Cats and Babies Can Coexist

If you get tired or irritated, don't take it out on Puss. Keep a sense of priorities. You only have one pair of hands: baby is top priority, cat usually second and most other jobs can wait a few minutes. Regularly de-wormed and de-flea Puss. Check which flea powders are safest in a house where there is a baby or toddler.

Wash your hands after petting the cat and after cleaning litter tray, cat bedding and food bowls. Encourage visitors to pay attention to the cat as well as the baby. Don't make Puss feel rejected, the baby is part of his life too. Beware that some cats love to suck on wool and may be attracted to baby blankets!

Don't leave cat and baby together unattended; most scratches are due to a cat fending off an inquisitive crawling baby. The warmth of a crib is attractive to cats and though they usually stay away from a baby's face (most dislike the smell of human breath) it is a good idea to fit a crib net. When junior reaches the toddler stage, you need to keep cat food and litter well out of reach.

Make sure that Puss can get to his food, but junior can't reach it. If junior does manage to sample Whiskas don't panic, just make sure the food bowl is placed well out of reach next time. As toddlers, Claire and Emily both tried Whiskas and were none-the-worse for the experience - it's the parents who suffer most.

Children and cat litter trays do not mix. If you can put the tray in a room or closet accessed by a cat flap, this is ideal. Likewise, make sure the potty is out of the cat's reach as even a de-sexed cat (male or female) may attempt to spray it to cover your baby's scent. Once your baby becomes aware of the cat, start teaching him how to interact gently with it e.g. not pull the cat about, grab its tail or disturb a sleeping cat. Provide Puss with a refuge on a bookshelf or windowsill.

Most cats retreat to a safe place rather than scratch or bite their owner's boisterous 'kitten'. Teach junior how to interpret cat-talk (this can be great fun); hissing or tail swishing means 'leave me alone', but purring and head butting means "carry on, I like this". As long as junior learns to respect Puss and not to pester him, they should get along just fine. Make sure junior learns to wash hands before mealtimes.