My Cat Scratched My Baby...I Need Advice

GET SOFT PAWS! They work. It sucks getting them on, so see if a groomer will do it for you, and you'll have to watch them because they do fall off or she might chew them off. I used them when my cat was younger and kept scratching, he learned not to get his claws out so we no longer use them.

This thread makes me think of this:



^ That kid totally deserved it.
Your kid probably did something the cat didn't like, your cat defended itself.
I grew up with cats my whole life, and *gasp* they didn't kill me.
Your kid will learn to not bug the cat, and your cat will probably try and steer clear from your kid.
Watch them when they are together, otherwise keep them apart.

I HATE cats....I despise them...BUT I also dont agree with getting rid of ANY animal for a one time thing. I could see if the animal repeatedly attacked the kid, or attacked the kid so bad the kid had to go to the hospital.

THere are still options as others have mentioned...try the caps, try teaching yoru child to stay away from the cat, try the pills for animal behavior, try having a safe spot for your cat etc etc...if no other options work and the cat does it again...then YES by all means, your child comes first. THEN you rehome the cat! But to rehome an animal for a one time deal, when you havent tried any solutions to the problem first is very irresponsible.

Declawing seems better than abandoning your pet at a shelter. Adult cat have a hard time getting adopted and most end up living their lives at a shelter or euthanized. Introducing a kitten to the family might be a good idea or teaching the child to respect animals and give it space is another idea.

My 4 adopted dogs do not like children at all so I don't allow children around them.

I'd install a cat door to your cat's hidey hole. That way, closed or not, your cat has an escape route from the toddler. Also, keep in mind, you won't have a toddler forever. This too shall pass.

This. My cat is a cranky old bat too. As long as she has an escape route away from the kids, she is fine.

You failed both your son and your cat. It is your responsibility to make sure the cat always has access to a safe place. You should also be assuring that the cat's nails are properly clipped so they are not sharp enough to do any real damage. Declawing is absolutely not necessary if you are willing to take responsibility for proper care.

I'm sorry, but you misspelled "child" in your second sentence.

Um, no. The child always has a safe place. The cat doesn't. The cat is not the aggressor. Neither is the kid, but see it from the cat's perspective here. You're just sitting somewhere, chilling and this larger organism starts bugging you. You have nowhere to go to escape this organism. They won't leave you be. You're trapped. What do you do? The cat reacted like a normal cat does when they feel trapped. Neither is at fault, but to punish the cat by ripping its claws out, putting it outdoors or abandoning it altogether is wrong.

That would make perfect sense....In an insane world where house cats and human infants are equals.

And clearly the child does not always have a safe place as it was clawed by the cat.

"Well the cat felt annoyed, so it clawed the kid's face. It's the kid's fault."

I don't own any pets. I hope you never have children.

Agreed I think Sterilization needs to happen from some of these responses. Poor babies :-(

Really? So because I understand why the cat did what she did, I would make a bad mom? Wow.....and people think I and others who are able to decipher cat behavior are the bad ones? You're suggesting we shouldn't be allowed to reproduce. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

Hahaha I live in a brick house thank you, but maybe thats the answer here, If she lived in a glass house the cat would be forever trying to attack birds and wild life and not pay attention to the poor baby who is clearly not old enough to know better

I had two cats when my baby was born - and have had cats my entire life (rescued usually). One of our cats became really blase around the baby when she was about 4 months old, and we were like, cool, this works. The other cranky one, stayed the hell away from beeb. Worked for all. Then, a couple of months later when the girl was crawling, friendly kitty got pissy. He would flop down where ever the baby was (like, inches from her) and then when she would start grabbing he'd hiss. We'd separate them, but it kept going. Then he snapped at her, and needless to say, we got the word out to our friends that he needed a new home. He found one, and was happy, but passed away a few weeks later. He was super old, and we figured it was just getting to that time. Totally bummed out the friend who took him though. It was really sad.

Strangely, our aggressive female cat never got close to the baby. She passed away a few months ago as well (they were both 15 years +). But it is so tough to guess. I never would have guessed that my laid back tabby would snap at the baby, but my aggressive cow cat would just keep a safe distance.

