It was the 911 call heard around the world. By now everyone is familiar with Lux the cat.  The baby pulls cats tail gets scratched, father kicks cat making things worse and the cat traps family in the bedroom. Next Jackson Galaxy, star of Animal Planet’s “My Cat from Hell” gets called in. Reads like a really bad soap opera. There are so many things wrong with this situation including the kicking of the cat… and then there is all those interviews. In this case I really think they should allow Lux to go to a new home where he won’t have a such a hard time.

So can cats and babies work? I have friends and cat clients who do and yes it works, they have the best of both worlds. It’s education and preparedness that will help kitty and your little human have a safe and happy bond.

General Tips

• Ensure kitty is in good general health with a trip to the vet prior to baby’s arrival
• Routine, routine, routine! Cats generally don’t like lots of change so keep feeding, play and sleep time for them the same
• Don’t neglect kitty when baby arrives, if they are used to getting love and attention from you they will still want it
• Please teach baby to be gentle with your cat and always supervise interactions, this ensures it’s a safe and pleasant experience for all involved
• Stay calm and use positive reinforcement with your cat

Lots of resources exist on this topic and you can always talk to your vet or friends who have cats and kids.

I reached out to my friend Miranda who just had her first baby Brady and also has 4 cats! She was kind enough to send me some awesome pics of both along with a nice note on how it all works:

“I’ve never had a problem with any of our cats and Brady. The day we brought him home from the hospital each cat took their turn smelling and checking him out, as soon as they heard the loud cry he could produce, they made sure to keep a safe distance. I’ve heard people say it is a bad idea to own cats with a newborn but that is not true. My sisters and I grew up with cats from the time we were born, as well as all my cousins and their families.
Over the past 6 months our cats have slowly gotten more comfortable around Brady. He loves them and giggles when they let him feel their fur (until he starts pulling).”

Brady sleeping with ShyMilo standing by his new brother BradyBeans and Brady London watches over Brady from the Cat TowerDo you have cats and kids? How do you make it work?