Pregnancy - Getting your cats used to the arrival of a baby

 

Living with cats when pregnant – How to reduce their stress and keep yourself safe.

So I and my partner are expecting a baby January 2022. We live with two cats who are brother and sister, Edwina and Albert. We’ve had to make a couple of changes in the house to ensure a safe pregnancy but also not upset the cats either. This is a little guide to how we’ve coped and adapted so far.

 

There are some health concerns with cats, pregnancy and young children. One being toxoplasmosis which is a parasite found in cat faeces. During pregnancy we would advise avoiding the cleaning of litter trays if possible, or wearing gloves whilst doing so. Wear gloves whilst gardening and making sure to follow good hygiene when handling and preparing food. Cats obviously walk everywhere, so make sure all kitchen worktops are cleaned before use. Making sure to wash hands after handling and petting cats. We are also making sure to keep up-to-date with worming treatment, particularly treatment for roundworm which can cause problems for young children.

 

Cats can get quite stressed with changes to the house so to help combat this we’ve install Feliway and Pet Remedy plug-in diffusers around the house. These work by releasing pheromones and calming natural herbs to help the cats feel relaxed and familiar with the environment despite the changes.

 

One of the big changes has been the decorating of the nursery. That has included strange smells of paint, a new carpet being fitted and new furniture being introduced. It is important for safety and peace of mind that the baby’s room is kept as a no-go area for cats, especially when they are small.  Though we advise against cats going into the nursery we do advise that any new items are introduced to them gradually, so they can become accustomed to all the paraphernalia which accompanies a new baby.  Rubbing a soft cloth around your cats’ cheeks and face will help to pick up some of their natural pheromones, and rubbing this cloth on the new items will help them become more accepted.

As it is a two cat household we’ve also needed to consider how the changes might affect their relationship. Cats do prefer to live individually rather than in groups, although they may well tolerate other cats well. Any stress might end up being a final straw for some cats which then might result in tension, fighting and undesirable toileting habits outside of the litter box. As a rule of thumb it is recommended that every household has one litter box per cat, plus a spare. Our cats do prefer to toilet outside but we do have a backup litter box in a secluded area just in case of a toilet emergency. Just like us, cats would prefer to go to the toilet in peace. So litter boxes should be placed in quiet areas, away from busy household walkways. Cats don’t like the possibility of being ambushed either when toileting, so make sure they can still see the goings on of the room from the opening of the litter box. Cat’s cat be quite particular about litter trays and the substrate used so for more information visit: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/toileting.

 

My partner and I have made a conscious effort that the cats still get the same amount of attention even though our lives are changing. Cats can get equally upset about owners routines changing, especially if they like to spend a lot of time with their owners. When the baby is born we will also have to make an effort to keep up the attention and affection the cats get. We will continue with the plug-in diffusers until the baby is around a year old, maybe longer as things will be constantly changing within the household. Pet Remedy also supply wipes that I have used on new furniture entering the house. Cats have pretty sensitive noses and can be upset by new smells. A good indication of this is if your cat might urinate on new or electrical household items. This makes the item smell like themselves, which is comforting, although it might not be the same for us! We’ve been quite lucky and so far the cats have taken quite well to the new additions in the house. Particularly the pregnancy pillows which have been claimed as a cat bed.

 

Once the baby is born we will make sure both cats have areas to escape to if they want some peace and quiet. Food bowls, water and litter trays need to be accessible at all times. Cats quite like places high up or even low areas under beds. The main thing for them is to feel safe and that they can’t been seen or easily snuck up on. Thinking about how you can create these hiding places throughout the house is paramount for a happy cat. Using cardboard boxes or suitcases to create cat dens is easily done. Edwina likes high up areas such as on top of wardrobes of kitchen cabinets. We often put beds up there to add to her comfort. Whereas Albert prefers spaces under beds to hide so we have donated him a suitcase to sleep on under the bed.

 

There is also plenty of useful information on the international cat care website surrounding cats and babies if you follow this link: https://icatcare.org/advice/cats-and-babies/