Although we both love cats, my husband and I have decided to not get another one until the kidlets are old enough to learn how to interact with them properly. I believe in teaching kids how to interact properly with animals. But babies and toddlers don't learn that stuff! The only kitties my kid sees now are in homes with kids where the cats have learned the dangers of toddlers.

A six year old cat may be possible to rehome. I really hope you find something that works the best for all of you.This is super hard because we love our furry babies, but we are charged with protecting the human babies! Whatever you do, take good care of yourself. I had people act like jerks because we re-homed the tabby, but I still think it was the right choice, and I'm glad that he was happy his last few weeks.

Have you talked to your vet? I had to do that for our little dog. She is a Lhasa Apso and that breed notoriously does not get along with children. I'd had the dog for about 5 years when my daughter was born. When the baby was starting to pull herself up on things, she got into the dog's face while the dog was sleeping and...chomp. Near the eye, just like where you said that cat scratched your son. I hoped it was a one-time-thing, but it happened twice more. Luckily, that little dog's jaws just weren't strong enough to break the skin.

At our next vet appointment, I asked for a recommendation to a good animal trainer in the area. He said, verbatim, "You can't have a dog in the house that bites your baby." So I found a Lhasa Apso rescue organization that I think is the only place she could go where she'd be loved more than she was in our home.

In the end, it really was the best choice for the dog, too. Once the baby was born, I could see changes in her demeanor. She didn't like to be out around the family anymore and would spend most of her time in her crate (by choice). A house with a baby was not the place for that dog.

So, think about if your cat's demeanor has changed since the little one came along. It might be best, as much as it would break your heart, to find a home for him where he is more comfortable.

I reccomend you bubblewrap all your children. If possible keep them in large plastic bubbles whenever you can to keep the germs and dangerous things away.

Dont let them near animals or take them in the car or allow them to play outside. They could get HURT or even worse, ILL.

Thanks!

Or (to the OP), you could just roll a joint of "cat nip" and your kitty could be in it's "happy place."
Vets can prescribe anti-anxiety medications for pets... smooth out it's mood and make it more tolerant of stressors.

lol.. Just got a cat about 6 months ago for the first time.Always have had dogs. I have never laughed so much as when I gave my new (Stray) kittie catnip. She has never left us since. I think she likes our home, or maybe the catnip. Either way I am keeping stock in catnip.

He said, verbatim, "You can't have a dog in the house that bites your baby."

Smart

Seriously, reading these posts make me understand why there is a phrase "Crazy cat lady". Wow.

Defending the cat because most of them don't have kids.. Meow!

I'd hate to be raised knowing I came second to a cat in my parents' pecking order.

here's the thing...

Training your child not to bother your cat is not putting the cat above the child, it's teaching the child necessary survival and social skills to survive in the world at large.

What?! Please don't ever have children. Putting a toddler in a house with a cat that scratches if touched is a recipe for a scratched toddler. Toddlers take quite a long time to learn not to touch or do dangerous things, and they rarely learn "the first time." Besides, you can just as easily teach children to survive in this world without an aggressive cat. Ditch the cat, OP.

Contact your doctor. My niece whose five was scratched by their cat when she tried to hug it. She got used to our dog that loves hugs and unfortunately learned the hard way. The doctor gave antibiotics and my niece had to be treated. Cat scratches can lead to infections and fevers - hence Cat Scratch Fever.

Our cat was declawed and while some people say it's not good - she lived a great life and we had no issues. If it's the only way to keep her, it may be an option. You can try the caps first to see how they work. In the meantime, do not let your little one roam around freely without your watching her as she doesn't understand the danger. They sell huge play pens now that work beautifully for this so you could get one of those to put her in when you're having to do something like work in the kitchen. She'll get used to it.

Do NOT get a kitten. This does not guarantee that the new cat will suddenly become friendly to your child. If anything, they pounce on all sorts of things...may see your child as a play toy. If you have to give her up, find a no kill shelter and wait till your child gets older before you get any sort of pet.

Monica

Clip your cats claws regularly, or try those soft-cap things that you stick on (& then replace when the claws grow out).

If that doesn't work, then I'd suggest taking the cat to a shelter for re-homing. With a STRONG warning about needing a house without small children.

Good luck!