seeking advice on a nine-month-old and cat.
Post anon, please? I’ve had my cat since my son was three months old and he’s very tolerating of how rough my now, nine-month-old can be. However recently on two occasions, he’s been acting like a psycho cat on catnip even though he doesn’t have any and scratched my baby in the face! No blood but still. I’m worried it will continue. What should I do? I don’t WANT to get rid of my cat but my son comes first. Please be nice, thank you!
Teach your child to respect animals, not to pull on them, sit on them, climb on them or touch them if he can’t be gentle.
Start teaching baby “gentle”. Maybe cat is hitting him because baby is hurting him???
Dont let son be mean to cat. It’s not the cats fault, your son was born. You have to teach them so they dont put tails, choke, hit etc.
Start teaching your son how to handle an animal. There’s no reason to allow your child to be rough with your cat.
You have to teach the baby how not to rough with the cat … It takes time and paying alot of attention but u will see results the cat it just reacting and if its due to rough play that needs to be worked on
Not only all of the above suggestions of teaching tht tiny human manners. Also play with your cat just you and he. Cats need stimulation too.
You need to teach your baby to be nice to the kitty.
It means you respect that your cat has boundaries and use when kitty scratches at your son you explain to your son why being soft is good.
My son is 2. My cat has been the most tolerant pet in the house from day 1 since my son came home. The cat gets grabbed, picked up, pulled and poked. I monitor when my son is with the cat and I am constantly showing him “pet soft” and not to pull. Or poke or pick up…its exhausting because the cat is his most favorite thing in the world.
Your cat isn’t being mean, just showing when their boundaries have been met. I have 2 crazy small dogs, you’d think my son would be into them…nope, hes a cat guy.
Both of them will reach a point of mutual respect. Just sucks somedays getting there with all the reminding.
Hang in there. It’s still fairly new for everyone.
Teach them to be gentle early. Show them how to pet kitty. I have 3yr old twins and 2 cats. One tolerates the kids. And the siamese does not. Both have been scratched. They learned pretty fast after that. Make sure kitty has a place to escape to if he needs to run n feel safe. Keep a lil spce between them and do supervised encounters to teach how to “pet nice” (that’s what we call it.) Make sure kitty is ok health wise too if it’s been acting too out of character.
I’m sure there will be some that disagree with this comment but I personally would start by getting the cat declawed (if it’s strictly indoors) and also start teaching your son respect for animals just in case the cat is lashing out because your son is being rough. I also have a 9 month old and we have a dog and a cat, my son is an animal lover already and from the moment he began showing interest in our animals around 2-3 months old I would show him how to be gentle and pet. It took him a while to get the hang of it but for the most part he pets our dog and isn’t too rough with his loves. He’s gentle for the most part with our cat but she hides most of the day so he’s not around her much.
Definitely begin teaching him “gentle touches” but I absolutely agree that your son comes first, personally if it happened again the cat would be gone. Your son is still a baby, and yes needs to continue to be taught to be gentle and play nice, buuuut cats are super unpredictable, definitely keep a close eye.
Well there’s only so much rough a cat can tolerate.
It’s fighting back. Cats are awesome that way
Your child shouldn’t be rough with any animal.
Animals has few ways to communicate- one way was scratching your kid in the face.
I think your son and the cat will just have to learn one another’s boundaries. For your son, it may mean a few scratches. For the cat, it may mean some sort of toddler torture. But they will both learn.
My cat is declawed. But hes 13yrs old. Back then it wasn’t cruel. Might wanna ask a vet if they can do it. Let me say this my cat is a straight indoor cat NEVER been outside. When he was a baby he would attack my dad. The vet saw my dads cuts and scratches and the vet determined declawing was the best choice for our family. He is in no pain. He is very good with the toddlers but he has bit to show enough is enough. Also we have taught our kids nice hands.
Teach your kid to be gentle with the damn cat.
Start teaching your son how to be gentle and respect animals and get kitty nail caps for the cat or keep his nails clipped short so they aren’t sharp.
Don’t punish the cat 🤦
My cat has front declawed, back claws. Until recently I allowed them to fully be together. My little is 2 and they’re too little to comprehend. I’ve gotten him to understand gentle with our cat. It’s frustrating i know. It’s constant teaching. I’m lucky my cat is so caring and only is an ass when my little attempts to pull her tail. I recently allowed my little to feed treats (supervised) so they could bond. Stay patient. It will get better.
Someone above said declaw the cat. Omg please don’t that is literally cutting their finger joints off. Don’t do that.
They have caps for your cats claws, they glue on like fake nails and they’re made of rubber but yes definitely teach your baby gentle touching that way they learn to respect others animals as well
Declaw is the only safe option.
