Introducing A Pet To Children...The Safe Way

Having a baby is a very exciting and busy time for a couple.  If it's the first child and you have a pet then the stress can be heightened even more because what if the pet doesn't like the baby?  What if the baby is allergic to the pet?  Lots of questions with seemingly nowhere to find the answers.  Well here's some answers to some all to frequently asked questions.

First, you don't have to give up your cat because you are having a baby.  It won't smother your baby.  That is an old wives tale that is not true.  Your cat can get a long with your baby just fine with some ground rules just like anything else.  As your child grows then he/she will need to learn how to interact with the cat as well.  This goes for dogs too because kids do not automatically know how to treat animals.  They have to be taught and they will learn by watching their parents as well.

http://www.healthypet.com/PetCare/DogCareArticle.aspx?title=Introducing_Your_Pet_to_a_Baby

http://familypaws.com/

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/pets_babies.html

Another cool fact is you may not even know you are pregnant but your pet will.  You may wonder why they are all of a sudden more clingy or more protective or having elimination issues or want more attention than normal.  If it's possible you may be pregnant then you might want to test because dogs and cats have an extraordinary sense for this type of thing and can sense hormonal changes.

Ok.  So the test is positive.  Congratulations!  Now what?  Just enjoy being pregnant and involve your pet.  Once you decide on a name then you can say the name a lot so your pet hears it and gets used to it because you'll be saying it all the time anyway.  Let your pet sniff the baby's clothing.  Make this a positive experience for them as well.  Making the nursery off limits is fine but the pet must know his/her limits in a positive, non-disciplinary manner so as not to let the pet feel the baby is bad.  Baby gates to the nursery as a barrier are a good way to keep the pet out while still allowing him/her to view what's going on and feel a part of the family.

 All of this being said, not all animals will love your children as much as you do so if your cat or dog is attacking you and you are pregnant it's important to look into whether or not he/she doesn't like children or if it is a medical condition.  Do not assume you must give up your furry family member because you have a non-furry family member being added to the picture.  We can learn a great deal from our pets.

I hope this has helped some of you and maybe sparked some thought in others.  I've included some links to some of the experts that can give some more feedback and support as well.

As always, if you have questions, comments or concerns please let us know and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!  Also, click the follow button on this page as well.

Finding New Litters and Babies

 Animal rescue people know when kitten season is coming but a lot of "normal" people do not and will often contact rescue organization, their vet or even shelters when they find litters and even infants.  Most of the time these organizations are full to the brim with animals they already have so fostering these babies is hopefully an option for the finder.

The care needed for these little ones can be intimidating, however, but no need to worry.  If you find a mom with babies all you need to do is put her in a small space like a large dog crate, bathroom or spare room with a box for the babies and she will do all the work for you!  Occasionally there is a little one left behind, though, and this is even more intimidating than finding the family.  While caring for the little one is hard work it is not complicated at all.  Here are two links for kittens and puppies to help you figure things out.

http://www.kittenbaby.com/

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2108&aid=863

Animal rescue organizations can also be a great source of information as can your vet.  Do not hesitate to ask but here are some things I like to keep on hand for kitten season:

Kitten Meal Replacement (KMR):  found at any petstore in powder and liquid form.
Baby kitten soft food:  doesn't matter what brand as long as it is a pate form
Baby kitten hard food:  for when they develop teeth and start eating.  I like Royal Canin baby cat but  whatever kitten food available is fine.
Bottle for KMR when they are still bottle feeding and not eating food yet.
A scale for making sure the little ones are gaining weight.

Socialization is key as well so having more than one animal with these babies is wonderful for their development (mental, social and physical).  Adopting kittens in pairs is always preferable because if the parents ever want another cat then the exposure and socialization is already there for them to be accepting of another housemate.

I hope this has helped and as always please let me know if you have any comments, questions or a topic you would like to see discussed here.