5 Tips for Introducing Your Cat to a New Baby

*Thank you Zylkene for sponsoring this post. Regardless I only recommend products I truly love.

Tom and I got Miss Kitty shortly after getting engaged and moving into our first apartment together. She really was our first baby. I mean this cat would sleep under the covers and snuggle on you like she was a person. We tried to get her the nicest of everything and pampered her to the extreme. She had some behavior issues when we lived in an apartment, but when we moved from our little apartment to a house Miss Kitty seemed really happy having more space to explore. She loved sitting at the front or back door watching animals, and that she had the guest room all to herself. Her behavior really improved and everything seemed great. I remember asking whether I would be able to love my kids as much as I loved that cat. But then about 9 months after we moved into this house something else happened. Miss Maddie Grace entered the world and all of a sudden Miss Kitty’s behavior took a nose dive for the worst. She was biting (and viciously – drawing blood type of biting), hissing, and became reclusive. We always talked about how we just stopped seeing her around. And this was when Maddie Grace was an immobile newborn. As she started crawling and constantly chasing the cat (sorry Miss Kitty) things got worse. We even took her to the vet thinking maybe she had a medical issue and the vet told us that she had no medical issues, just the changes were upsetting her. And I could see why.

So before having our son Tripp I decided to be proactive and have a plan for how to make the transition easier on Miss Kitty. We talked to our vet, tried to be more diligent about not letting Miss Kitty in the baby stuff, but while much easier the second time around, it was still a transition. Miss Kitty is still not a big fan of the kids. In fact she waits until they are in bed to come snuggle with me or Tom and the rest of her time she keeps her distance. The kids love her but have still not quite figured out how to gently pet and love on her. They do love to give her treats (and she enjoys that as well).

So enough of the chit chat. Here are the tips that worked for us for a more peaceful introduction of a cat to a new baby:

(1) Zylkene. This is a non-drowsy, non-drug, calming supplement for dogs and cats. We are currently using Zylkene to help Miss Kitty stay calm while we pack and prepare to move to our new house and it has done wonders for her! Zylkene uses a unique milk-derrived ingredient that promotes calmness in pets and has been clinically proven to relax and calm cats and dogs. You can either give your cat or dog the whole capsule, or open it and mix it in with their food! Zylkene is available at your local veterinary clinic or online. Learn more about Zylkene here, and find them on Facebook here and Instagram here.

(2) Reward your cat when around the baby. Give your cat a treat for coming to check out the baby and being nice to him/her. This gives your cat something positive that they will relate to the new baby.

(3) Carve out some one-on-one time for your cat. I know this might sound so ridiculous to some people but it’s true. If you will be bringing home your first baby or don’t have other animals, your cat may be used to being the center of attention like ours was. This can make the introduction of a new baby especially hard for pets! Give the baby to your significant other for a few minutes and have intentional play time with your cat, and encourage your significant other to do the same.

(4) Get a self-cleaning litter box and automatic feeder. This too might seem ridiculous, but when you have a new baby sometimes these things will slip your mind. The self-cleaning litter box will keep your cats litter fresh and clean (which will also reduce the chance of them having stress related accidents) and the feeder will make sure they never accidentally go hungry.

(5) Do not allow cat to access crib/bassinet before the baby arrives. This is a mistake we made when I was pregnant with Maddie Grace. Miss Kitty loved to jump in the bassinet and sleep and we allowed her to! You want to go ahead and make sure your cat knows that the baby gear is not ‘cat space’ any way possible to help with the transition. You can do this by putting cardboard with pieces of tape on it in all the baby products (cats hate tape) so that the bassinet, rocker, etc., are not appealing to your cat.

Did you have a hard time adjusting your pets to a new baby? I’d love to hear about how you handled it below!

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. I received Zylkene products for my own personal review. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. If your pet’s behavior changes suddenly in any way, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. He or she can rule out any underlying medical issues as well as make additional recommendations. Consult your veterinarian before giving your pet Zylkene. Follow the recommended administration on the package, unless otherwise instructed by your veterinarian.

Zylkene is ideal for pets to help cope with various challenging situations, such as loud noises (fireworks, thunderstorms), traveling with pets, etc. Ask for Zylkene by name at your veterinary clinic, or purchase it online.

Click here to learn more about Zylkene non-drowsy calming supplements for your dog or cat.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. I received Zylkene products for my own personal review. All opinions, text and experiences are my own.If your pet’s behavior changes suddenly in any way, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. He or she can rule out any underlying medical issues as well as make additional recommendations. Consult your veterinarian before giving your pet Zylkene. Follow the recommended administration on the package, unless otherwise instructed by your veterinarian.