Put claw caps on the cat, and dont let the baby play with the cat, cause babies are not gentle, and will accidentally hurt the cat, so the cat defends itself. Dont punish the cat for something that is out of its control
Sounds like the cats have enough. I would talk to your vet, see what they advise. But for sure you should make sure the baby gives the cat lots of space.
They sell stuff at most pet stores for calming. Or you could just give the cat space for a little while in a new room. Sort of like reintroduce them after a while and keep them separate for a time.
Maybe the cat isn’t being tolerable any more. Teach your child to be gentle. I would take my babies hand and pet the cat and say, gentle. My kids have been scratched when they would aggrevate the cat, or pick it up when it didn’t want to be picked up, it happens. Just keep a close eye on both. It will work out. Is kitty fixed? If not i would get on that asap.
Ok I have a 6 year old cat a toddler an infant but I start by teaching kids gentle and picking up my cats ques that she doesnt want to be touched or that they are to ruff cause kids can play a little ruff and also my cat knows to walk away if kids get to much my toddler has gotten scratched not bad a couple times but he learned were she doesnt like to be touched like stomach and also learned when she is not liking the pets and knows when to back off cats are like people they dont like to be manhandled and like space also I trained kitty to walk off and child to know how to treat her properly and even care for her have baby around when you feed water bath all that my 3 year old loves to help makes a mess yes getting her food and water but hes learning to care for her
Cat scratch fever can also be found in fleas, cannot be known if it can infect human’s like cat scratch fever can, as it can be fatal from cats that we do know. Be safe and definitely have caution and space between baby and cat. I’d look into adoption if cat and baby cannot get their desired space.
Just like anything, it defends itself, cats are naturally curious and aloof, but very playful, as your cat ages so does his behavior, the cat now has something it’s size to play with and is doing just that, if you clip the tip of the nails every week, you shouldn’t have a problem, also, it is your job to supervise animals around your child and vice versa, put the cat in another room while the child has floor time, teach the cat and the child what behavior is acceptable. To me this is a really common sense question, not really in need of an answer. 
Dont let your baby be rough with cat give him perches to be up on but you MUST PLAY GET A WAND DO HUNT CHASE KILL PLAY let cat hunt the feather chase and get it
And all y’all saying to dump the cat…also probably raising entitled kids 
treat your kids to respect life. It’s not that hard.
I have a toddler and an infant with dogs and cats. I teach my children at a young age to respect animals. I don’t tolerate my children being rough and neither should you. Also… They’ve been scratched a few times. I have no sympathy. Shouldn’t have been rude to the cat.
Teach your child to not be rough with the cat and teach your cat to not stick around and get roughed up. There’s going to be scratches and such along the way but when they are older it’ll be better! Kinda like siblings playing and fighting. You have both your baby and your fur baby to raise. It’ll be different if you had a cat from hell but from the sound of it, that’s not the case.
tell kitty no with baby and tell baby no to leave kitty alone should be fine may be a slap on the paw and a no and a slap on hand and a no . ive had cats around my kids when they were babies and dogs.
It’s a tough one bc kids and animals both require live and attention and care. I would definetly encourage working with your baby on how to interact with the cat. Give it a good solid try and if that doesnt help or stop the problems then I’d find a safe loving home for the cat. I doubt your baby means to harm the cat but theres where you come in and teach. Good luck momma.
Seed stress being gentle to the cats
If the cat didnt extend its claws it might have just been telling the little one off.
Keep cat utd on shots, get cat spayed/neutered. Claw caps if you want to try, mine chewed his off, got him declawed fronts only. Gonna get backlash for declawing mentioning, but oh well. My son is almost 1, and cat is 2yrs old. Both get rowdy with each other but inseparable. Redirect them both on what gentle is
Why do y’all gets cats knowing babies are small and WILL be rough not purposely of course but still… teach your child not to be rough… All I can say. I love cats I wouldn’t get them until my kids are maybe 2 and 3 not trying to be ugly but cats are unpredictable assholes as well sometimes lol but yes show youe child to be nice as much as possible…I wouldn’t leave my child alone w any pet for sure…
(Eep separated from each other
Teach your kid to be nice to him. You can also get claw caps so kitty can’t scratch.
Teach him to not be rough
Teach baby to be gentle or keep the cat away from baby
Stop letting your nine month play with the cat:open_mouth:
U gotta let them stop playing with each other. Your baby is young and doesnt know better so kep kitty in kennel when baby is out crawling around and u can let kitty outdoors to play but you’re right your baby comes first so do what u feel is right