it is associated not so much with the presence of a child, but with the hustle and bustle that usually accompanies his appearance in the family.

Can cats be jealous of a small child? And how! However, we can help the pet get used to the new situation faster.

First of all, we do not need to immediately and completely isolate the animal from the child. This way it will be convinced that this crying lump is just a small person who does not pose any threat to it. In addition, the crying of a newborn can awaken the cat's protective instinct, because this is a danger signal. In this case, the pet will try to hurry up with help, as he would do in the case of his own offspring. In such a situation, the obstacle of closed doors will cause him additional stress and anxiety. When the child arrives home, give the cat the opportunity to smell and even touch him, if he has such a desire. The reaction of animals to a new family member, of course, greatly depends on their temperament. Some cats initially keep a short distance, others immediately occupy the crib. But surely they will all be interested in the newcomer, because feline curiosity is a proverb! However, no matter how lively the cat’s interest in the newborn baby may be, it is better to carefully suppress it and not allow her to have physical contact with him.

A cat has no place in a child's bed. Although your attention is absorbed by the offspring, always remember that the cat was until now the favorite of the whole family, and now suddenly finds itself relegated to the background. He is not human, and it is difficult for him to understand why he was suddenly expelled and not allowed to enter the room where the child now sleeps

And the more he was spoiled before, the worse it is for him to endure the new situation. Therefore, continue to show the animal the same sympathy, show interest in it and spend some time. Let it be present during everyday child care, sitting somewhere in a corner, watching your manipulations. If you find time to pet the cat and say kind words to it, it will have no reason to envy and jealousy of the child (just don’t forget after such contacts wash your hands). The relationship between a happy animal and the baby will be positive. And after a while you will be able to see that cats and small children can become good friends.

Many mothers are afraid that their baby will be allergic to cats. This is actually a very controversial issue. No one can determine with certainty in advance whether the presence of such a pet in the house will have a negative impact on the baby’s health.

Some doctors believe that the risk of allergies is even lower in those children who have always had animals at home. This is explained by the fact that the newborn’s immunity initially fights against an external agent (germs from cat fur, for example), which is what it is intended for. This is a kind of immunity training. If a child finds himself in an environment that is too clean, then his body begins to look for “strangers” within itself, which, in essence, is an allergy.

Therefore, it is not worth getting rid of a cat because of such fears even before the birth of the child. It is better to see how the baby’s body will react to the presence of an animal. If later suspicions arise that the baby is allergic to a cat, then it will be possible to take an allergen test and find out for sure.

Don't worry if

But in these cases, on the contrary, there is no reason for concern. All that is required on your part is patience and feeding.

The cat has slight bleeding from the genitals. Gradually their volume should decrease and disappear within 2-3 weeks.
The kitten has only one eye open. This is considered a variant of the norm; the eyes open gradually and not always at the same time.
The cat lies down on the kittens. In this way she tries to warm them up. Don't interfere, just try to maintain the optimal temperature in the room.
The mother decided to move the kittens to another place, taking them by the withers. Don’t interfere with her, just make sure that the new “home” is as comfortable as possible, far from noise and people, and that the cat herself feels good.

Elena Shlykova

Preparing a cat for the arrival of a newborn in the house

Some cats are like little old maids who hate any changes. If your cat has a similar personality, she may need to be prepared gradually for the arrival of a newborn in the house. Otherwise, she may experience real stress when a baby appears in the house, and his appearance will be accompanied by new objects and a variety of sounds characteristic of a baby.

To relieve your cat of the stress associated with the arrival of a newborn, you need to do the following:

You can tape the babies' cries and play them from time to time so that the cat can acclimatize and get used to the new sounds.
Wash your hands with baby lotion before you play with your cat. Your cat may associate a new smell with a positive attitude, which will make her feel less anxious.
Place children's furniture in the apartment as soon as possible so that the cat has a few weeks during which she can explore new furnishings and get used to them.
you should also take care of some safety of the children's furniture, because if the cat finds it comfortable, the animal will definitely try to sleep in the children's bed.

You can cover the surfaces of children's furniture with cardboard and place double-sided tape on top to make the cat uncomfortable on the sticky surface.

If the cat litter box was also located not far from the room that is now planned to be a nursery, it is worth moving it to a more suitable location. You can move the toilet a few tens of centimeters a day until it is where it will now stand, and in the old place you can put a chest of drawers, a nightstand or some other thing so that the cat is not tempted to relieve itself where it did this is earlier. You should also consider a new place for your cat to play, as well as her usual care and feeding routine.

All changes also need to be carried out gradually, over about two months, so that the animal gets used to the new place and the new mode of communication with it. Perhaps, instead of the young mother, someone else from the family will take care of the cat. Your cat should also get used to the change of owner and caregiver.

When is the best time to give up a cat?

The occurrence of an allergy to a cat in a newborn is not at all a fact. But if the cat is very old and is constantly sick with something, then it is still better to give it to someone who can take care of it properly. In addition, very old cats often have dental problems that can cause blood or pus to leak from the cat's mouth. Such discharge on the floor is not at all beneficial for the health of a small child.

Thus, if the cat is young and healthy, then she just needs to be prepared for the birth of the baby. There is no urgent need to get rid of it. After some time, it will become clear how the baby’s body tolerates the presence of a pet and how the cat itself behaves with it. But in the case of a sick or very old cat, you can think about finding a person who can take care of it.

What to do when a newborn appears in the house with a cat?

A cat has no place in a child's bed. Although your attention is absorbed by the offspring, always remember that the cat was until now the favorite of the whole family, and now it suddenly finds itself relegated to the background. He is not human, and it is difficult for him to understand why he was suddenly expelled and not allowed to enter the room where the child now sleeps

It is unlikely that you will get a kitten when you have a newborn in the house. But it often happens that a cat is already present in the house when the family is preparing for the arrival of the baby. Even during pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to be frightened by the fact that the animal has no place next to the baby, that its fur can cause an allergic reaction in the child, and the cat itself is a carrier of almost all existing diseases. Is it so dangerous to have a pet in your apartment that you have to part with a family member?