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How To Keep The Cat Out Of Crib: 5 Steps to Take

Cats and babies can have a special bond. Still, parents should take proper precautions to keep both the infant and the cat safe. I’ve heard horror stories about cats in the crib, so you shouldn’t be too complacent.

Knowing how to keep the cat out of the crib is the first step. Below, I discussed the steps you can take and other information that will help you keep a harmonious cat-baby relationship at home. 

how to keep the cat out of crib

How do cats react to babies?

It might be challenging to introduce a baby to cats who used to be the center of attention at home. In addition, they may perceive the new addition to the family as a threat to their territory.

The newborn’s arrival may trigger your kitty’s territorial aggression, including scratching full-on fighting, and this may also answer why my cat swat at me when I walk by. This is exactly what you wouldn’t want to happen in the crib.

While some cats might be jealous of babies, there’s a way to help them accept the arrival of your little one. Preparation in advance is necessary, so your kitty won’t be stressed or anxious.

The following will help your cat adjust even before the baby’s arrival, and it will also help you keep your cat out of the crib. 

How do cats react to babies

  • Acclimate their sense of smell. Cats often get stressed on a baby’s arrival due to the new scent. It’s the smell of the baby, the baby stuff, and the baby products you’re going to use. To help your cat adjust, let it sniff in your baby’s room. Do this for weeks until your feline is fully relaxed.
  • Secure a quiet space. With the arrival of a baby, the household will be noisy and busy. This will overwhelm your cat, so make sure that the cat has its room to retreat and rest. In addition, quiet and warm space will discourage your cat from seeking the baby’s body warmth.
  • Train with sound. Continuous baby crying can overstimulate a cat, so your feline friend must be prepared for it. Playing baby sounds from the internet will help condition your cat on what will come their way.
  • Start cutting back on playtime. Now that you’re expecting a baby, you will have less time with your cat. So I suggest you start reducing playtime slowly so your kitty won’t feel left out once the infant is home. This will also prevent the cat from getting jealous of the baby.
  • Address unwanted behavior. Once your baby is home, you’ll have very little time to train your cat. However, you can work with an animal behaviorist to correct the negative behavior.

5 Steps on how to keep the cat out of the crib? 

While cats are known to be fussy and territorial, some of them fall in love with their baby sisters or brothers right away. But no matter how patient and gentle your kitty is, you’ll never know when it will snap on a pinchy and noisy baby.

So it is better to be on the safe side and keep the feline away from the crib until your baby has grown bigger.

Here’s what you can do on how to keep the cat out of the crib:

keep cats out of crib

1. Use a screen door

Blocking your cat’s access to the baby room will stop them from climbing to the crib. A screen door will let you monitor your baby while allowing the cat to smell and look around.

You should never use crib nets because it’s very dangerous for the baby. As you know, cats have an affinity for whatever their claws can play with. This means they love messing with nets. And if your kitty happens to play with the net, it may fall into the crib. It could strangle your child, resulting in a tragic accident.

2. Make the crib less appealing

Another important way to keep your kitty off the crib is making it less appealing to approach. For example, you can spray diluted peppermint oil around the crib because cats hate its smell since it irritates their nose.

However, never spray the peppermint oil directly to your kitty because it’s toxic and can cause adverse side effects. Also, don’t spray the oil directly on your baby’s stuff.

For cats that hate the smell of citrus fruits, you can place peelings around your baby’s crib.

3. Provide supervised interactions

Once your baby has grown a little bigger, you can introduce the cat through supervised interactions. Let the cat approach the baby on its own terms and keep watching them both so you can intervene the moment your kitty shows negative behavior.

Keep these interactions short. Also, don’t let your baby pinch the cat because the kitty may retaliate with a swat in the face.

After the interaction, give the cat some treats if it behaved well. That way, the kitty will associate your baby with something positive.

4. Use a cat deterrent

If your sneaky kitty is still trying to get into the crib, you can use deterrents. For example, when my son was born, a friend recommended that we use an ultrasonic deterrent.

A deterrent produces a sound that only animals can hear, which is safe for cats, but it’s annoying and disorienting. This will help in keeping a cat out of a room

Still, you shouldn’t rely too much on these devices. It should only be an added layer of security for your baby. A screen door should still be the main defense against a sneaky cat.

5. Keep the cat busy

One way to stop the cat from seeking the crib is by keeping it busy. Get cat towers where your cat can climb and see the baby from afar.

Interactive toys will also keep your feline’s mind away from the crib. This way, the kitty can vent its energy towards playtime and not try to break into the baby’s room.

Do cats get jealous of newborn babies?

For cats used to be the only center of attention, a newborn baby will be a threat. This will make the cat jealous of babies.

As you spend more time with the baby, the kitty will feel abandoned. If you don’t schedule bonding time with your cat, the jealousy may develop into negative behavior. 

Aside from that, poor socialization, a kitty will lead to jealous behavior when you bring a baby home. Your cat must not be dependent on you for playtime and entertainment.

Other tips for keeping the cat out of the crib

Giving the cat an alternative bed on the side of the crib may help keep your feline friend away, but it doesn’t always work.

If you’re expecting a baby, take some time to socialize your cat with other people. It will help welcome new scents, sounds, and people.

Moreover, the sudden change in your routines at home upon the baby’s arrival will stress a cat. For example, a change in feeding will trigger jealousy in your feline, so try to give food on time and take care of your friend.

If nothing is working from any of the tips mentioned above on keeping the cat out of the crib, you should start closing the room door and monitor your baby with a baby monitor. 

Do cats know when a baby is coming?

Cats are very sensitive creatures due to their strong sense of smell and hearing. As a result, they can pick up a change in your hormones based on the scent your body produces.

Aside from that, your cats’ sharp sense of hearing probably allows them to hear the heartbeat in your tummy. And if you’ve had a baby before, your kitty may know that another is coming. (You can read more about can pets sense pregnancy

Conclusion

Knowing how to keep the cat out of the crib is necessary to protect the cat and the baby. A slow and careful introduction is necessary, so the two will have a harmonious relationship. Preparing the cat even before the baby arrives is also important to prevent untoward incidents.

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