Keeping cat off the babies

Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like you're
part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried unsuccessfully to get
her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it. What she does now, is if
I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop right up and sometimes step on
her. If I see that she is putting a paw towards the baby, I say "No" in a
loud voice and try to steer her away, but I can't always react quick enough
and sometimes she just does it anyway. It's hard to push her down safely
while holding a baby and a bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how do I
keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't sit in my
lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3 months, so
they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies are not going
anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

I am worried about the same thing with one of our cats too ( I am 34 weeks).
From what I've read, if you keep up the behaviour you are doing now with the
stern NO, that's about all you can do. I am sure the cat will learn... it
just takes time. Maybe when the baby is asleep, you can spend some extra
time with kitty so she learns the difference between you on your own and you
with the baby. Maybe when you are doing something like feeding you should
sit somewhere the cat cannot easily get to you or do it in a closed room. I
am sure a paw or two on the baby shouldn't hurt it. Like I have said to a
lot of the people that told me to get rid of the cats... they were my babies
first and it is hardly fair to them if I dump them just because they need a
little training. Besides, growing up with animals in the home is great for
your little baby.

Good luck

--
..oO rach Oo.


"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like you're
part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried unsuccessfully to
get her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it. What she does now,
is if I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop right up and sometimes
step on her. If I see that she is putting a paw towards the baby, I say
"No" in a loud voice and try to steer her away, but I can't always react
quick enough and sometimes she just does it anyway. It's hard to push her
down safely while holding a baby and a bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how do
I keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't sit in
my lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3 months,
so they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies are not
going anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

Snittens you got to remember the firball was the baby before. Now it is the
older child he/ she is wanting attention. How My wife dealt with it was to
pay as much attention to the cat before you pick up the child. If it is a
quick pick up carry have a little bag of treats with you to tell the
firball you know they are there.

His stepping on the children is accidental he/she does not recognize yet
that these are not inanimate objects. You are doing the right thing by
putting her down and reinforcing her with no when you have the kids in your
lap. To make sure the firball knows it can still get there you can place
the cat in your lap when you are ready for it. The firball will learn it
just will take time

When she breast feed she went into her own room and closed the door the cats
didn't like that but they had to deal with it. Sometimes you can't be a
softie when dealing with them just like children you have to be stern it
sucks but it guides them in the right direction.

http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/beh...tml#a_new_baby

"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like you're
part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried unsuccessfully to
get her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it. What she does now,
is if I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop right up and sometimes
step on her. If I see that she is putting a paw towards the baby, I say
"No" in a loud voice and try to steer her away, but I can't always react
quick enough and sometimes she just does it anyway. It's hard to push her
down safely while holding a baby and a bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how do
I keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't sit in
my lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3 months,
so they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies are not
going anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

Pss the kneading will never stop it is a sign of affection

".oO rach Oo." wrote in message
. ..
I am worried about the same thing with one of our cats too ( I am 34
weeks). From what I've read, if you keep up the behaviour you are doing now
with the stern NO, that's about all you can do. I am sure the cat will
learn... it just takes time. Maybe when the baby is asleep, you can spend
some extra time with kitty so she learns the difference between you on your
own and you with the baby. Maybe when you are doing something like feeding
you should sit somewhere the cat cannot easily get to you or do it in a
closed room. I am sure a paw or two on the baby shouldn't hurt it. Like I
have said to a lot of the people that told me to get rid of the cats...
they were my babies first and it is hardly fair to them if I dump them just
because they need a little training. Besides, growing up with animals in
the home is great for your little baby.

Good luck

--
.oO rach Oo.


"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like
you're part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried
unsuccessfully to get her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it.
What she does now, is if I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop
right up and sometimes step on her. If I see that she is putting a paw
towards the baby, I say "No" in a loud voice and try to steer her away,
but I can't always react quick enough and sometimes she just does it
anyway. It's hard to push her down safely while holding a baby and a
bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how
do I keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't
sit in my lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3
months, so they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies
are not going anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

Snittens wrote:

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

No flames here.

Look, you are letting her do this.

This may not be what you wanna hear...
but you're letting her.

Maybe sometimes there is no easy answer.

An old dog will lick you in the mouth if you let it.

Congrats on the 34 weeks and snittens congrats on the new additions

you can tell a lot about people when something like this happens their true
self comes out example just get rid of the cat ( I hate that )
Me anyone that would have told me to get rid of the cat would never be in my
life again or have one hell of a butt chewing if they were family.


".oO rach Oo." wrote in message
. ..
I am worried about the same thing with one of our cats too ( I am 34
weeks). From what I've read, if you keep up the behaviour you are doing now
with the stern NO, that's about all you can do. I am sure the cat will
learn... it just takes time. Maybe when the baby is asleep, you can spend
some extra time with kitty so she learns the difference between you on your
own and you with the baby. Maybe when you are doing something like feeding
you should sit somewhere the cat cannot easily get to you or do it in a
closed room. I am sure a paw or two on the baby shouldn't hurt it. Like I
have said to a lot of the people that told me to get rid of the cats...
they were my babies first and it is hardly fair to them if I dump them just
because they need a little training. Besides, growing up with animals in
the home is great for your little baby.

