Introducing F5 5m/o Kitten to Baby

[Cay]

Hi guys! Been a while since we've been on here.

So we are now expecting our little boy to be here any day! (Today actually, is his due date, but sadly nothing looks promising...) And I am really having trouble with finding good research on introducing a kitten who is not tiny to a baby.

Also, I wondered if there was something else that's better to do with Savannah kittens?

A little more info: We are staying at my grandmother's condo for the first few days with him, as we are having him at the hospital in Victoria where our midwives are, not our tiny little town an hour away. Duma will be at home with my husband checking in on her every day or so. (Gotta love the toilet trained cat! Savannahs are so smart) So we will not be bringing him directly home from hospital to her.

 

[WitchyWoman]

This pretty much covers what I was going to suggest which is sort of taking a similar approach to what you would do if you bringing home a kitten http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/new-baby-cat-safety

Best wishes for a smooth delivery.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

I don't think there is anything different about a Savannah kitten except maybe they are more likely to jump into things and explore more of the baby's stuff...

 

[Chris Elliott]

I have two Savannah rescues because of issues with babies. So I think you are right to be concerned, and I know it can work out great.

I think that it is important that you continue to give lots of attention to your kitten and include her in play with your new son. Don't exclude her or shut her out. If you have concerns she may hurt your son, accidentally or whatever, make sure you are with them most of the time, especially at first.

She has been the baby and will not understand if the amount of attention you give her changes. I know how hard this will be to do. Fortunately, cats will sleep pretty much whenever and will probably adapt to your new one's sleep schedule better than you will.

Your boy will get much enjoyment watching you play with Duma. And he will learn how to play with cats and will learn to be gentle and loving. I think kids that grow up with animals thrive in this rich environment. And the more we know about the immune system, the better we understand that challenging the immune system early on is important to develop a strong immune system for life.

First babies are often late. I know you're ready, and he'll come when he's ready!

Congrats on this new phase of your lives!

 

[Patti]

It will be really important to reassure your kitten that she is not being replaced by your new son. Give her attention and make sure to play with her at least a couple of times a day. There is no way to know ahead of time how a cat will react to a baby so she needs to be supervised whenever around your son until you feel confident that she has accepted him as part of the family. You will also need to teach your son how to be gentle and loving with animals - it's never too early to start this.

Good luck and congratulations on your new baby boy - I hope you will post pics when you get a chance!!