This article was in the Washington Post back in May.
Pet Set
Priming a Cat for Baby
Sunday, May 18, 2003; Page M05
Our cat, Max -- 15 pounds of unadulterated feistiness -- rules the roost. He is, for now, the baby of my two-person family, but that will change this fall, when he'll have to share the limelight with a newborn. How can I get him ready for an attention-hogging infant? Here's what the experts advise:
1 - Be mean and wean
It might be painful for all involved, but, starting about three months before your due date, you should let your feline friend know that there's going to be way less affection in his future. "It's hard, because you're feeling guilty," says Megan Brooks, 36, director of adoption and counseling services for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. "But you need to do things to tell him you're not available to him 24 hours a day anymore." Don't delude the cat -- or yourself -- into thinking he'll still be the center of attention after baby arrives.
2 - Introduce the interloper
Even while you're debating baby's name, experts say it's good to get your cat adjusted to the idea of a new kid in town. Set up the crib and changing table about two months before the baby is due, and allow your cat to explore the room. Borrow some baby blankets so he can get used to baby scents. And if you must alter his play, feeding or litter box space, do it early. Too many changes at once will rock Tiger's world and make catty behavior more likely. "Cats get very, very used to a certain kind of environment," Brooks says. "Babies change all that."
3 - Set boundaries
Once you have the crib put together, it's time to teach Whiskers that it's not a catnap area. "If you let it sleep in the bassinet now, when the baby comes, all of a sudden you'll have to displace the cat," says Dr. Lee Morgan, 38, of Georgetown Veterinary Hospital. "And that's a big problem." The women's lifestyle Web site iVillage recommends cleaning empty soda cans and keeping them in the crib or bassinet until the baby comes, as no self-respecting cat would nap in such an unwelcoming environment. Another idea: Put a doll in the bassinet and cover it with netting to hold the spot.
4 - Make some noise
Get kitty used to a whole lot of racket. Got friends with infants? Invite 'em for dinner. Got no friends? Play a tape or CD of a baby crying. It's not melodic, but it'll get you and kitty adjusted to what will soon be the routine decibel level in your house.
5 - Supervise visitation
Once the baby arrives, don't leave your cat out in the cold. Though you never want to leave him alone with the baby, you may want to install a screen door to the nursery so you can keep him away without excluding him completely. Or, have someone else pet your cat as you hold your child. Make sure to punish any rough play, though: If your cat hisses at the baby, verbally correct it, and set it in a new room until it calms down. "Animals must learn if they want favorable attention, they must behave in a favorable manner," Morgan says. Jessica Wehrman
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