A cat question (yeah I know, cats on a bike forum. Whaaaa?)

**DrunkenMistake** · 13th July 2012, 23:28

Maybe some of you older lot might be able to help me out,

As I have said somewhere else, which is probably irrelevant now, me and my partner are having our first child very soon,
We have two cats who are extremely affectionate and dont venture far from me or my misses, so im a bit concerned about them been around a cot with a baby in it,
So the plan is to get the cot up in the next week or so and start on teaching them not to climb on it or into it,
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas?

One cat is impervious to pain, hissing, watered down vinegar (sprayed in the area or spot what have you not at the stupid thing), has the IQ of a watermelon and would much prefer to be no more than 3" away from me, or anything that could show the slightest amount of attention towards her.

The other one isnt too much of an issue shes pretty timid and give her a good fright and she wont do it again,its the dumb one I need to teach.

Any ideas are welcome, besides one involving a shotgun or high explosives... just painted the walls and all..

Cheers guys.

**neels** · 13th July 2012, 23:34

Most cats prefer to curl up beside things, rather than on top of things.

We had a stupid cat that liked to get in our bed with us, never bothered with the kids in the cot. Don't try to teach the cats anything, you're wasting your time, just put the cot up in advance and they'll have a sniff and move on.

**munster** · 14th July 2012, 06:59

Water Pistol. Every time you see them in the cot, give them a spray, they'll soon learn not to go in there. Our cats used to sleep under the cot, never caught them in it.

You can train cats, I've got one of our greedy guts to sit and wait when feeding and he won't go for the bowl until I say OK. Family reckoned it couldn't be done, so I did it.

**Grumph** · 14th July 2012, 07:03

In my experience, the only time a cat wil get in a cot with a baby is whan there's no other warm spot available. I've only once heard of a cat trying to bond with a baby and becoming a nuisance. That's from over 40 years of breeding Burmese and others.

We had a mate and partner visit us with a baby in a carrycot. Funny when it started crying - two experienced Burmese queens went and sat beside the cot and "talked" to the baby to soothe it....wish I'd had a video camera.

**Road kill** · 14th July 2012, 08:00

Try to provide a more comfortable spot for the cat and you shouldn't have a problem.
As much as I try never to admit it,my wife and I have always had cats and heaps of other critters around the house,so when our ankle biters were at the cot/basinet stage we kept them covered with a sloping cover that the cats simply couldn't get inside of.
Of course we had heard the old wives tales but we never had a cat try to get into the cot and I've never met anybody that had a cat actually sit on a baby,more just get in a lay beside them sort of thing.
Or buy a Fox Terrier,their great with cats.

**awayatc** · 14th July 2012, 08:32

another drunken mistake ............?

**mashman** · 14th July 2012, 09:59

Originally Posted by munster

Water Pistol. Every time you see them in the cot, give them a spray, they'll soon learn not to go in there. Our cats used to sleep under the cot, never caught them in it.

You can train cats, I've got one of our greedy guts to sit and wait when feeding and he won't go for the bowl until I say OK. Family reckoned it couldn't be done, so I did it.

I'd go with the water pistol... perhaps passing a current through the water too.

**Katman** · 14th July 2012, 10:03

Keep the baby in a cage.

It'll be safe in there.

**nodrog:Me** · 14th July 2012, 10:11

you could play the bubble game with them.

**Akzle** · 14th July 2012, 10:11

get a containment system... an electrical shock collar and a signal wire. start with it around the cot, then as baby grows expand it to the room, then the house, etc.

..by the time the kid's 16 you can probably take the collar off.

dunno about the cat though.. my suggestion woulda been a bullet but you already ruled that out...

**Usarka** · 14th July 2012, 10:35

Your much more likely to fall asleep with your baby, roll on it and crushing/smothering it than have a cat jump up and sit on it's face.

Pussy. Face. Heh heh.

**Her_C4** · 14th July 2012, 11:14

Here you go - http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblo...and-babies-11/

**XxKiTtiExX** · 14th July 2012, 12:29

Before my son was born I had the cot set up in my room with one of those hanging mosquito nets for over a bed, this was constantly shut (pulled completely around the cot) we have three cats and none have ever bothered trying to get in the cot with that up. Also when my son was asleep in the bedroom the door was always shut and the cats weren't allowed in there just as a precautionary measure. Allow both cats to have a bit of a sniff and a look around when you bring bubs home, to be honest cats are pretty good at having a quick look and moving right along after.