Good luck

--
.oO rach Oo.


"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like
you're part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried
unsuccessfully to get her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it.
What she does now, is if I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop
right up and sometimes step on her. If I see that she is putting a paw
towards the baby, I say "No" in a loud voice and try to steer her away,
but I can't always react quick enough and sometimes she just does it
anyway. It's hard to push her down safely while holding a baby and a
bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how
do I keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't
sit in my lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3
months, so they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies
are not going anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

Thanks for the quick responses. I really can't go into a different room
every time I feed as I have twins and that would mean taking them both with
me and going upstairs. I have no room that can be shut off in the main
living area, and if I sequestered myself every time I had to feed a baby,
which is twice as often as a normal person, I would be in the nursery all
day.
I do try to spend extra time one-on-one with the cats. Every morning my
husband takes the babies from 5am-8am, and I go back into the master bedroom
and NewCat snuggles with me just like old times.
My other concern is that she will start to view the babies negatively. I
don't mind the cats and babies interacting at all, I just don't want her
stepping on them. My cat Ana will groom their heads, it's really cute!

I got the "get rid of the cats" comment a lot too.

--
-Kelly

".oO rach Oo." wrote in message
. ..
I am worried about the same thing with one of our cats too ( I am 34
weeks). From what I've read, if you keep up the behaviour you are doing now
with the stern NO, that's about all you can do. I am sure the cat will
learn... it just takes time. Maybe when the baby is asleep, you can spend
some extra time with kitty so she learns the difference between you on your
own and you with the baby. Maybe when you are doing something like feeding
you should sit somewhere the cat cannot easily get to you or do it in a
closed room. I am sure a paw or two on the baby shouldn't hurt it. Like I
have said to a lot of the people that told me to get rid of the cats...
they were my babies first and it is hardly fair to them if I dump them just
because they need a little training. Besides, growing up with animals in
the home is great for your little baby.

Good luck

--
.oO rach Oo.


"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like
you're part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried
unsuccessfully to get her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it.
What she does now, is if I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop
right up and sometimes step on her. If I see that she is putting a paw
towards the baby, I say "No" in a loud voice and try to steer her away,
but I can't always react quick enough and sometimes she just does it
anyway. It's hard to push her down safely while holding a baby and a
bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how
do I keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't
sit in my lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3
months, so they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies
are not going anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

"No More Retail" wrote in message
...
Pss the kneading will never stop it is a sign of affection

Yes, I know. I don't want it to stop, but when I was pregnant with twins it
really hurt my belly (and boobs!).

--
-Kelly

"Snittens" wrote in message
...
Hi,
I have an issue here with one of my cats, NewCat, stepping on the babies
when they are in my lap. We've always joked that NewCat does not respect
personal space. She's the type who will walk right across you like you're
part of the furniture. While I was pregnant, I tried unsuccessfully to
get
her to stop pouncing on my belly and kneading it. What she does now, is
if
I am holding a baby on my lap, she will hop right up and sometimes step on
her. If I see that she is putting a paw towards the baby, I say "No" in a
loud voice and try to steer her away, but I can't always react quick
enough
and sometimes she just does it anyway. It's hard to push her down safely
while holding a baby and a bottle too if I am feeding.
Since I can't wrap the babies in tinfoil or spray them with citrus, how do
I
keep her from doing this? I don't want NewCat to think she can't sit in
my
lap, just not when I have a baby on me. The babies are only 3 months, so
they can't defend themselves. FTR, the cats and the babies are not going
anywhere.

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly

That's a tough one! You don't want the cat to associate negative
reinforcement with your babies, but you need to keep her from clawing
delicate baby skin.

Maybe you can do something that will distract her while you are feeding the
baby, like keep a laser pointer handy and put down the bottle and substitute
the pointer for a minute.

Other than that you could hiss/spit at the cat when she starts to walk on
the babies, but again, that will make her associate adverse reactions with
the babies.

Good luck, let us know how it goes and if you find something that works.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Snittens wrote:

This is a real issue I'm having, please no flames.

--
-Kelly


...Congrats on your new edition(s)

I don't mean to over simplify but you know what they say

KISS
stands for

keep it simple snittens

just toss the cat off your lap.

you scared the cat ain't going to love you?
Oh Fiddlesticks

let the cat go through whatever changes it has to cause you're in this
for a long time.

Sorry Catnipped, I damn sho wouldn't try to take care of babies and
entertain the cat with a laser pointer at the same time...OMG

CATS CATS CATS