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We have 2 house cats and we have a baby due in 7 weeks.
The cats have the run of the house and more often than not they sleep in our room at the foot of the bed.
However, when the baby comes along we will have its cot in our bedroom so we are trying to stop the cats from going in there now.
So 3 nights ago we closed the bedroom door. It went quite well but one of them started scratching to be in at about 5am. The next night we put tinfoil on the door ( I read somewhere that it would deter them from scratching ) ... It didn't really work. Last night one if them was quite scratchy / whiny to get in the bedroom.
So I just wondered for those who had cats and a newborn baby if they have any advice or any idea as you how we can get them used to being shut out ... Is it a case of stick with it and they'll get the message?
I have 2 cats and a 2 week old.
You will soon start to resent your cats!
Our cats decided the carpet looked much better shredded to bits outside our bedroom door.
The only thing I can suggest is keep them downstairs somehow - I've put in a pet gate on the stairs. It seems to keep them at bay, but the carpet on the stairs is now taking a bit of a clawing.
Give them somewhere more comfortable. Ours sleep on my pillow but it might be worth trying some radiator beds, most cats can't resist them.
Cats will get used to being locked out, it'll just take a few days. When our girls were very young and they went into their own room I fixed a latch to their bedroom door that let the door stay shut securely but with a two inch gap so we could hear any noises but stopped cats sleeping in the cot.
I don't have cats
I'd let them in - maybe cover the cot inititally somehow, just in case (I assume that's what you're worrying about ?)
My guess is that the regular disturbances overnight will drive them out to another room anyway
Loddrick - We have a radiator bed which gets used a lot ... But not on a night when the heating is off.
Scaredypants - yes, keeping then away from the cot is the issue
Ours sleep on my pillow
Wait. What? 😯
I have a 5 month old boy and a 3 year old cat, our cat sounds similar that she sleeps on the end of the bed and goes where she wants, when the baby was still in his Moses basket we just let her sniff around and bought a net to stop her jumping in(tho never needed/used it). She was generally not bothered by him and left him alone. Now he's in his own room and cot and it's the only room she isn't allowed in but we have been shutting it since he was born and she got the idea in the end.
We just thought, **** it, let's see what happens if we just let them in during the night. They were initially curious, but never got in with the baby (though would go in for a sniff if he wasn't in the basket). They still never get into his cot when he's in there. Just let them all get used to one another? They'll relate what's off-limits as long as you're consistent. Why don't you want to let them in (genuine question out of interest)?
Essential equipment for every cat owner...
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Why don't you want to let them in (genuine question out of interest)?
Basically trying to avoid the cats climbing on the cot, sleeping in the cot, being in the cot when the baby is in it.
I quite like the idea of just leaving them and getting in with it but equally I'm not sure I'd settle so well wondering what the cats are up to particularly in the early days. I'd like to think tho that they'd just keep out if the way