Babies, cats, and cribs

[gibbinator]

Those with cats, what do you guys do at night time to keep your cats out of the crib?

Obviously, the easiest solution is to close the bedroom door, which is what we're currently doing. But it gets so horrid and stuffy in the room after a couple hours.

It may be better when we move ds out of our room and it's just him breathing along in the nursery, but I imagine it'll still be less than fresh.

So besides sucking it up forever, any other solutions? At what age would you be comfortable letting the cats in with your sleeping children (im thinking 2+)?

[Deleted]

My cat is not interested in the baby and he never has been. I've never, ever, once seen him go near the crib when the kid is in it. He actively avoids Owen at all costs.

But my cat is an asshole. If we had a friendly cat (and my mom has one, she is REALLY different than my cat), we might have to keep the door closed. I've never had a problem sleeping in a room with a closed door.

[Deleted]

Nov 18, 2012 20:23:22 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

My cat is not interested in the baby and he never has been. I've never, ever, once seen him go near the crib when the kid is in it. He actively avoids Owen at all

This.

[mellymel]

Nov 18, 2012 20:23:22 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

My cat is not interested in the baby and he never has been. I've never, ever, once seen him go near the crib when the kid is in it. He actively avoids Owen at all costs.

But my cat is an asshole. If we had a friendly cat (and my mom has one, she is REALLY different than my cat), we might have to keep the door closed. I've never had a problem sleeping in a room with a closed door.

Same goes for our 2 cats. Both assholes. And both uninterested in baby/crib. Although before he was born they were all over his crib!

[drloretta]

Our cat hated the sight of DD, so this was never an issue. And he'd never be able to get his fat ass over the side of the crib.

However, I have friends who have either used crib tents or have put a screen door on the main doorframe temporarily. They can hear their child and let air in, but the cats can't get in.

[Deleted]

I've heard something about tin foil as a deterrent. If that's true, can you put some in the crib before you transition to scare the cats away?

I know nothing about cats. In fact, I hate cats. So take my suggestion with a grain of salt.

[suburbanzookeeper]

Our cats had no interest in being in her crib once she arrived. DH's big tom (17lbs) would sleep under her crib and come get us if she fussed.

[Deleted]

My cats are also assholes, BUT I don't trust them 100% to stay away from DS. So just in case we keep the door shut at night and make sure both cats are out of the room.
Sometimes, when they want to be extra assholes, they will paw at his door and wake us all up. Usually when we are in a nice, deep sleep.

I will probably keep the door shut and the cats out until DS is at least 2, maybe 3-4+.

[curbsideprophet]

We shut the door and run the ceiling fan. I have heard of people putting up a screen door.

[gibbinator]

My cats are snuggly and include ds in their loviness

Unfortunately crib tents were recalled as a strangulation hazard I can't find anywhere online that still sells them (since ds isn't close to standing I'm not concerned about the strangling)

[bunch]

We were afraid of this, but the cat has always avoided the kid. We shut the door anyway for this and other reasons.

[Deleted]

Be happy that all you guys have to worry about is the cat. I've always kept our snuggly cat downstairs b/c I don't want him suffocating DS in his sleep, the cat would totally sleep in DS's crib. Free crib warmer (DS)? Heck yeah! But apparently I need to start letting the cat upstairs to eat THE FUCKING MICE. We live in an 1800s farmhouse so I should just accept that we have mice but I just can't. I heard another one in the wall this morning while I was rocking DS to sleep at 4am.

[karinothing]

Before the baby was born we put some tinfoil in the crib, but she was never really interested in it. I actually can't remember if she has ever jumped in it. I don't think she likes that she has to go up and over the sides of it to get into the crib. Either way, she has zero interest in the baby and for like the first 6 weeks refused to even come in the same room as him.

ETA: We do close DS' bedroom door, btu I am not worried I don't think the cat would bother him.

[Willis Jackson]

I close both the kids' doors. I don't want to take any chances.

[hocus]

My cats don't go near my kids so it isn't an issue. We close the door but that is only see the cats don't wander in and knock something over. There is not chance in hell the cats are getting into the crib with my kids. (my kids are almost 3 and 15 months).

[gibbinator]

Maybe I'll just buy some mosquitoe netting and tie it over the crib at night for now. At least if a cat attempts to jump in it'll create a huge commotion and I'd rather soothe a startled baby than continue to attempt to sleep so uncomfortably. I'm just not ready to end the cosleepibg yet

[shellbear09]

I don't have a baby yet but my plan is to use a gate at the door. This is how we currently keep my one cat out of our room. Our other one will jump the gate occassionally but she is not the one I am worried about. My other one is a jerk and has sometimes potty issues and I will flip if he does anything in the nursery.

[livinitup]

The cat never bothered DD or had any interest in the crib. I had no barriers in place. If it was an issue, I would put the cat behind a closed door with access to cat litter and fresh water.

[Deleted]

We don't expect issues since our cat can't see far enough to jump in the crib. We do keep the door shut all the time to keep the dogs away from the stuffed animals. We may at some point put up a screen door or a baby gate.

[Deleted]

One of my cats jumped into the crib once and because of the springs she couldn't get out. She never tried jumping in the crib again.