Newborn babies usher much happiness and excitement into our homes. Yet, many human parents who have a resident fur baby might not wholly agree with this statement because there is a lot of stress involved in introducing their new object of affection to the already settled in-house furry precious.
Cats need time to take massive changes like the addition of a new family member, fur baby, or environmental alterations on board. Even the slightest modifications to their routine or surroundings can make them anxious and retreat into a cave of sorrow.
Behavioral problems can quickly transform into physical health issues before you even realize it. Even if you have ensured your cat is covered with the best cat insurance NZ, avoiding situations that can affect your cat’s health is better than cure.
Even with a kitten insurance policy in place to provide a cushion it’s still important to pay attention to your fluffy fur ball’s well being. So, let them know something is about to change in both your lives.
With some preparation, you can break this news to your cat with little trouble. Also, if you are wondering how to make this transition easy and seamless for your baby cat at home, we have a few tips for you.
1.Utilize blankets with baby’s scent
After birthing, the new mom and the baby might stay in the hospital for a night or two. Use this time to your best advantage by helping your kitty cat adjust to the newborn’s scent before the baby arrives home.
The receiving blanket loaded with a newborn’s scent may be all you need to let your fur ball sniff and get acquainted with the baby smell. Parallelly, you can allow your cat to engage with an unused pair of baby socks and put these cat scent-marked socks on your newborn baby the day they arrive home from the hospital. Your furball might feel less stressed when it sniffs your baby for the first time because it can recognize the scent marks it had previously left on the pair of socks.
2.Provide your cat with some safe hideouts
Set up a few cozy places for your cat to hide when it gets stressed out because of the new entrant. Ensure baby and kitty don’t share the same room when either of them is annoyed. For instance, it could be an attractive cat tree, but it will serve little purpose when your kitty cannot deal with the wails of a crying infant in a crib.
In times like these, temporarily relocate the cat tree to another bedroom, basement, or patio. Also, provide your munchkin with many cardboard boxes, perches, open cat carriers, etc., in remote places so they can rest peacefully.
3.Work on establishing routines
Taking care of your human baby hardly means not caring for your fur baby. So, divide your time appropriately, so none of them feels left out. Help with baby care and be there for your cat during meal times; pet and play with it for brief periods to reassure them of your care and affection.
You can also discuss with your vet using cat-calming sprays to lower your kitty’s anxiety. At any point, there must be well-defined boundaries between your newborn and cat to avoid accidents, injuries, and other unexpected health emergencies that can lead to more serious situations.
With cat insurance in NZ, your furball is medically covered for the above events and more, depending on the level of cover chosen. Consider buying kitten insurance to help support your furball with top-notch medical assistance in unforeseen health scenarios with a little financial burden.
