I have a new baby in the house and I worry that my cat may scratch the infant. How should I handle the situation?

Cat Scratching the Baby

Cats with healthy curiosities take having a new baby in the household in stride. Others are easily upset by any disorder in the domestic equilibrium, let alone all the upheaval that comes with having a baby in the house. They may retreat to an isolated part of the house for days on end, coming out only to eat and drink. Inappropriate soiling is another common reaction. These cats usually need some extra time, consideration and attention before they accept the inevitable, "It's staying."

I have never heard of a cat scratching an infant purposefully or otherwise, so I checked with a pediatrician, veterinarian and nurse from my area's health unit to see what their experience has been and none of them could recall a case of a cat scratching an infant. This certainly could happen with a cat that has serious aggression problems, but very few people would keep such a cat in a home with an infant. The risk of an accidental scratch might be greater with a kitten, as they are prone to bursts of unexpected speed and raucous behaviour and may not yet have learned to inhibit the use of their claws during play. In any case, all professionals agree that no child should ever be left alone, in the company of any animal.

That is easy to accomplish from the perspective of getting the co-operation of a newborn, as they don't have the mobility to unexpectedly pay a neighborly visit to the cat. However, cat guardians around the world will agree that the words cat and co-operation are rarely found in the same sentence. Here are some strategies to make even an accidental encounter even more unlikely:

  1. Purchase an inexpensive motion detector set to startle the cat when it gets too close to the crib. (Best to set up before the baby's arrival. Otherwise, while the cat is learning to avoid the crib, the baby will likely awake.)
  2. Drape a mosquito type netting over the crib to keep the cat from napping in the comfy crib.
  3. Temporarily replacing the baby's room door with an inexpensive screen door can be useful during those times when you need to keep an eye and ear open, but have chores to accomplish. It may help satisfy the cat's curiosity in a way that a closed solid door will not.
  4. Incorporate as much of the baby's items into your cat's life as possible before the baby's arrival:
    1. Nursery set up.
    2. Expose the cat to the sound of an infant's cry (sound effects CD).
    3. Odor of powders, etc.
  5. Incorporate some daily interactive playtime between yourself and your cat. Invest in some interesting cat toys to do so. This social interaction, combined with elevating your cat's heart rate will help keep her calm during the rest of the day.

For the most part, as time passes, your cat will get used to the sounds, sights and smells of your child and with time and guidance, your child will learn how to interact with your cat.

Animal Behaviourist John Wade (http://www.johnwade.ca/)